About Niamh
Niamh Lily Wimperis is one of the most colourful and dynamic embroidery artists currently practicing. In her own words, she's "all about feminism and plants", and finds a lot of her inspiration from her vast collection of house plants, and childhood memories of her grandparents house, Selsley Herb and Goat Farm. Her work has evolved from ultra political to this more calming botanical style, but her feminist pieces have been featured in Ms Magazine, Buzzfeed and The Huff Post.
Niamh achieved a Masters Degree in Contemporary Craft in 2017 from Plymouth College of Art. Her final piece, an interactive installation titled 'A Feeling Of Safety, Perhaps' was exhibited in the MA show and as part of Dwell, a two woman collaboration for Plymouth Art Weekend at Plymouth Art Centre. She also spoke about the piece for the Well Maker Space at the Making Futures Symposium in 2017.
The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts
In 2018 Niamh was chosen to be on the BBC2 programme The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts, a "living history" reality show in which Niamh and 5 other talented crafts people lived in a William Morris-esque arts and crafts commune for a month, complete with wearing Victorian clothes, eating Victorian food and using Victorian tools.
The 4 part BBC2 show aired in January 2019. You can read more about her experience here, and watch the series here.
Niamh now lives in Cheltenham, a Regency spa town in the Cotswolds with her Husband Alex. During lockdown Niamh launched her #WEStitchKit - a monthly embroidery kit subscription box. When she lost her "normal" receptionist job due to coronavirus, she was able to go full time with her embroidery kits. Niamh is now proud and delighted to call herself a Full Time Artist.
Recent exhibitions
In 2021 Niamh was invited to create a piece for The Joy is in the Making Exhibition at The National Trust property, Standen House.
Her embroidery piece, entitled 'You Complete Me' was created specificaly for the Drawing Room at Standen and took inspiration from the original Morris & Co wallpaper in the room itself.
In February 2022, Niamh's work 'This Is Art' was selected to be shown in The Broderers' Exhibition, The Art of Embroidery, at the Bankside Gallery.
Describing the piece, Niamh said:
"This Is Art was made in anger. Anger how easily dismissed a embroidery is, as woman’s work, as unskilled, as less than. I believe that embroidery is the most powerful of all art forms, because what’s more powerful than holding something in your hands, making it grow under your fingertips. Literally stitching your soul into a piece. A silent meditation between thread, needle, fabric and maker."