About
Hello, I’m Rowan! I am a multi-talented artist and creative channelling my passion for painting and drawing by using both thread and a sewing machine - free motion embroidery. My practice is rooted in realism, inspired by the natural world and my surroundings, often incorporating unconventional influences from in depth researching to create distinctive projects. I have developed my digital skills through Adobe software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, CAD software and digital embroidery.
Using these skills to fuel live briefs with brands such as Cosatto, successfully winning work placements two years in a row. University has given me the chance to progress my embroidery and fashion skills in a creative environment. I have made use of the opportunities available winning 3rd place in the Student Textile category in the Hand & Lock Prize as well as 1st Place in the children's wear category for The Stitch Festival Dressmaking Competition.
Project overview
Home is where the Stitch is...
Although the houses on the street may appear identical from the outside, it is what exists within them that truly transforms a house into a home. This project explores the story of the home I have always lived in, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in the environment that has surrounded me throughout my life. The walls have seen me grow and the furniture has memorised my existence. Through free-motion machine embroidery, I communicate the narrative of my home by translating furniture, wallpaper, photographs, windows, cupboards, and everyday objects into textile forms.
This project draws inspiration from wearable art and artists such as Do Ho Suh, whose work recreates his past homes through immersive textiles, and Joan Steiner, whose quilted wearable pieces were unintentionally shaped by memories of her childhood home. Home is Where the Stitch Is… features two fully embroidered quilted jackets with repeat-pattern linings that contrast interior and exterior spaces. The outside surfaces depict domestic interiors, while the inside linings reveal architectural house plans.
The collection also includes pleated wide-leg trousers with contrasting house plan prints and a lenticular pleated skirt that changes pattern through movement. Each garment incorporates elements of interaction and motion, creating playful and engaging wearable artworks that encourage the viewer to physically connect with the pieces. The project explores the motifs, colours, patterns, and textures found throughout my home, using them as a way to investigate memory and emotional attachment to a space.
I reflected on my experience of the house from childhood to the present day, considering what has changed over time, what has remained constant, and how the space has continually retained its sense of “home.” Ultimately, this project invites the audience to reflect on their own surroundings and consider what it is that truly makes a house feel like home.
Final embroidered jackets collection
Free motion machine embroidery process
Embroidering the jacket panels
Kitchen vest
Living room jacket in my living room
