Approved: 16.08.2006

Cas Holmes

Artist, Curator, Maker, Teacher, Writer

Approved: 16.08.2006

Background. My training is in Fine Art (painting and photography) I work between the disciplines, painting and mixed media textiles.I am a writer and an author, my most recent publications are  Embroidering the Everyday 2021 and Textile Landscape (Batsford 2018) 

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      Artist Statement

      Background. My training is in Fine Art (painting and photography) I work between the disciplines, painting and mixed media textiles.I am a writer and an author, my most recent publications are  Embroidering the Everyday 2021 and Textile Landscape (Batsford 2018) 

      FOUND STITCH PAINT I am interested in land as a reference; flora, patterns in nature, the world within my footsteps. I re-use found materials and textiles, fascinated by their prior history and hands that have held them. My concern is political, social, as well as climatic change. I approach this through the media I use and the connections found in the places I work (personal experiences, connected stories, materials and imagery). 

      Career path Following my degree my understanding of paper and related media was further enhanced through two periods of long-term study in Japan in the mid to late eighties with Fellowships (supported by the Japan Foundation and the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.) I continued research with an Arts Council Award to India in 2006. I work on commissions and in the public sector in addition to developing my personal practice. The challenge of working on site-specific projects and in workshops offers opportunities for professional development.

      Publications Embroidering the Everyday 2021Textile Landscape 2018, 'Stitch Stories' 2015. The Found Object in Textile Art 2010  Connected Cloth (co-written 2013) All Batsford

      Commissions. Work in textile and mixed media combining paint, dye, print, photography and stitch techniques. Projects include a commission as part of Gypsy Maker 4 and 6 with the Romani Cultural and Arts Company 2020-24 , Caring Hands a Homeless Charity in Chatham and Farnham Pottery 2017, the Garden Museum, London 2014/5, Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope (museum, art gallery and library) Kent, a commission for the Princess Royal Hospital, Pieces are also held in private and public collections including the Museum of Art and Design New York and the Embroiderer's Guold UK.

      Teaching I teach on the short course programme at West Dean College, where I also worked as resident artist and was commissioned to make work for the collection (supported by the Edward James Foundation.) I exhibit and run projects and workshops in the U.K. and overseas

      Check my website www.casholmes.co.uk  for current details

      CV & Education

      Qualifications and training

      2005 - Creative Partnerships. Creativity in Practice Training, Kent Institute of Art and Design, Canterbury

      2002 - City and Guilds Part One Teaching Certificate, Kent Adult Education, Maidstone, Kent

      1988 - Japanese paper and textiles, Japan Foundation Fellowship, Japan

      1985 - Japanese art and papermaking, Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship, Japan

      1983 - Fine Arts Degree, Maidstone College of Art, Maidstone, Kent

      Publications

      Books: Embroidering the Everyday 2021, Textile Landscape 2018,  Stitch Stories 2015,  The Found Object in Textile Art. 2010, Connected Cloth 2013 (with Anne Kelly)  Batford publications

      Found-Stitch-Paint 2018

      Urban Nature catalogue 2014

      Writer and contributor to articles for magazines and on-line including Textileartist and Workshop on the Web (regular contributor).-Text in Textile Art (Sara Impey) 2012 - The Year Ahead, Embroidery Magazine. 2012 - Urban/Nature,

      Solo exhibitions (recent) 

      2021-23 Places, Spaces and Traces:The Shipping Forecast R-Space, Lisburn, LV21 Gravesend, Sevenaoks Kaleidascope, Queen Street Gallery, Neath

      2022 Guest artist, Anna 3, Antwerp.

      2020 Gypsy Maker 4 (with Dan Turner) Romani Cultural and Arts Company, Touring.

      2019 Painting With Cloth,Rochester Art Gallery and Queens Street Gallery Neath.

      2018 Nadelwelt, Germany. - Textile Landscape, Knitting and Stitching Show UK.

      2017 Common Land, Common Places, Farnham Pottery March-April 

      2016 Visions Art Gallery San Diego  -  Quiltfestival Wilwerwiltz Luxembourg-Kent Wildlife Trust, Tyland Barn

      2015 Edgelands, Savill Building, Savill Garden  -  Common Place,art textil sent, Sent Switzerland.  -  Les Annuelles à Monod, in Le Mans- Prague Patchwork Meeting, guest artist

      2014, Places-Spaces-Traces, Guest Artist 20th Aniversary European Patchwork Meeting  -  Common Place, Quilt Star, Freiberg

      2013 Urban Nature Front Room Gallery, Beaney Museum, Canterbury  -  Common-Place,  Maidstone Adult Education Centre.

      2012 Urban/Nature, Knitting and Stitching Show, Alexander Palace and Harrogate, London and Harrogate

      2011 Traces, Maidstone Studios, Maidstone - Domestic Mapping (with Anne Kelly), Trinity Theatre and Arts Centre, Tunbridge Wells 

      2010 Traces, Farfield Gallery, Lake District  Traces, Walkway Gallery, Maidstone Borough Council Gallery

      2008 - Guest Artist, From The Land, Quilt Italia, Florence

      2007 - 'Traces' and 'Many Paths', Rochester Visitor Centre Gallery and Cathedral, High Street Rochester  Trails:From The Land, Kaleidoscope Gallery. KCC Arts and Libraries, Sevenoaks

      Group exhibitions 

      2023 Illuminate, Art Textiles, Made in Britain, Stitch by Stitch, Willow Gallery Oswestry ShropshireA Sense of Place with Rosie James, Batford Gallery, London

      2022 Fibre and Form, The Halpern Gallery, Chatham, 

      2021 Found, Art Textiles Made in Britain. Festival of Qults.

      2020 For the Love of Gaia, International Quilt Museum Nebraska.  Great International Quilt Festival , Tokyo with Art Textiles Made in Britain. Art Under Lockdown, Counterweave Arts, Rome

      2019 Home, Embroiderers Guild UK, Touring. Wild, Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery.

      2018 Wild, Art Textiles Made in Britain, touring -  World of Threads, Ontario - Bloom, Leeuwarden, European Capital of Culture, Netherlands. 

      2017  All That Remains, (Exhibition about the Titanic) Chichester - National Open Textiles Exhibition, Funkey Aardvark, Chester.

      2016-18 Concealed, Art Textiles Made in Britain, Festival of Quilts, Minerva Gallery Wales and Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery. - Textil Natur Quiltstar Freiburg. Prescription Templeman Gallery University of Kent. 

      2016 'Stuff for Thought', Human Rights Office Nuremberg, Pilgrim's Footsteps, St Mary's Church Burham, Coming Home, Installation, Maidstone Museum WW1 exhibition.

      2015 International Fiber Arts, California  -   Runnymede Revisited, Canterbury Festival  -  6th European Quilt-Triennial Textilsammlung Max Berk-Kurpfalzisches Museum, Heidleburg

      2014  Exposition Australia (organised through Fibre Art Australia touring)  -  Garden Museum, London  -  Memory Cloth Lace Museum, Horst  -  Art Textiles Made in Britain, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham.

      2013 Stitch Karmel Cloister Drachen  -  Connected Cloth Touring with Anne Kelly,

      2012  Art Quilts Award., Germany- 5th European Art Quilt Triennial  -   Drawn to Craft, Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton  -   Lost and Found, The Beetroot Tree, Draycott, Derbyshire

      2011  Drawing with Thread, Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford  -  International Year of the Forests, Forestry Commission, Germany, Freibery, Germany  -   Natural Tendancies, Old Fire Station Gallery, Henley on Thames  -  Curiouser and Curiouser, Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery, Tunbridge Wells

      2009 -ArtCloth:Engaging New Visions, Fairfield City Museum and touring, Australia

      2008 - Transitions, Bilston Craft Gallery touring, Wolverhampton 2008 - Transitions ACE supported,  -  Unearthing, Musee Textile de Haute Alsace and Stadmuseum, Woerden, Haute Alsace France and touring Netherlands

      Work Experience

      Self Employed Arts, Writer and tutor since 1985 Work for Museum, Guilds, Schools and Education, National/International Residencies 

      Kent Adult Education, Current Textiles, Painting and Drawing   Maidstone,

      West Dean College Senior Tutor, Textiles amd mixed media

      1995 -2000 Middlesex University,Fine Arts Department.

      Textile Talks and Worshops 

      2011-20 Zijdelings, Centrum voor Textiel &Surface Design, Netherlands 2011-15- Studio Preniac, France , Fibre Arts Australia, Australia 2011/13/15- Art in The Frame, Jersey (2009/11/14)- Tutor Artist for art teachers- PGCE training), San Diego, Atlanta and Sedona 2014

      2008/11  The Making Organisation, Various South East - Guest Tutor and speaker, Textile Groups and Quilt organisations.

      Community Projects 

      2022  Mental Fight Club, Good Things Collective

      2020 Romani Cultural and Arts Company., Textileartist.org, West Dean College and Kent Adult Education, Real time and virtual workshops during Pandemic

      2019 Age UK, Tea Flora Tales

      2018 Copenhagen, Community Arts workshops.

      2017 Canine Partnerships fundraising exhibition and project, Unfolding Landscapes, Minerva Arts Centre. Caring Hands Homeless Project, Chatham.

      2016 Tea Flora Tales, Kent Wildlife Trust, Maidstone.

      2015 Marks on Cloth LV21 Gillingham   -   Hugenot Museum, Rochester

      2014 Age UK and Commission, Gardens in Wartime, The Garden Museum, Lambeth, London,

      2013 Nautical Threads, Dover Arts Development-

      2011 - Walk of Art, Bromley Council and local primary school, Bromley. Kent Site specific- Red Rain, Maidstone Studios (Old TV Studios)

      2010 - Textiles and drawing, International School Brussels, Brussels

      2008 - Growing Gardens, Bradbourne Secondary School, Sevenoaks Kent

      2007 - Arts Enhance Project, Canada Wing, Orpington Hospital  Japanese art and textiles, Swingate Primary School, Gillingham, Kent Educational experience - secondary

      Commissions, Collections and Installations 

      2020 Romani Cultural and Arts Company/ Arts Council Wales, Professional Development Award.2019 Norwich Cathedral, 2015 Wetherspoons pub North Kent. 2014 Garden Museum London, 2012 Embroidery Guild, Great Britain  2010 - Blouse and Lace Wings, Tunbridge Wells Museum, Tunbridge Wells 2009 - Red Rain. installation, Arts and Business, Kings Hill, Kent 2006 - Purchase for the West Dean College Limited Editions Collection, West Dean College, Chichester 2006 - Textile Installation Wall Hung, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Museum and Library, Sevenoaks Kent 2005 - Textile Installation Wall Hung, Princes Royal Hospital Bromley, Bromley, Kent 2004 - Textile work, White Cross, Museum of Art and Design, New York 2003 - Sweetheart Quilt, Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norwich Projects 2007 -

      Competitions, prizes and awards

      2017 Runner up, Kent Creative Awards Visual Arts

      2014 Pfaff Award to support exhibition at European Patchwork Meeting, Arts Council Professional Development Award, New Works for exhibitions, Folkestone Metropole and USA 

      2012 - Grants for the Arts Award, Arts Council England , Support Urban/Nature

      2010 - Pride of Britain Award, NRI Institute, Britain/India

      2008 - , Development of New Works ACE, Bilston Crafts Gallery, Wolverhampton

      2006 - Research and Study India, Arts Council England South East, Research India, exhibition supported by Medway Art Development

      2001 - Professional Development Award, Arts Council England,  -  Beyond the Surface

      2000 Year of the Artist Award, Residency to create installation works, Mote House, Leonard Cheshire Home, Maidstone

      1999 - Research Award, Medway Council for Reflections Exhibition, Rochester High Street Gallery and Cathedral Educational experience