Amanda Haran Derbyshire, United Kingdom
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Amanda Haran is a contemporary collaborative, community textile and mixed media artist based in the Midlands, UK. As an empath, psychotherapist, patient soul and committed ‘mingler,’ she uses hand and machine stitches with repurposed items to create individual and group pieces that convey stories, feelings and life events.

Hand and machine embroidery with rubbish creates individual and group pieces with emotional responses at their heart. The journey of execution is more important than perfection.

Born in Bolton, North West England, and as an extended member of Horrockses weaving pioneers, her fascination with art textiles was inevitable. Refined during her teenage years, she won the Susan Mary Simpson Art Prize and Bolton School Prize for Textiles; opting for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Textile Design and Design Management at Manchester (UMIST), she meandered and experimented, gaining a course prize and an Umbro Design Award. ​

Having used artistic therapeutic pursuits throughout her degree, she began further education in creative therapy, culminating in practitioner qualifications in psychotherapy, stress and anxiety management, mental health first aid, dementia support and domestic abuse. Her knowledge of art textiles, communities, psychology and formal therapy practices has taken her to work alongside various marginalised groups, creating exhibition pieces.

Supporting the City of Culture, the Turner Prize, traditional cultural and educational institutions, community groups and contemporary artists, she has a history of encouraging engagement from those with little or no former cultural appreciation and demystifying complex contemporary art ideas.

Everyone is welcome.

Culture is a doing word.

Artwork

The Book Of Kells, Textile Sculpture Using Repurposed Items And Wire, 2020

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Rotatable Mini Quilt, Hand And Machine Quilted Textiles Using Repurposed Items And Rubbish, 2022

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Wilderness Quilt, Textile Quilt Using Repurposed Items, 2021

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She'll Do Anything For A Badge Badge, Textiles - Mixed Media & Repurposed, 2021

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Divorce Quilt, Textile, 2023

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Interested in
Artist TalkArts vacancyCommissionCompetitionConferenceContemporary art fairExhibitionJournal/PublicationParticipatory projectResidencyStudio spacesVolunteering
Media
CollageDigitalDrawingInstallationPaintingPrintmakingSculptureSocially Engaged PracticeTextTextile
Other keywords
AbstractEnvironmentExperimentalFeminismFigurativeIdentityMemoryParticipatory