Cas Holmes
Maidstone
Interested in the liminal spaces connecting land, place and environment. Artist, author and tutor works in mixed media with found materials and stitch. Author of several publications for Batsford
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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 2021, Textile 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
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
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