I am an artist, designer and educator working in Surrey and Hampshire. With experience teaching Textiles to young people as well as adults for almost 20 years, I have explored many textile and art processes within both a fashion and art context. Completing a Masters in Arts-Textiles at The University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, Surrey in August 2019, rejuvenated my interest in a mixed media approach to textiles. I developed a cross disciplinary body of work surrounding the theme of Loss. The materials and processes became vehicles for metaphors for the emotional states experienced when bereft. Multiple cylindrical voids acted as conceptual forms for grief. These works aim to comment on the conversation surrounding the taboo subject of death and dying. This work developed when I was an Artist in Residence at UCA.  Current works are a development from this period and are to be exhibited as part of London Design Festival September 2021 with the craft collective Continuum. Forming a range of bio-resin and felt pieces, entitled 'Alchemic Textiles' I have aimed to reference the transformational journey of grief. Rust dye acts as an active matter, living whilst simultaneously eroding and staining the fibres. Additional accents of gold leaf are seen as a reference to healing seen in the beautiful mending technique found in the Japanese art of Kintsugi. 

I am also a member of The Makers' Art Collective who are a group of makers from across all craft disciplines who exhibit annually. Making Matters is another collective that I belong to. We are small group of craft makers who met at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham as Artists in Residence and have worked together when lock down permitted on a community arts project ' Another Brick in Wall'. We are currently seeking further funding to enable us to continue.

I offer bespoke textiles workshops catering for the educational, recreational and corporate sectors for children and adults respectively from my studio SQAURE CIRCLE STUDIO @ Smithbrook Kilns Studios, Surrey.  Alternatively I am available for commissions as a textiles artist and welcome collaborations across the arts.

Please Email me if you are interested- mionethomson@gmail.com

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Current Exhibitions-

• The Makers Tale: Salisbury International Arts Festival.5 September - 6 November 2021 

• Virtual Gallery and Panel discussion  

• https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/whats-on/salisbury-2020/makers-tale/

• OXO Gallery @ OXO- London Design Festival with Continuum Collective. 21-26 September 2021

Past Group Exhibitons- 

• Oxmarket Gallery- Chichester- The Makers' Art Collective- 13-18 April 2021

• The Makers' Art Collective- Gallery@ OXO, London Design Festival. 11-22 September 2019

• MA Show- James Hockey Gallery, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham. 27-31 August 2019

• 'Re:MAstered' @ Crafts Study Centre, Farnham. June - September 2018 

• 'Transient' @ Heathland Artworks/ RSPB & Surrey Arts, Rural Life Centre, Tilford. June - October 2018

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Awards-

Shortlisted Rising Stars-  New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham. March 2020

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