At the basic core of my work is what it means to be human. What connects us, what disconnects us; what makes us and what breaks us. And a love of colour, of escapism and of the non objective to create something else.

I used to be a painter (non objective large scale canvasses using oil and resin). In 2009, whilst I was working with the concept of connections, I started incorporating threads into the work as paint just wasn’t the right medium. With threads I started sewing concepts together and the strings became my pencils, my colours, my forms.

What I didn’t know then, and only discovered later in 2011, is that I descend from a long line of tailors, silk winders and seamstresses from the East End of London 1815, where sweat shops first flourished and 34000 tailors resided in 1861.

It seems sewing is in my DNA, generations of my family have worked with threads. As my fascination with these materials started with a series of works based on connections, my tiny marbles literally blew away with this discovery and threads have been my chosen medium ever since.

Since graduating from Edinburgh University in 1996 I have maintained my practice alongside single parenting, employment within the education field and caring for my family.

In 2022 I received the ACE DYCP maximum award to research further into my heritage of Victorian Tailors of London’s East End. This has propelled my work into new ways of using threads, creating more concept based installations questioning socio/political histories with relevance to today.

2026 - Out of Line, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton, joint show.

2026 - Resonance, Fabrica Gallery, Brighton, Group Show.

2025 - Atelier Open, Brighton, Group Show.

2025 - Pressing Matters, Printing with Virginia Woolf, University of Sussex.

2022 - WRAP Brighton, Group Show.

2016 - MIY Workshop, Brighton. Solo Show.

2016-2017 - Blithehale Medical Centre (in conjunction with the Whitechapel Gallery), London.

2015 - Brighton Art Fair.

2013 - Freeze, Espacio Gallery, London. Group Show.

2013 - The Other Art Fair, London.

2011 - Open Fridge, Brighton, Group show.

2011 - Moksha, Brighton, Solo show.

2011 - Golden Square, London, Group Show.

2004 - Brighton Art Fair.

2004 - Phoenix Gallery, Brighton, Group Show.

2003 - Phoenix Gallery, Brighton, Group Show.

2000 - Jacs Gallery, London, Solo Show.

Lines of Enquiry - Artists’ Talk with Patrick O Donnell, 22 May 2026 at Phoenix Art Space, Brighton.

17 Under One Roof (WIP)

Wrapped Series