Approved: 08.10.2014

nikkita morgan

Artist, Community worker, Maker, Researcher, Teacher

Approved: 08.10.2014

As an Irish political textile artist, my studio work encompasses a diverse range of art, design, and craft approaches. I predominantly use needlework to capture intricate stories: emblematically unravelling and re-working aspects of socio-political, cultural, and environmental issues. Alongside my practice, I devise and deliver textile-based workshops and projects within a range of educational and community settings.

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Artist Statement

As an Irish political textile artist, my studio work encompasses a diverse range of art, design, and craft approaches. I predominantly use needlework to capture intricate stories: emblematically unravelling and re-working aspects of socio-political, cultural, and environmental issues. Alongside my practice, I devise and deliver textile-based workshops and projects within a range of educational and community settings.

 

I received my Master’s in Textile Design from Norwich University of the Arts and was a recipient of the Arts and Humanity Research Council Award for my course of study. Before embarking on postgraduate study, I was an undergraduate student at University of Wales: Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar studying a BA (Hons) in Textile, Art, Design & Craft. On completion of my degree I received the Textile Student of the Year Award.

CV & Education

Education

Masters Degree in Textile Design | Norwich University of the Arts | Norwich | 2013-14    

BA (Hons) Degree in Textile, Art, Design & Craft | University of Wales: Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar | Carmarthen | 2010-13

Foundation diploma in Art & Design | Southern Regional College | Newry | 2009-10

 

Grants/Awards

Practice Support Fund Edinburgh | Creative Edinburgh/EPAD | 2021

Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers | Creative Scotland | 2021

a-n Artist Bursary recipient | Time Space Money | The Artists Information Company | 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 | Redline Artworks | 2020 | 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 | 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 | Ideastap Wrap-Up Fund Brief | Split Infinitive Trust | 2015

The Eaton Fund | 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 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

 

Commissions

Production of a community, collaborative banner for Perth museum | “Damn Rebel Bitches” | Perth and Kinross Council, together with Culture Perth and Kinross | 2022-24 

Production of a community, collaborative textile artwork for Inverkeithing's Town House | “Inverkeithing stitching in Time” | Fife Historic Buildings Trust on behalf of Fife Council | 2021-22 

Community arts commission | “Voices for Equity” | Shetland Islands Council on behalf of the Shetland Partnership | 2019-20 

Private commission | Embroidered learning aid “Sampler” | Art Department, George Watsons College | Edinburgh | 2017 

Campaign banner, designed & constructed a campaign banner for the Educational Institute of Scotland | commissioned by the Joint Union Liaison Committee at Edinburgh University | 2016

Environmental collaborative commission, worked 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 | University of East Angelina  | 2015

Mural Art | Spur Restaurant's | Newry & Belfast | 2008-10

- Selected Exhibitions -

The Secret Salon #2 ‘Reconstruct’ | Create Destroy Studios | London | 2023

Big Art Show 2023 | The Art Department | Paisley | 2023 

Out of Sight Out of Mind | Summerhall | Edinburgh | 2023

Contemporary Textiles Exhibition | Fronteer Gallery | Sheffield | 2022

Winter Open Exhibition 2021 | The Art Cohort | Bath | 2021

Divergent | Anteros Gallery | Norwich (Supported by Norfolk Arts Project Fund) | 2019

Open Studio Exhibition | Aughakillymaude Mummers Centre | Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh | 2019

Anna Cheyne Biennial Award 2019 Exhibition | Island Arts Centre | Lisburn | 2019

Between Lands | Whitespace Gallery | Edinburgh | 2019

1 FT SQ Art Exhibition | Strule Arts Centre & Omagh & Blaney Yoga Centre | Fermanagh | 2019

Brexit Respond… (Interactive Exhibition) | Roots Gallery | Edinburgh | Solo | 2018

Éire Intransition | St. Margaret's House Gallery 2 | Edinburgh [Gallery In-Kind Support] | Solo | 2017

Guest Studio Residency Exhibition & Artist Talk | Art Cube Artist's Studio's | Jerusalem | Solo | 2017

Materials, Meaning & Messages Exhibition & Artist Talk | R-Space Gallery | Lisburn | 2016

The SSA 119th annual exhibition | The Royal Scottish Academy | Edinburgh | 2016

NSK Folk Art Rising 1916-2016 | Burren College of Art | Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare | 2016

A-I-R 15/16 Exhibition | Tent Gallery & St. Margaret's House Gallery 1 | Edinburgh | 2016

NI Young Artist of the Year Finalists Exhibition | The Braid Arts Centre | Ballymena | 2016

One Year On | Stew Gallery | Norwich (Supported by Norfolk Arts Project Fund) | 2015

Summer Salon | Islington Art Factory | London | 2015

Rising Stars | New Ashgate Gallery | Farnham | 2015

Place, Space & Negotiated Territories | Norwich University of the Arts | Norwich | 2014

New Designers | Islington | London | 2013

 

- Professional Experience (Teaching\Projects\Workshops) -

Lead Textile Artist | Co-design and facilitate a craft-based programme of workshops with the unpaid women’s work squad | Paisley | OneRen | Sep 2022 - Mar 2024

Research Assistant | Touching Stitches Project | Working with the Needlework Development Scheme (NDS) heritage collection as part of an outreach community resource | University of Edinburgh | Jun 2017 – Dec 2022

Artist Workshop | Children's bunting-making summer project | Ballast Bank, Inverkeithing | 2022

Art Tutor | Animation week | 8-12 year olds | The Art Club, Edinburgh | July 2022

Visiting Lecturer | Creative Journey Presentation | Textiles Department | Edinburgh College of Art | Jan 2022

Co-coordinated, organised & curated group exhibitions in Edinburgh & Norwich [ Between Lands | Divergent | A-I-R 15/16 | One Year On ] 2015 – 2020

Visiting Lecturer | Embroidery Elective | Political and sociality issues through stitch workshops | Edinburgh College of Art | Feb – Mar 2020

Guest Lecturer Tour | Artist Talks & Embroidery Workshops to school and college students, helping to promote higher education within the Creative Arts | Organisation: Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach (NEACO) | Norfolk | January 2018 – 2020

Workshop Assistant | 100 Years Women’s Vote | Assisted with embroidered-led banner making workshops with female prisoners at SPS Cornton Vale and Edinburgh University female student & staff members |  University of Edinburgh | February – June 2018

Workshop Teacher | Textile & embroidery workshops for children aged 7-12 via Art+798’s online software | Art+798 International Art Education Center | China | 2015 – 2017

Textile Art Community Project | Bethlehem | Taught groups of children and women a range of hand embroidery techniques, including how to combine stitches to create their own embroidered narrative on fabric | Project supported by The Arts Council NI Travel Award Scheme | 2017

Artist workshop and volunteer working with vulnerable adults | The Arts Recovery Program | Norfolk | 2015

- Other Professional Training\Experience\Projects -

Collaborative textile project | Contributed an embroidered patch to form a larger St. Brigid’s quilt/cloak, exhibited at the EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Dublin Feb 2023 | Irish Department of Foreign Affairs | Nov 2022

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 | Part of the symposium team; helped curate and organise the art sculpture trail | Bungay | 2015

Dialogues 2014 | Space, Place and Negotiated Territories | Part of the selection panel who co-ordinated, curated and organised the exhibition & conference | Norwich University of the Arts | 2014

- Selected Publications -

Case Study | Nikkita Morgan | Inverkeithing Stitching In Time | Stitching Together | https://stitchingtogether.net/2022/03/22/case-study-nikkita-morgan-inverkeithing-stitching-in-time/ | 2022

Artist Interview | Art Reveal Magazine no.58 | page 44-49 |  https://issuu.com/artrevealmagazine/docs/58 | April 2021

Artist Feature | Art & Politics | http://www.redlineartworks.org/section652294_361328.html | 2018

- Professional Memberships -

The Society for Embroidered Work [S.E.W]

- Social media | artist portfolio -

https://www.axisweb.org/p/nikkitamorgan/

https://www.instagram.com/nikkita.morgan/