Maria Boyle LSDC

Stitched & Constructed Textiles

About Maria
Maria is a contemporary artist working mainly with the 'soft materials' of cloth, wool and thread, often using natural and textured fibres. These are carefully dyed, hand printed or painted and then manipulated with hand stitch and knit to create tactile one-off pieces. Colour is essential to convey meaning through a harmonious colour palette that adds to its sensory appeal. Maria is also a print-maker, making limited edition prints, artist books and handmade cards. Maria's work is available for sale and exhibition, and commissions are also welcomed.
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Biography Back to top

Maria is driven by a passion for colour and texture, particularly from observing nature and interesting surfaces or shapes. Themes have included Lichens, Needle making, and Romeo and Juliet.

Colour psychology is important, so specific hues are carefully blended through dyes and pigments through hand printing and painting.

Texture is integrated into the cloth through stitch, knit, specialist pigments, frayed edges and needle felting. Combining these techniques in various layers creates a tactile and organic cloth that is more of a 3D narrative, somewhere between representation and abstraction. Textile pieces are often a wall hanging or framed but can also be 3D and sculptural.

She also enjoys printmaking and depending on the topic varies the marks with different print making techniques; including silk screens, lino cut, wood cut, wood engraving and mono printing.

Maria enjoys responding to exhibition themes, specific commission briefs, collaborating, teaching workshops and working on longer term projects.

Please contact her for a chat about future ideas or projects.

Resumé Back to top

Education

De Montfort University 2008-2014, BA (Hons), Design Crafts (First-class)

Oxford and Cherwell Valley College 2007-2008, Access Diploma to HE Art and Design.

Society of Dyers and Colourists 2007, Colour Affects System Diploma, Applied Colour Psychology (Distinction).

Awards and Memberships

  • Resident Artist in Studio 10 at ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley, since October 2015, https://artistsworkhouse.com/
  • Artist in Residence at Banbury and Bicester College, 2014 - 2015
  • Selected for Prism membership, September 2014
  • Selected as Embroiderers Guild Graduate, 2014 and part of the Graduate Showcase at 'Knitting and Stitching Shows', Autumn 2014
  • Awarded Licentiate of The Society of Designer Craftsmen, LSDN, July 2014
  • Laura Ashley Summer School Bursary Award, West Dean College, July 2014
  • The Textile Study Group "Graduate of the Year" 2014, awarded at New Designers, https://textilestudygroup.co.uk/graduate-of-the-year/past-graduates/2014-maria-boyle/
  • Ambassador and Advocate of Compton Verney since March 2014, www.comptonverney.org.uk


Exhibitions and Events

2021

  • 1st - 3rd July - Warwickshire Open Studios at Wren Hall, Wroxhall, Warks, CV35 7NF

2020

2019

  • 13th October - 'Artists in Action' with Art Van Go at Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitching Show.
  • Face to Face 'Penda of Mercia' Group Exhibition
    • ArtistWorkhouse, Studley, 5th - 14th April
    • Canwood Gallery, Hereford, 4th June- 7th July
    • General Office, Stourbridge, 30th August - 8th September
  • 1st - 10th March - ArtistsWorkhouse Members Spring Exhibition
  • Various dates in 2019 - 'Collective Stitches' tour with Dionne Swift continues, including various locations in Australia

2018

  • 29th -7th October - ‘Moments', Group show at Little Buckland Gallery, Broadway WR12 7JH.8th - 17th June, ‘Romeo and Juliet: take two, 10 writers paired with 10 invited artists, collaborative art exhibition with original written works performed with exhibition, ArtistsWorkhouse
  • 19th May and other dates across 2018 and 2019, ‘Face to Face’ project, with artist meetings, collaborations, talks, networking, and collaborative creative project.
    • Final exhibition and publication launch at Little Buckland Gallery, near Broadway, 2019, tbc
  • Various dates and locations in UK and Europe in 2018, 'Collective Stitches' exhibition with Dionne Swift:
    • 13th & 14th January Sala Polifunzionale, Tornareccio, Abruzzo, Italy
    • 1st - 4th March Spring Knitting and Stitching show, Olympia, London
    • 2nd May - Hawar, Oldeberkoop, Netherlands
    • 11th - 14th October Knitting and Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace, London
    • 8th - 11th November Knitting and Stitching Show, Dublin, Ireland
    • 22nd - 25th November Knitting and Stitching Show, Harrogate, Yorkshire
  • 2nd-10th March, 'I Think this World is Magical' art exhibition, ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley, B80 7AU.
    • 10th Mar, ‘Magical Colour Mono-printing’ one day workshop, ArtistsWorkhouse.

2017

  • 18th November, 'Postcards', Studley on the map postcard auction
  • 18th Oct - 29th Oct, 'Another View' exhibition, Hoxton Arches, London E2, selected by Prism
  • 17th - 25th June, Warwickshire Open Studios.
  • 17th -25th June, selected for 'Regeneration Open Art Exhibition', ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley, B80 7AU.
  • 29th April -13th May, 'Another View' exhibition, RBSA, Birmingham, selected by Prism.
  • 3rd -12th March, 'Portrait Exhibition', ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley, B80 7AU.

2016

  • 30th October -6th November, 'Needlemakers Exhibition', ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley, B80 7AU.
  • 18th June -3rd July - Warwickshire Open Studios, ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley, B80 7AU.
  • 23rd April - 3rd July - '7 Makers from the Society of Designer Craftsmen' exhibition and shop, 78 Derngate, Northampton.
  • 17th - 20th March NEC, 5th - 9th October Alexandra Palace & 24th -27th November 'Capability Brown Festival' exhibition with the Embroiderers Guild.
  • 7th - 13th March - 'Agenda' exhibition, Hiscox Art Cafe, London, selected by Prism
  • 29th January - 7th Feb - ArtistsWorkhouse Opening and Exhibition, Studley, B80 7AU.

2015

  • November - Textile Fair, Compton Verney, Warwickshire.
  • October - Become part of ArtistsWorkhouse, Studley with residency in Studio 10.
  • October - 'Discover Gather Give' sales event, Stratford Arts House.
  • July - Invited Textile Artist and Demonstrator at Art in Action, Waterperry Park, Oxford,
  • May - Prism 'Lines of Communication' exhibition, Hoxton Arches Gallery, London E3.
  • January - 'Society of Designer Craftsmen Winter Exhibition', Mall Galleries, London SW1Y.

2014

  • Oct- Nov - 'Embroiderers Guild Graduate Showcase' exhibition at Knitting and Stitching Shows.
    • Alexandra Palace, London, 8th -12th October.
    • Harrogate International Centre, 20th - 23rd November.
  • August - Selected for Ragley Open Art Exhibition 2014 'Spirit of Place', Ragley Gallery and Studios, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.
  • June - 'New Designers, Part 1', Graduate showcase, Business Design Centre, London N1.
  • June - Degree Show at Banbury and Bicester College, Oxfordshire.

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