TEXTILE ARTIST
Kayleigh Davis - Natural Dye Textile Artist
I am an established textile artist, workshop facilitator and PhD researcher, whose practice focuses on naturally dyed silk pieces created under the name ‘ocre’. My work seeks to explore the impermanence and fragility of the natural world throughout the seasons, by embedding foraged and grown pigments and prints into cloth, guided by emotion, memory and the physicality of the local landscape. My work is heavily influenced by mindfulness practices, as my interest in natural dyes began in response to spending time in nature to recover from my own mental health difficulties. As a result of this I am an advocate for the correlation between connection with nature, hands on textile practice and wellbeing.
I have a keen interest in slow, environmentally responsible practice. I work in a circular way, ensuring that I am involved in each step of the natural dye process in the most tactile manner; from foraging to growing, nurturing and harvesting dye plants, embedding their pigments into textiles without harmful chemicals, and telling the story of Yorkshire botany through cloth. I believe textile pieces should age and change with time, so I celebrate fading, but also encourage the mending and re-dyeing of my works to extend each piece’s lifetime.
In 2021 I was awarded an academic scholarship to undertake doctoral research of WOVEN in Kirklees Festival as a place-based initiative which celebrates Kirklees’ textile heritage, craft and innovation; with focus on themes including ‘co-creative community practice’, ‘craft as a tool for wellbeing’, and ‘sustainable textile practice’ through embedded natural dye movement ‘Growing Colour Together’. Through my research I am exploring the ways in which shared natural dye practice, gardening and foraging can enhance community wellbeing and connection to place and the local environment.
Education
2021 - Present
Doctor of Philosophy - The University of Huddersfield
Vice Chancellor’s Academic Scholarship
Concentrations: Natural dyes for textiles, co-creative community practice, place-based making, wabi-sabi and wellbeing links to textile practice
Research Topic: Investigating WOVEN in Kirklees Festival through embedded research enquiry
2017-2018
Master of Arts (Distinction) - The University of Huddersfield
Concentrations: Fluid, organic print creation & Sustainable Textiles
Research Topic: A study of holistic fluidity in print with focus on botanical themes and print techniques within artistic and environmental contexts
2013-2017
Bachelor of Arts (2:1) - The University of Huddersfield
Concentrations: Botanical print design for fashion
Research Topic: An exploration into print design within Fashion, investigating the possibility of translating traditional floral prints into a more contemporary genre.
Exhibitions
2022
Heart Gallery - Hebden Bridge
Winter show
Naturally dyed silk pieces - ocre
2022
Hope Art Gallery - Hebden Bridge
2022
Cultures of Place - Huddersfield
(Temporary Contemporary)
The University Colour Garden Project in collaboration with Elnaz Yazdani and WOVEN in Kirklees
Talks & Panels
2022
Journey through academia & Plant Hammering Demo
University of Huddersfield Green Week
2022
‘Be a Climate Changer’ Sustainability in business event
University of Huddersfield Enterprise Hub
2021
Natural Dyeing talk
Kirklees Children’s Art Network
2021
Networking to generate leads for business
ocre - University of Huddersfield Enterprise Hub
2021
WOVEN Careers Network
Virtual Work Experience talk and Q&A
2021
WOVEN in Practice Conference
Panel chair for ‘Sustaining a Creative Practice in COVID19’
2021
‘Inspire me to.. start something’ event
University of Huddersfield Enterprise Hub
Workshops
2022
Painting with natural dyes
WOVEN in Kirklees community briefings
2022
Naturally dyed tote bags at Leftbank Leeds
Ketchup sustainable fashion takeover
2022
Plant Hammering at Mirfield Show
with WOVEN in Kirklees
2022
Planted Pigments - Cultures of Place
Introduction to Natural Dye Techniques
2022
Natural Fashion Challenge
Natural dye T-shirt Project with Primary Schools across Kirklees
(Gomersal, Meltham & East Bierley)
2022
Introduction to Naturally Dyed fibres
First year weave students - Uinversity of Huddersfield
2021
Plant Hammering Workshops
WOVEN in Kirklees, Growing Colour Together showcase at Tolson Museum