Statement of Practice
Nikkita Morgan is an Irish mixed media textile artist based in Edinburgh, who has been working as a freelancer since 2015. She predominantly works in her studio using a diverse range of art, design & craft methods: primarily creating artwork for exhibitions nationally. Alongside her creative practice, she teaches textile & embroidery workshops for school, college and university students, vulnerable adults, community and non-English speaking groups nationally.
Her current studio project focuses on Brexit and questions the impacts it will have on Ireland and the UK. As an Irish citizen from the North, Brexit is a major concern, as this may lead to the re-introduction of a hard border between the North and South, which will not only damage the economy and all the peacebuilding, but it might bring the violence back. These are some of the key questions that continue to inspire and depict her visual response to this subject matter.
For her practice, she uses a range of textile and non-textile materials, processes and techniques that are selected by relevance, through their relationship to her subject matter, their meaning and how it will be symbolic to the message she wants to portray within her work. Materials include fabric, paper, digital projections, hand & machine embroidery, drawing, laser cutting, screen/mono-printing and fabric & digital manipulation: juxtaposing traditional craft with technology, and consequently introducing new ways of thinking about materials and textiles.
Colour, stitch, texture, research, imagery and text are key elements used within the designing and making of her work: analysing and combining historic techniques with contemporary design ideas to create unique textile artworks. She uses needlework to capture intricate stories: emblematically unravelling and re-working aspects of religious, political and cultural issues.
Education
Masters Degree in Textile Design | Norwich University of the Arts | 2013-14
BA (Hons) Degree in Textile, Art, Design & Craft | University of Wales: Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar | 2010-13
Foundation diploma in Art & Design | Southern Regional Collage | 2009-10
Grants/Awards
a-n Artist Bursary recipient | Time Space Money | 2020
VACMA | Edinburgh Craft Makers Award | Edinburgh City Council & Creative Scotland | 2020
Highly Commended for series of works | Annual Awards for Art About Big Global Issues or Concerns 2020 | Redline Artworks | Also attained in 2017, 2018 & 2019
Support for the individual artist programme | Arts Council of NI | 2019
Norfolk Arts Project Fund | Norfolk County Council | 2019
a-n Artist Bursary recipient | supporting self-determined professional development grant | The Artists Information Company | 2019
Artist of the month | Axisweb | July 2018
Travel Award | Arts Council of NI | 2017
NI Young Artist of the Year Runner-up | Mid And East Antrim Council | 2016
Norfolk Arts Project Fund | Norfolk County Council | 2015
Ideastap Wrap-Up Fund Brief | 2015
Split Infinitive Trust Grant | 2015
The Eaton Fund Grant | 2014
Arts and Humanities Research Council Award (AHRC) | 2013
Shortlisted for the Textile Study Group Graduate of the Year Award | New Designers | London 2013
Textile Student of the Year Award | University of Wales Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar | 2013
Residencies
International Artist Residency: Collaborative project supported by the Arts Council NI [Postponed/Upcoming 2020]
International Artists in Residence Programme: Artsland, Fermanagh & Omagh District Council [December 2018, May & September 2019]
Guest Studio Residency Programme: The Art Cube Artists’ Studio’s, Jerusalem [Feb 2017]
Artist-in-Residence: George Watson College, Edinburgh [Aug 2016 - Aug 2017]
Gallery Artist-in-Residence: St.Margaret’s House Gallery 1, Edinburgh [Aug 2016]
Textile Artist-in-Residence: Edinburgh College of Art: Edinburgh [Sep 2015 - Aug 2016]
Selected Exhibitions
Upcoming
Between Lands (part 2): Bloc Gallery: Edinburgh [September 2020] postponed
Current
RedLine Artworks, Digital Exhibition: Available at: http://www.redlineartworks.org/gallery_532987.html [2016-2017-2018]
Past 2019
Divergent: Anteros Gallery: Norwich (supported by Norfolk County Council)
Open Studio: End of Artist-in-Residence programme: Aughakillymaude Mummers Centre
Anna Cheyne Biennial Award 2019 Exhibition: Island Arts Centre: Lisburn
Between Lands: Whitespace Gallery: Edinburgh
1 FT SQ Art Exhibition: Strule Arts Centre, Omagh & Blaney Yoga Centre, Fermanagh
Past 2018
Brexit Respond… (Interactive Exhibition): Roots Gallery, Edinburgh (Solo)
Henry's Odyssey Fundraising Exhibition: Mandell's Gallery, Norwich
Macmillan Art Show 2018: Bonhams, Fringe Venue 216, Edinburgh
The Locale Group Exhibition: Cass Art, Glasgow
Past 2017
Embroidered Stories: Edinburgh College of Art: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Locality Group Exhibition: DOK Artist Space, Edinburgh
Éire Intransition: St. Margaret's House Gallery 2, Edinburgh [Gallery In-Kind Support] (Solo)
A-I-R Exhibition: George Watson College, Edinburgh
Guest Studio Residency Exhibition: Art Cube Artist's Studio's, Jerusalem (Solo)
Past 2016
Materials, Meaning & Messages: R-Space Gallery, Lisburn, Co.Down
The SSA 119th annual exhibition, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
NSK Folk Art Rising 1916-2016: Burren College of Art, Co,Clare
A-I-R 15/16 Exhibition: Tent Gallery & St. Margaret's House Gallery 1, Edinburgh
Art of Craft Exhibition: Market Place Gallery, Armagh
NI Young Artist of the Year Finalists Exhibition: The Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena
Cause and Effect: Pentland Fine Art Gallery, Aberdeen
2015
NN Open Exhibition: NN Contmeporary Art Gallery, Northampton
100 under 100, 3rd on 3rd Gallery: Jamestown, New York
Platform Open Annual Art Exhibition: Morphets of Harrogate, Yorkshire
One Year On: Stew Gallery, Norwich. Supported by Norfolk County Council
Summer Salon 2015: Islington Art Factory, London
Rising Stars 2015 exhibition: New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
2014
Place, Space & Negotiated Territories Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich
2013
New Designers: Islington, London
Artist Commissions
Voices for Equity | Facilitate a community arts project to raise awareness of stigma and inequalities that impacts people living in Shetland | outcome will be a large-scaled embroidered tapestry that will tour to different locations throughout the Shetland Islands | Shetland Islands Council on behalf of the Shetland Partnership | 2019 - 2020
Embroidered Sampler Wall-hanging (A learning aid tool) | Art Department | George Watsons College | Edinburgh | 2017
Design & construct campaign banner for Educational Institute of Scotland | commissioned by the Joint Union Liaison Committee at Edinburgh University | 2016
Environmental Project Commission | collaborative project working with local artists and scientists from the University of East Angelina to design & construct a 3D info graphic sculpture that represented the storm surge damage surrounding the Norfolk coast | 2015
Mural art commissions | Spurs Restaurant | Newry & Belfast | 2007-08
Teaching Experience (Workshops\Projects/Artist Talks)
Research Assistant | The Needlework Development Scheme (NDS) | Touches Stitches Heritage Project | University of Edinburgh | Roles include: taught stitch workshops with prisoners at HM Prison Edinburgh & Corntan Vale, digitally archiving the NDS collection, 3D scanning of collection and assisting with exhibition set up and event preparation | taught embroidery workshops as part of the Touching Stitches exhibition with students at the University of Edinburgh and the general public | Jun 2017 – Current
Guest Lecturer Tour | Artist Talks & Embroidery Workshops for disadvantaged students at various schools and colleges around Norfolk | helping to promote University education within the Creative Arts, this includes | Norwich University of the Arts, City College Norwich, East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Sprowston Community Academy, City of Norwich School, The Thetford Academy, IES Breckland, Ormiston Victory Academy, Broadland High School, Hewett Academy Springwood High School, City Academy, Paston Sixth Form College, Wayland Academy | Organisation: Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach (NEACO) | Norfolk | January 2018 – October 2019
Artist Workshops | Taught textile & embroidery workshops to primary, secondary school, college students and community groups as part of my artist-in-residence programme | Artsland | County Fermanagh | Dec 2018, May & Sep 2019
Workshop Assistant | 100 Years Women’s Vote Banner making workshops | Taught embroidery skills to female’s at Cornton Vale Prison and student and staff members at the University of Edinburgh | Processions | Artichoke | February – June 2018
Workshop Teacher | Taught a series of textile & embroidery workshops for children aged 7-12 online via Art+798’s online software | My workshops were intended to teach children about colour palettes, materials and processes including: learning basic hand embroidery skills and combining different materials & mediums for final product outcomes. | Art+798 International Art Education Center | China | 2015 – 2017
Artist-in-Residence | As part of my residency, I helped assist teach the children from primary 4 up to S6, working closely with the staff members to help organise, set up and prepare art & design workshops and lessons. My role also included planning and running a series of textile and embroidery workshops with Primary 4 up to S5. Some of the technical areas I helped with include: Photoshop/Illustrator, Textiles/Fashion, Graphics and Embroidery | George Watson College | Edinburgh | Aug 2016 – Aug 2017
Textile Art Community Project | Taught embroidery workshops to groups of non-English speaking children (7-11 year olds), teenagers and women | Project supported by The Arts Council NI Travel Award Scheme | Oct – Nov 2017
Artist Talk ‘Conflicting Textiles’ [part of my Guest Studio Residency Programme] | Art Cube Artist’s Studio’s | Jerusalem | Feb 2017
Textile Artist-in-Residency | As part of my residency I worked closely with the staff members on various textile projects both internal and external of the university. I also assisted in the laser cutter department, helping to guide students on digital preparation work and using the laser cutters | Edinburgh College of Art | Sep 2015- Aug 2016
Artist Talk | Materials, Meaning & Messages Exhibition | R-Space | Lisburn | 2016
Artist Talk| Glasgow Artist Guild | Saramago Café | Glasgow | 2016
Artist workshop and volunteer for the Arts Recovery Program | working with vulnerable adults | Norfolk | Certificates in Challenging behaviour and Safeguarding of vulnerable adults | 2015
Artist Talk’s | Meet Your Maker | Maklab | Glasgow / Artist Presentation | Edinburgh College of Art / Guest lecturer | Paston Sixth Form College | 2015
Other Professional Artistic Experience
Lead Artist | Co-coordinating, organising & curating group exhibitions in Edinburgh & Norwich [Between Lands | Divergent | A-I-R 15/16 | One Year On]. Role includes attaining sponsorship and/or funding to support the exhibitions | 2015 – Current
Undertook a 3 day Metal Thread Work ‘Queen’s Silk embroidery course | Royal School of Needlework | Glasgow | June 2019
Waveney & Blyth Arts exhibition planning & management course | Symposium team, helped curate and organise the art sculpture trail | Bungay | 2015
Dialogues 2014 | Space, Place and Negotiated Territories | Symposium Team, part of the selection panel who co-ordinated, curated and organised this exhibition & conference | Norwich University of the Arts | 2014
Selected Publications
Artist Interview | Floatshowcase | Available at: https://floatshowcase.org/nikkita-morgan | Oct 2019
Art & Politics | Artist Feature | Available at: http://www.redlineartworks.org/section652294_361328.html | 2018
Artist Interview | Art Reveal Magazine | 22nd Issue | (page 76-81) | Available at: http://www.artrevealmagazine.com/22nd-issue/ | 2016
An Interview with Nikkita Morgan | page Art Habens Art Review 5th Edition | 92-113 | Available at: http://issuu.com/arthabens/docs/art_habens_art_review_specialed.201 | 2015
Professional Memberships
The Society for Embroidered Work [S.E.W]
