David Morrish (Kingfly) MSDC

Stitched & Constructed Textiles

About David
David Morrish is a contemporary embroidery artist and fashion academic whose award-winning work merges digital technology with traditional stitch. Through his practice, he explores themes of mortality, identity, and environmental consciousness. With a background in fashion design and a focus on innovation, David pushes the boundaries of textile art, creating intricate, concept-driven pieces that have been exhibited nationally and internationally.
Biography Back to top

David Morrish is a digital embroidery artist and fashion academic whose work fuses traditional stitchcraft with cutting-edge technology. Drawing on a background in fashion design, his practice explores the intersection of memory, identity, mortality, and social commentary through intricately embroidered imagery.

Inspired by both historic textile practices and contemporary culture, David’s work often features skeletons, symbolic motifs, and bold narrative compositions. He uses commercial embroidery machines in unconventional ways, manipulating thread, software, and surface to evoke painterly effects and emotional resonance.

David’s practice is driven by a desire to elevate digital embroidery as a legitimate fine art form. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, often engaging audiences with themes of mental health, environmental activism, and remembrance. He embraces storytelling through stitch, blending hand-drawn elements, coded designs, and layered textures to provoke thought and invite empathy.

Each piece begins with a strong conceptual foundation, followed by digital drawing, stitch planning, and material experimentation. His hybrid approach blurs boundaries between craft, technology, and art, challenging perceptions of what embroidery can be.

Resumé Back to top

Education

  • QEST Scholar – Royal School of Needlework, funded by the Royal Warrant Holders Association & The Royal Family
  • MA Fashion and Textiles – Nottingham Trent University
  • BA (Hons) Fashion Design – University of Derby

Employment

  • External Examiner - MMU, NTU, Arts University Plymouth, Arts Centre Somerset
  • Senior Fashion Design Academic & Student Rep Institute Coordinator – Sheffield Hallam University
  • Founder – Kingfly Embroidery, (www.kingfly.co.uk) specialising in digital embroidery artworks and commissions
  • Visiting Lecturer / Workshop Leader / Guest Speaker – Various UK universities and textile groups
  • Associate Lecturer - University of Lincoln - BA Fashion Design

Exhibitions

  • Worshipful Company of Broderers Exhibition, London (2025)
  • Sheffield Adventure Film Festival – ‘Windermere 26.2’ installation (2022)
  • Creative Craft Show, Birmingham NEC – Skull Collection Solo Exhibit (2025)
  • Sunbury Embroidery Gallery, London – Solo Exhibition (3 months 2024)
  • Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield – 'Meet the Locals' (2025)
  • Festival of Stitch - Alexandra Palace - Harrogate Centre - Business Design Centre
  • Make it at Market - BBC TV - Series 1 - Episode 11
  • Daniel Lismore - Living Sculpture - Giant Gallery Bournemouth - 2023
  • Belonging: Fashion and a Sense of Place - Bankfield Museum - Halifax - 2022

Awards

  • Hand & Lock Wilcom Digital Embroiderer of the Year – Winner (2018, 2021)
  • Madeira Embroidery Competition – Winner (2024)
  • Sheffield Hallam Inspirational Teacher of the Year – Winner (2018)
  • Sheffield Hallam Academic Advisor of the Year - Winner 2021

Commissions & Projects

  • Francis Crick Institute – Medical Data Transformed into Embroidered Art
  • Terrence Higgins Trust – AIDS Memorial Quilt & Touring Exhibition
  • Lake Windermere Tapestry – Community-led environmental embroidery project
  • Zoffany London – Digital embroidery using repurposed upholstery fabric
  • Schools Embroidery Collaboration – Exhibited at Sheffield Hallam University (2025)
  • Red Arrows Embroidery Sculpture – In progress (2025)
  • Church commission - Recreation of 1860 hand embroidered Altar piece (2025)

Various commissions with designers, brands & celebrities from tv, music and fashion to include:

Le Fil (Ru Pauls Drag Race) - Linda Barker (Changing Rooms) - Patrick Cox (Fashion Designer) - Kim Joy (Great British Bake Off) - Siobhan Murphy (Interior Design Masters) - Natalie Imbruglia (Pop Star) - Dannii Minogue (Pop Star & DJ) - Matty Bovan (Fashion Designer) - Richard Quinn (Fashion Designer) - Diana Springall (Embroidery Artist) & more....

Sponsorships & Memberships

  • Wilcom - Digital Software
  • Madeira Ambassador 2025
  • Janome UK
  • QEST Scholar
  • Embroiderers' Guild Scholar & member
  • Crafts Council Member
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
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