About

Well Hello There…

I'm a multi-disciplinary textile artist and designer, combining illustration, mixed media, embroidery and embellishment. Using kitsch and sometimes spiritual imagery with hand painted elements and couture embroidery methods to create ornate, colourful, maximalist usually bejewelled designs suitable for both fashion and interior. 

Although my background is in Illustration, having studied at Glasgow School of Art on the Communication Design course, my heart has always been with the tactile world of textiles. 
My core purpose as a designer and textile artist is to promote joy and playfulness, something that I believe it is vital and lacking in the muted political, economic and social landscape of the 2020’s thus far. In a world of grey let’s embrace more colour and sparkle!! 

My passion for the vibrant, ornate and kitsch is apparent in the work, I has her mother to thank for that! Family and my upbringing play a huge factor in her practice.  My  mother, who was a punk and club owner back in the day and is now a Reiki master, with a huge sense of Northern pride, has instilled her rebellious and spiritual streak in me from a young age. The eclecticism of my childhood allowed me to be creative from the start. I have always found my playfulness through imagination and drawing. 

The idea of “soft rebellion” is important in my practice, meeting the harshness of world and social issues through vibrant, joyful pieces and designs. I believes that it is vital as a designer that I remain grounded and maintain a strong link to community continuing to work with charities and community projects throughout my career

Maximal Colour.

Maximal Embellishment.

Maximal Joy.

CV

Collaborations

& Exhibitions

July 2024

Interrogating the Unseen: Crafting Identities panel discussion delving into life as a craft creator at RCA

June 2024

“Meet Daisy McClay: Mastering the Art of Embellished surface patterns and Kitsch creations”, online article, Arts to Hearts

April 2024

Featured in Studio Visits Vol. 3, Arts to Hearts Project

2023-24: Textiles MA, Royal College of Art

June 2023: New Designers 2023, Islington

July-October 2022: “Until it looks like this”, Exhibition at The Peoples History Museum, Manchester

May-April 2022: Internship with Sophie Cochevelou, London

September-February 2021-22: Collaboration with Venture Arts Charity, Hulme

2020-23: Textiles in Practice BA, Manchester School of Art (First Class Hons)

CONTACT