Patricia Kelly

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Previously shown in

cloth and clay 2024

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collections 2025

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Through freehand embroidery techniques, Patricia creates work in which the stitched line becomes a form of artistic expression leaning increasingly towards abstraction. She is inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection. A deep sense of belonging to place, where family history intertwines with present lives, is a determining element in her work. Using recycled fabrics and natural dyes, as practised by previous generations, evokes the layering of connected lives. 

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Patricia aims to weave a deeply personal narrative of connection to land, the passage of time, and the enduring practices of labour. Her work is a meditative exploration of line and shape. It has evolved through the study of line in our organic landscape. Initially captivated by tangled branches silhouetted against the night sky, she finds herself drawn to fine, scribbly line, which she explores through stitch. She experiments with repetitive line, finding new ways to express this visual language with the layering of transparent materials. Patricia’s fascination with geometric ground has developed alongside this, which she attributes to our intrinsic need to organise space. Growing up on a farm where tactile, linear labour was daily routine, making hay and cutting turf, she is drawn to the patterns of the land, fields organised by ditches, and their organic order. Her practice is characterised by an organic, flowing approach. She layers and stitches repeatedly to create a pencil-drawing effect. She enjoys creating contrasts in the density of stitching. The line is becoming increasingly fluid and deliberate.

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Click images for details and if you are interested in any of Patricia Kelly's work please enquire below.​​​​​​