What better canvas for expressing messages about politics and social narrative through vividly illustrated textile art than the Japanese kimono?

Deanna Tyson is a textile artist who transports ideas and messages around the world through that most ubiquitous, functional and accessible of forms – fashion.

Her uniquely decorated kimono, wall-hangings, paintings, soft sculptures and stitched drawings have been exhibited in Bali, Jamaica, Mexico, The Netherlands, the UK and US.

Deanna believes that artists have a duty to wrestle with the negativity of existence, as well as glory in the beauty of nature. She relishes the challenge of developing complex ideas, drawing parallels and finding metaphors, both to highlight the human condition and to question cultural and social mores. From this standpoint, she tells political tales and weaves social comments through her stitched, appliqued and painted textile art.

American photographer Paul Caponigro said “It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, and it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”

Textile artist Andrea Cryer’s portrait diptych called ‘Kath 18 and 88’ indeed goes beyond “nice pictures.” The two images hung side-by-side truly capture Andrea’s mother-in-law’s spirit and essence in remarkable ways. She also offers viewers intimate snapshots of specific times in Kath’s life that reveal the complex layers of meaning that come with the passage of time.

In this article, Andrea offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the portraits were created, as well as her thought process related to symbolism and family that were folded into each piece. You’ll also learn how Kath reacted to her portraits shortly before her passing.

Andrea graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA (Hons) in Creative Art (Fine Art & Textiles). Her work has been exhibited globally, including the Bath Art (2018) and Windsor Contemporary Art (2017) Fairs. Andrea was also a finalist in the Hand & Lock International Embroidery Competition (2016).

From delicately stitched underground railway maps to beautiful artworks created from layered vintage lace and embroideries, Heidi Hankaniemi has always had a passion for making art.

With a lifelong love for handiwork, she has been able to develop a balance in her work, creating pieces of beauty each with a genuine concept behind it. Her mission is to rescue and restore value to discarded textiles, incorporating their history and the memories of their makers. She mends and joins these fragile items, fashioning them into exquisite contemporary works of art.

Heidi Hankaniemi was born in Finland, where arts education is highly valued. She grew up with an appreciation for art and the Scandinavian design aesthetic. She has lived in many places, drawing inspiration from each new home city, and is currently based in New York City. She has a BA (Hons) Degree in Critical Fine Art Practice from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London and a Diploma in Fine Arts from Kanneljärven Opiston Taidelinja in Finland.

Having found a way to combine her fine art skills with a love of hand sewing, she began to consider how to make good use of the vintage textiles she collects. During a period recovering from brain surgery, working with these vintage materials became a meditative and restorative act. This was the start of her path as a vintage textiles rescuer.

Like many artists, Michelle Holmes is inspired by her love of the natural world. Michelle’s stitched drawings onto cloth are informed by the freshness and open space of the British countryside around her, her travels to the British and European coast, and the night sky.

Michelle also loves to portray religious icons and unusual buildings, and she has a particular passion for simple, machine-embroidered line drawings of Lowry-like figures onto natural fibres. One of her figures – Betty – developed into a popular character. Michelle still stitches a Betty every week and her musings attract many followers on social media.

Michelle’s free machine embroidery and hand-stitching are sometimes embellished with applique and beading to accurately depict the highlights, tones and textures that she sees, and to enable her to explore her interest in surface qualities.

Michelle graduated in Embroidered Textiles from Loughborough University and since 1994 has worked as a full-time textile artist. She works from a studio at The Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts in Staunton Harold on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border in the UK. She exhibits her work, makes wall-hangings and framed art to sell, and runs several workshops each year.

Marianne Crosslé grew up in rural Northern Ireland and always thought she would have a career in art. As a teenager, she applied to the School of Art in Belfast but was rejected. It was a blow to her confidence. So much so, that she didn’t make ‘art’ again for a very long time.

Having a successful career as a stage and production manager in theatre, on her 70th birthday Marianne decided it was time to re-engage with her artistic instincts and signed up for a two-year City and Guilds (C&G) Certificate in Fine Arts Textiles. She poured all of her passion and commitment into the course and graduated with Distinction in all four units.

‘By this point, I was a big fan of TextileArtist.org, so when the Exploring Texture & Pattern with Sue Stone online course started to be mentioned, I practically stood at my computer, waiting to hit the registration button as soon as it went live.’

‘I loved every moment of the course. It’s not an understatement to say I’m a completely different person because of what I learned in terms of confidence and inventiveness.’