About

I am a textile artist based in East Lothian, Scotland, a county of farmland, woodlands, moors and coastal landscapes. I have a passion for plant life, nature and rural landscapes. In my work, I blend layers of cloth and stitch, drawing inspiration from the colours, patterns and textures found in nature.

Creating art using fabric and thread adds a tactile quality to my work. I explore my emotional connections to places, using my materials and stitching to draw attention to the textural elements and atmosphere of each landscape. In contrast, for my works on paper, I use subtle stitching to add an unexpected raised detail to the flat paper. 

Hand stitch is a slow and considered process, which creates space to think about the impacts of nature on our mental health and the effects of humanity on the environment. Being in nature generates a feeling of calmness, but biodiversity is dwindling and the land is suffering from erosion or nutrient depletion. I aim to bring attention to the beauty of nature and the need for a responsible environmental stewardship. 

I am a member of EDGE Textile Artists Scotland, a group promoting excellence in all aspects of contemporary textiles, which holds regular exhibitions throughout Scotland. I’m also a member of the Society for Embroidered Work (S.E.W.), a worldwide group set up to promote contemporary textile art and its perception as a fine art form.

I hold a degree in Botany with Microbiology and a PhD in Plant Science, and have worked in various writing and editing roles over the last 30 years. I joined the writing team at TextileArtist in 2018, and my role expanded in 2020 when I became part of their Stitch Club workshop production team, where I am currently the Learning & Workshop Development Lead. I enjoy blending my passions for both writing and textile art through this work.

Instagram @heidiingramtextileart

Exhibitions

  • Woman of Words was selected for Contexture at The House of Smalls, Edinburgh, 2025, an artist’s book with monoprinted fabric and stitch, and a handmade concertina book where viewers could contribute their own words relating to womanhood.
  • Take time to play was selected for Childhood, Interrupted at the House of Smalls Edinburgh, 2025.
  • Reflections on Change, featuring original writing, appliqué and hand stitch, was selected for The Time of Her Life IV, an exhibition exploring peri/menopause at The House of Smalls, Edinburgh, 2024.
  • A selection of works were exhibited as an invited artist for the Perceiving Nature exhibition at Norman Rea Gallery, University of York, 2024.
  • Undersea was selected for the juried exhibition Surface and Depth (Society for Embroidered Work) at Palazzo Velli Expo, Rome, 2021
  • Two artworks were selected for the juried exhibition Contemporary Stitched Art (Society for Embroidered Work) at Clerkenwell Gallery, London, 2019
  • Two artworks were selected as finalist entries for the National Needlecraft Awards (Categories: Best original embroidery design and Best miniature), and exhibited at the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show, Kensington Olympia, London, 2019
  • A selection of works were exhibited at the 3 Harbours Arts Festival @ Haddstock, 2018
  • A selection of works were exhibited at the St Abb’s Annual Art exhibition, 2018