Red Roundel

 

 

 

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Profile

Ruth O'Leary is an experienced embroiderer with many years experience in designing and creating embroidered artworks, including bespoke pieces on commission.

She has a fully recognised professional qualification, and has exhibited in a range of forums, including private displays, public spaces and galleries.

Ruth uses a variety of embroidery techniques in her work, depending on the requirements of the piece, but specialises in goldwork, surface stitchery, and free machine embroidery, often embellished with appliqué in fabric or fine leather.

She enjoys the demands of working to commission.  Although Ruth works to her own original designs, and develops each unique project from inception to completion, she enjoys discovering the client's requirements, and the fresh ideas that develop from them.

Membership

Ruth has been a member of the Embroiderers' Guild for 15 years, and is a past Chair of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne branch.

Commissioning work

If you're interested in finding out more about Ruth's work or would like to discuss commissioning a piece of unique textile art, please get in touch.

'My life in stitches'

One of the UK's leading embroidery magazines, CrossStitcher, recently contained an exclusive interview with Ruth. 

The June 2009 issue featured My life in stitches, asking Ruth about her designs and the techniques she uses, and her attitude to her life and work.

A PDF of the interview is available to read.

Exhibitions

• Needle in the Cathedral
  Cathedral Church of St Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2008
• Textile Collection
  Eye to Eye Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2008
• Moving On
  Hartlepool Art Gallery, 2006

Press articles

My life in stitches... Ruth O'Leary, CrossStitcher, no. 213 June 2009. p. 98
An illustrated interview with Ruth on her work as an embroiderer.  A PDF of the interview is available to read.

Needle in the Cathedral, Workbox, no. 114 December 2008/January 2009. p. 20-21
This article describes the successful exhibition held in May 2008, and includes photographs of Ruth's work.

Artist's Statement

I am a largely self-taught embroiderer and textile artist based in the North East of England. I am particularly interested in the ways in which centuries-old hand embroidery skills can be used in the modern day, especially the use of medieval Opus Anglicanum techniques. As such, I use its principle techniques – goldwork and finely shaded split stitch – in my own contemporary designs. This requires considerable craft skill, an eye for detail, and a good deal of patience! I also enjoy the challenges of hand-finished machine embroidery for larger-scale pieces, but the beauty and versatility of metal thread embroidery will always be my first love.