Irene MacWilliam BEM (for services to Textile Art in Northern Ireland)


Walls have Ears 23 bricks each 13 x 7 x 5 cms

Selected and Invited  Exhibitions
2024
Gadsden Arts Centre & Museum, Quincy Florida USA then touring USA until December 2027

2023
Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre. N Ireland
University of Glasgow

2022
with Art Quilt Fusion, Nadelwelt, Karlsruhe, Germany -- Vincenza, Italy
Solo show at Quiltfest, Llangollen, Wales
Ulster Museum, N Ireland
Tower Museum, Londondery N Ireland


2021
RSPB NI won Artist of the Year
Following in the Footsteps of the Disappeared, Ulster Museum. Belfast
Linen Hall Library, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Faifield Mill , Sedburgh, England

2020
Magee Campus library, Ulster University

2019
Galerija Principij, Rijeka, Croatia
Back to the Future 1989-2019-2030: Fürth, Bavaria
Ruby Serendipity: Hands Across the Border, Flowerfield Arts Centre, N Ireland

2018
In Print with Contemporary Quilt, travelling around UK
The Troubles and Beyond, Ulster Museum, Belfast. Northern Ireland
Journeys- Crossing Oceans Group—Touring into 2019: Prague Czech Republic, Belgium, Moscow Russia, Canada, New Zealand

2017
Stitching Memoryscape,
Tokyo Electron Hall, Miyagi, Japan
Hands Across the Border,
Dublin and Island Arts Centre Belfast
Stitched Voices:
Aberystwyth, Wales
War Torn Children,
Linen Hall Library, Belfast

2016

Stitched Legacies of Conflict, Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, Northern Ireland
Stuff for Thought: Ehrenhalle, Nuremberg, Germany
The Nineties Collection: Quiltfest, International Pavilion, Llangollen. Wales
Freedom
, The Blasket Centre, Co Kerry, Ireland
Stitched Art Textile: Minnesota Quilters Association, USA and Beaujolais, France
2015
Stitching Peace: Conflict, Memory: Museo de la Paz de Gernika, Spain:
Hands Across the Border: Belfast City Hall and Botanic Gardens, Dublin, Ireland
Crossing Oceans: FOQ Birmingham, Alsace France, Russia (2016)
Wild Atlantic Way
: Ireland and FOQ 2017 UK
World Quilt Competition X1X, USA - 2015 travelling

CQ - Elements: FOQ Birmingham, Quilt Expo en Beaujolais, various venues in UK
QGBI 90s Collection: Quiltfest, Llangollen Wales
2014
CQ – Dislocation:
Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, - travelling into 2015
SMALL Actions BIG Movements: the Continuum of Nonviolence -
International Conference of WRI (War Resisters International) and Ceasefire Campaign of South Africa
World Quilt Competition USA XVIII -
2014
Quilts of UK,
Ailsa Craig Quilt Festival, Canada
2013
Hands Across the Border, National Botanic Gardens, Dublin and Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Park of Memory:
Monument to the Victims of State Terrorism Buenos Aires, Argentina
Hidden Histories,
ICHF exhibitions. Touring GB into 2014

2012
Pieced Patterns, ICHF exhibitions. Touring GB into 2013
The Art of Survival, Peace Building, University of Hamburg. Germany
UK Quilts, QGBI, Open European Quilt Championships, Einthoven, Holland
acCent - Art Quilts of the UK, Paducah, Kentucky, USA
Events of the Year Quilts and Testimonies of Survival, Tower Museum, Derry & Donegal County Museum. Ireland
Political Textiles, Conflict Transformation Gallery, UMASS, Boston, USA
Community Action and Empowerment through Narrative Textile, The George Washington University Art Therapy Program Gallery
2011
What is Treasure, National Trust, Tranmere House. England
Branching Out, Irish Patchwork Society, Botanic Gardens, Dublin. FOQ, NEC, Birmingham
World Quilt 2011, Manchester, New Hampshire. USA - travelling
European Quilting Association (EQA) Circle of Friends - FOQ, NEC, Birmingham - Touring
Textile News: Freiheit – Liberté – Freedom, NEC, Birmingham, Touring Europe
Arpilleras and the Poetry of Survival, Queens University Belfast, N. Ireland
Stitching Peace. WCC Conference, Geneva, Switzerland and Jamaica
Irish Patchwork Society exhibition, European Patchwork Championships. Veldhoven. Holland
2010
Stitching Resistance,
University Museum, Osaka University, Japan
Hands All Around Xll,
Houston, USA touring into 2011
The Human Cost of War 2,
Tower Museum, Derry, Northern Ireland
Arpilleras from Yesterday and Today,
Chilean Embassy London and United Nations Plaza, New York

2009
The Human
Cost of War, Imperial War Museum, and St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation, London
Arpilleras
that Cry Out:
Flowerfield Arts Centre, Northern Ireland
Events of
1989: as part of the permanent rotating exhibit, Verbal Arts Centre, Londonderry, Northern Ireland
World Quilt 2009, Manchester, New Hampshire. USA - travelling
Threads of Destiny: Testimonies of Violence, Hope and Survival.
Museum Frauen Kultur, Furth/Germany
Womens Real Lives. Women's Centre, Derry. N Ireland
2008
Hands All Around XVl,
Houston, USA
World Quilt and Textile, Manchester, New Hampshire. USA - travelling
The Thin Blue Line, CQ,
Dudley Museum and Art Gallery, England

The Art of Survival, International and Irish Quilts, Londonderry, N Ireland

Links, Irish Patchwork Society, Dublin
2007
World Quilt, Pennsylvania, USA touring
Fish out of Water, solo exhibition within the Loch Lomond Quilt Show, Scotland
Fissures, Contemporary Quilt, 1st International Patchwork Show, Prague, Czech Republic
2006
Dublin - Irish Patchwork Society, Dublin
World Quilt, New Hampshire, touring – Pennsylvania, California, Illinois
First Quarter - Irish Patchwork Society, Dublin and Festival of Quilts
Contemporary Quilt, FOQ, Birmingham
SAQA Breaking Boundaries,
Quilt Expo Lyon, France
Elements of Nature, Wallsworth Hall, England
European Suitcase Exhibition, touring
2005
Hands All Around, Houston, USA touring into 2006
Recycled, Contemporary Art Quilts, Amberton Hall, Essex
Mind Body Spirit 2005, open art show, Naughton Gallery, Queens University Belfast
Year and Peace Quilts. Solo show. Armagh County Museum, N. Ireland
Retrospective of 20 Years in Textiles. Solo show. Armagh County Museum, N. Ireland
Fishy Tails. Solo show. Redditch Needle Museum. England
2004
Hands All Around,
Houston, USA touring into 2005
Solo show of 18 Events of the Year + 2 Peace Quilts, Festival of Quilts, NEC Birmingham.
Recycled, Contemporary Art Quilts, Uffington, Oxfordshire
Irish Quilts, Val D’Argent, France
From the Edge 2004, MCAC Open Textile Exhibition. Portadown, N Ireland

2003
Hands All Around, Houston, USA (touring into 2004)
EQA
, The Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham
Quilt 2003, The Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham
British Quilts,
Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival XIV, Williamsburg, USA
2002
Quilt 2002
, within the Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
Hands All Around,
Houston, USA (touring into 2003)
The World Quilt Carnival, The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles exhibit, Nagoya, Japan
Quiltfest 2002, The Royal International Pavilion, Llangollen
2001
Quilt 2001, within the Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
Now and Then, The Minerva Arts Centre, Llanidloes, Mid Wales
The Light, De Heyzel, Bruxells, Belgium
Quilts You Have Loved, Hereford Art Gallery, Hereford,
Rise and Shine, Bovey Tracey, Devon 
2000

Quilt 2000, within the Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring) 
Under The Covers, 7th National Exhibition of The Quilters Guild of the British Isles, Bovey Tracey, Devon
World Quilt and Textile, Michigan and North Carolina USA
Hands All Around, Houston, USA (touring into 2001)
1999
Quilt 1999, Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
World Quilt and Textile, North Carolina. USA
Unwrapping, Fibre 2000, Dublin Airport, and the Irish Linen Centre, Lisburn Museum
The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles 7th National Juried Exhibition, Lords Cricket Ground, London
1998
4eme. Carrefour European du Patchwork, Alsace, France
Swiss Quilt International, Zurich, Switzerland
World Quilt 98, Japan (invited)
World Quilt and Textile, California, USA
Year Quilts & Peace Quilts at N.P.A. Spring Fairs, Britain & Belgium
Hands All Round, Houston, USA (touring into 1999)
1997
European Quilt Championships, Veldhoven, Holland
N.P.A. Autumn Quilt Fairs, Selected Irish Quilts, England, (touring)
Stitching Time Together - Solo exhibition of 10 'Events of the Year Quilts', Down County Museum, Downpatrick
The Quilter's Guild 6th National Juried Exhibition, Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey
Hands All Around, Houston, USA, (touring into 1998)
Williamsburg Quilt Festival, Virginia, USA
1996
The Quilters' Guild 6th National Juried Exhibition, Dean Clough Galleries, Halifax
Hands All Around, Houston, USA (travelling into 1997)
Stitching Time Together - Solo exhibition of 10 'Events of the Year Quilts', The Irish Linen Centre, Lisburn Museum
Quilts UK, 10 'Events of the Year Quilts' exhibited, England
1995
Graduate Showcase at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Selected by the Embroiderers' Guild
N.P.A. Autumn Quilt Fairs, Invited exhibitor
Hands All Around, Houston, USA
1994
Hands All Around, Houston, USA
Quiltstars, Shipley Museum and Art Gallery, Gateshead
1993
The Quilters' Guild 5th Juried National Exhibition, Edinburgh
Grobenzell Quilt Symposium, Bavaria
The Quilters' Guild Retrospective Exhibition, Hampton Court, London
Contemporary International Quilt Collection, Oxford and Leeds
1992
Quiltfest, Florida, USA
Le Chassy d'Or, Chateau Chinon, France
1991
E.B.S. Crafts Show, Dublin, (patchwork and embroidery awards)
Shortlisted for the Muriel Gahan Development Grant (covers all crafts in Ireland)
The Quilters' Guild 4th Juried National Exhibition, Bath
1990
Quilters' Feelings 1990, Lelystadt, The Netherlands
Embroidered jacket shown at Quilt Expo Europa, Odense, also at Spring Quilt Festival, Denver and Houston, USA
1988
Crafts Council of Ireland Exhibition
, the Landesgewerbeamt Gallery, Karlsruhe, and the Handerskammer Gallery, Hamburg
Irish Patchwork Society exhibition at Quilt Expo Europa, Salsburg
1987
The Quilters' Guild 3rd Juried National Exhibition, R.I.B.A. London
Quilt Exhibition. Selected Irish Quilts, Houston, USA
1986
Swiss Quilt, Berne, Switzerland

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BOOKS FEATURING WORK

Stitched Journeys with Birds by Martha Sielman 2023
The Complete Book of Patchwork, Quilting and Applique by Linda Seward 2021
Art Quilts International - Abstract & Geometric.
by Martha Sielman 2016
Quilts and Human Rights by Marsha McDowell, Mary Worrall, Lynne Swanson and Beth Donaldson, Foreward by Desmond Tutu 2016
The Ultimate Guide to Art Quilting by Linda Seward 2014
Text in Textile Art by Sara Impey 2013
My Kind of Non Violence: (cover) – Booklet published by Innate – Irish network for non violent training and education
Adventures in Design by Joen Wolfrom 2011
A Quilter's Guide to Floral Quilts by Marion Haslam 2004
Making Connections by Janet Rae and Dinah TraviS 2004
Quilting from Start to Finish by Katharine Guerrier 2003
Quilt 2003
by Creative Exhibitions 2003
Quilt 2002
by Creative Exhibitions 2002
Quilt 2001
by Creative Exhibitions 2001
The Nineties Collection by The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles 2001
Quilt 2000 by Creative Exhibitions 2000
Colour Play  by Joen Wolfrom 2000
Quilting Masterclass  by Kate Guerrier 2000
Quilt 99  by Creative Exhibitions Ltd.1999
Fibrearts Design Book Six  Edited by Nancy Orban 1999
Textiles Royal College of Art Schools Technology Project
–1998
Patchwork Quilting and Appliqué by Jenni Dobson, Readers Digest 1998
Patchwork Quilting and Appliqué by Linda Seward, Revised edition 1996
88 Quilt Leaders of the World by Nikon Vogue, Japan 1995

The Encyclopedia of Quilting and Patchwork Techniques  by Katherine Guerrier 1994
Contemporary Quilts  by Barbara Hallas 1994
Creative Patchwork  by Annette Claxton 1993
The Complete Quilting Course  by Gail Lawther 1992
Quilters Feelings  1990
Making Needlecraft Landscapes
by Mary Carroll 1986

Quilting for You,
Issue 75 Dec 2011/2012,

PERIODICALS
Association of Art and Design: Issue 96 Summer 2019
Circa
: No 74 Winter 95
Crafts: No 157 March/April 99
Crafts Council of Ireland: Review 1991
Fiberarts: Vol 25 No 2 Sept/Oct 98
Finn Quilt: No 22/6 Jan 96
Fabrications: Issue 56 Oct/Nov 2008, Issue 47 April/May 2007
Guiding: 1989
Irish Patchwork Society Newsletter: Autumn 2016 Issue 136, Winter 2014 No 129, Autumn 2014 No 128, Summer 2014 No. 127, Summer 2007 Issue 99, Autumn 2004 No 88 p.3, Spring 2003 No 81, Spring 2002 No 79, Cover of No 70, Summer 99, Spring 97, Cover of Winter 94
Irish Quilting: Issue 1 Nov 2008
Patchwork and Quilting: January 2008, Feb 2003, Dec 2001, April/May 96, Spring 90
Patchwork -und Quiltjournal: Number 103, March/April 2009,
Popular Patchwork: June 2010, April 2008, Issue 7 2007, Vol 14 No10 September 2006, Summer 2006, February 2003, February 2002, July/August 2001, June 2001, July/August 98, July/August 95 Vol14 No10 September 2006
Patchwork Professional: Feb 2009
Quilters Review: No 8 Winter 89
Quilting International: May 93
Quilters Newsletter Magazine: No 408 Feb/March 2009, No 349 Jan/Feb 2003, No 327 November 2000, No 318 December 99
Quilting Today: Issue 89 March 2002, Issue 16 Dec/Jan 89/90
Textile Forum: 'Textileforum' 1/2000 March
Today's Quilter: Issue 53 2019
The Sunday Times colour magazine: 25 May 86
The Sunday Times: Culture Ireland: Feb 97
The Independent Patchworker: No 27 Summer 94, No 23 Summer 93, No 16 Autumn 91
The Quilter: Issue 160 Autumn 2019, Winter 2012, Issue 132 Autumn 2012, Issue 119 Summer 2009, Issue 100 Autumn 2004, Issue 91 Summer 2002, Issue 84 Autumn 2000, No 81 Winter 99, No 77 Winter 98, No 69 Winter 96, No 68 Autumn 96, No 64 Autumn 95, Cover of No 58 Spring 94, No 57 Winter 93, No 56 Autumn 93, No 51 Summer 92, No 42 Spring 90, No 40 Autumn 89, No 39 Summer 89, No 35 Summer 88, No 33 Winter 87, No 28 Autumn 86
Woman and Home: July 90
Workbox: Issue 79 February/March 2003, Issue 75 June/July 2002, Cover of No 14 Summer 90
The World of Embroidery: Vol 48 No 4 July 9

QUALIFICATIONS
City and Guilds Patchwork and Quilting, Part 2 - 1998
City and Guilds Creative Embroidery, Part 1 -- 1993, Part 2 - 1995

COLLECTIONS and COMMISSIONS
The 27 Events of the Year quilts ..Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Northern Ireland.
Conflict Textiles......... Ulster University, Northern Ireland
Ulster Museum, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Linen Quilt, Irish Linen Centre, Lisburn Museum, 1996 (commission)
The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles 90's Collection, 1995
10th Anniversary Quilt, Down County Museum, Downpatrick 1994 (commission)
Private collections
Conflict Textiles Collection see-CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) at Ulster University, Northern Ireland. https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/conflicttextiles

AWARDS
I won the RSPB NI Artist of the Year 2021 for my piece Will there be poppies, daisies and apples when I grow up
I was awarded the BEM
for Services to Textile Art in Northern Ireland in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2019
World Quilt and Textile, USA:
2nd for innovative use of colour 1999
Winner of the Charles Henry Foyle Trust Award
for stitched textiles 1996
Quilt Fest Florida USA:
Judges recognition award 1993
Various awards at English Quilt Shows
ER
Written articles in
The Quilter:
'On Exhibiting in Selected Shows'
Issue 89 Winter 2001 page 18
Letter on Judging, Issue 83; Summer 2000 page 7
'Now Quilt It'
Issue 81 Winter 99 page 12 

Quilt used on cover of video 'The Celtic Connection' 1996
Quilt used on cover of catalogue for 5th National Patchwork Championships 1989

Judge at Royal Dublin Society, Embroidery section. 2001
Judge at Quilts UK, 1996
Judge at Great British Quilt Festival. 1995, 1988

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