In the latest instalment of our Artists You HAVE to Follow series, we delve into the extraordinary work of textile artists who draw deep inspiration from the animal kingdom: Transforming fibres into lifelike forms that are both beautiful and thought-provoking.
From the intricate embroidery of Karen Nicol’s “couture creatures,” where animals are clothed in cultural narratives, to the vibrant and detailed wildlife portraits of Sophie Standing, each artist featured here brings their unique vision to life through the tactile medium of textiles. You’ll discover how Salley Mavor’s whimsical, hand-stitched figures charm viewers with their storytelling magic, and how Tamara Kostianovsky’s visceral sculptures, crafted from discarded textiles, challenge our perceptions of the natural world.
Whether you’re an experienced textile artist or a seasonal crafter eager to explore new techniques, this collection of awe-inspiring work will ignite your creativity and deepen your appreciation for the art of textile. Join us as we explore the fascinating intersection of fabric, thread, and the animal world, where every stitch tells a story, and every piece invites you to see nature through a new lens.
Before we start...
Don’t forget to check out our other blogs in the Artists you Have to Follow Series.
- 10 Textile Artists Inspired by Architecture
- 9 Textile Artists Inspired by Food
- 10 Textiles Artists Inspired by the Ocean
- Textile Artists Inspired by Nature
- 10 Textile Portrait Artists
- 10 Contemporary Felt Artists
- Machine Embroidery Artists You Have to Follow
- Hand Embroidery Artists You Have to Follow
- Inspiring Patchwork Quilt Artists You Have to Follow
- Inspiring Knit Artists You Have to Follow
10 Textile Artists Inspired by Animals
1. Ilaria Textile Artist
Disfairy, the artistic persona of Ilaria from Tuscany, Italy, is a sculptor and textile artist known for her enchanting and whimsical creations. Rooted in her deep appreciation for nature and inspired by ancient fairy tales, Disfairy brings to life an imaginative world where fantasy and reality seamlessly blend. Each of her handmade creatures is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece, meticulously crafted with vintage fabrics, intricate embroidery, and a variety of antique objects she finds during her explorations of flea markets and second-hand shops.
Ilaria’s background in Cultural Heritage and her experience as a professional restorer have deeply influenced her artistic process. Her work reflects a love for the past, not only through the materials she uses but also in the timeless, nostalgic quality of her creations. The characters she sculpts are more than just decorative pieces; they are emotive, stylish beings that seem to tell their own stories, inviting viewers into a world where emotions reign supreme.
Disfairy’s work is highly sought after, and she welcomes commissions, offering to recreate twins of her pieces for those who wish to adopt them. Her dedication to ensuring each piece remains distinct showcases her commitment to preserving the individuality and charm of her art. Living and working by the Tuscan Coast, Ilaria’s art is infused with the serene beauty of her surroundings, making each creation not just a piece of art but a piece of her world.
Follow Disfairy
Website: https://www.disfairy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disfairy.textile/
2. Anne Kelly
Anne Kelly is an internationally recognised textile-based mixed media artist. She is renowned for her intricate and multi-layered fabric collages that blend elements of folk art, the natural world, memory, and travel. Trained in Canada and the UK, including at the prestigious Goldsmiths College, Kelly’s work is celebrated for its richly textured, tapestry-like quality. Her pieces often begin as inspiration boards composed of collected paper ephemera, fabric scraps, and embroidered panels, which she gradually transforms into complex collages. These are stitched together using her signature overstitching technique, which creates a dense network of threads that lock the layers into place, further embellished with mixed media, print, and hand stitching.
Kelly’s work is deeply inspired by the natural world, particularly animals, which she often immortalises in her textile creations. Her love for animals and the environment is a recurring theme, reflecting her broader interest in folk art and cultural expression. This thematic focus is also evident in her written work, where she explores portraiture in textile art, including a special section dedicated to “Pet Projects,” which guides artists in capturing the likeness and personality of animals in stitch.
Anne Kelly’s achievements are significant and wide-ranging. Her major solo exhibition at the Ruthin Craft Centre, which toured to the Harley Foundation in 2023, is a testament to her influence in the textile art world. She has also been featured as an invited artist at prominent international venues, including the Knitting and Stitching Shows, Pour l’Amour du Fil in France, and the World of Threads Festival in Canada.
Follow Anne Kelly
Website: https://annekellytextiles.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annekellytextiles/
3. Lorraine Turner
Distinguished textile artist Lorraine Turner produces unique and spiritually infused creations that blend her profound connection with animals and her expertise in graphic design. Despite early doubts about her potential as an artist, Turner defied expectations, achieving significant recognition as a two-time Emmy-winning graphic designer for the Philadelphia 76ers and a multiple Eisner Award nominee for her work in the comic industry.
Turner’s textile art often features animals she encounters in meditation, depicted in vibrant, patchwork-inspired designs. A pivotal moment in her career occurred when she envisioned wild horses draped in calico fabrics, an image that led to the creation of her book *Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail* and the subsequent artwork “Calico Messengers.”
In addition to her artistic achievements, Turner is an advocate for endangered animals, using her art to raise awareness and support their conservation. She also contributes to the quilting community as a BERNINA Ambassador and an Aurifil thread designer/educator. Her commitment to empowering others is evident in her role as a motivational speaker, where she inspires people of all ages to pursue their creative dreams, underscoring her belief in the transformative power of moving thoughts into action.
Follow Lorraine Turner
Website: https://calicohorses.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorraineturnerartist/
4. Carola Van Dyke
Carola van Dyke is a Dutch-born textile artist, now residing on the South Coast of the UK. She is known for her vibrant and eclectic creations that blend a love for nature with a passion for textures, colours, and contrasts. Originally trained in Textile Design and Illustration, she transitioned from illustrating and children’s wear design to the world of decorative arts in 2009. Her distinctive style is characterised by “drawing with scissors,” where she hand-cuts fabrics to create intricate, quirky, and humorous designs that invite a smile.
Van Dyke is best known for her flamboyant cushions and unique textile taxidermy, which combine vintage and modern fabrics to create bold, handcrafted pieces. Her work is celebrated internationally, with high-profile collaborations including Liberty London, Anthropologie, and Bergdorf Goodman. Van Dyke’s creations, particularly her textile taxidermy, have become iconic in the British interior design scene, noted for their exuberant, tactile quality and exclusive, artist-driven identity.
Her work often focuses on nature, from insects to flowers, capturing the delicate interplay of light, colour, and texture in her embroidered pieces. Through her innovative approach to textiles, van Dyke has established herself as a leading figure in the art and design world, pushing the boundaries of embroidery to create unexpected and refined outcomes.
Follow Carola Van Dyke
Website: https://carolavandyke.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolavandyke/
5. Holly Guertin
Holly Guertin is a contemporary textile artist based in the Philadelphia area, known for her intricate work in felt, embroidery, and crochet. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a BFA in Fibres, Guertin draws inspiration from the natural world, particularly sheep and their wool, to explore themes of interconnectedness, human dignity, and the physical versus spiritual realms. Her art is a tactile celebration of wool, showcasing its extraordinary qualities through meticulous, time-honoured techniques.
Guertin’s work, such as her felted lamb sculptures, is noted for its detailed craftsmanship and deep symbolic meaning. She skillfully uses wool to ground viewers in the tangible and real, prompting them to reflect on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Her pieces have been exhibited in prominent venues like the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and SCAD’s Permanent Collection, and she has collaborated with major brands like Anthropologie. Guertin’s work stands out for its beauty, intricacy, and the way it honours ancient fibre traditions while addressing contemporary issues of sustainability and awareness.
Follow Holly Guertin
Website: https://hollyguertin.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyguertinart/
6. Tamara Kostianovsky
Tamara Kostianovsky is an Argentine-American textile artist renowned for her powerful and thought-provoking sculptures that address themes of environmental degradation, violence, and consumer culture. She transforms discarded textiles—such as old clothing, furniture fabrics, and linens—into visceral and intricate works that evoke the carcasses of animals and trees. By repurposing these materials, Kostianovsky creates a dialogue between destruction and regeneration, often incorporating elements of lush vegetation and exotic birds into her pieces to symbolize rebirth and the resilience of nature.
Her work has been exhibited in prestigious venues worldwide, including solo exhibitions at the Baker Museum, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and an upcoming show at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris. Kostianovsky has also received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and grants from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Her work, inspired by the artistic traditions of figures like Rembrandt and Goya, challenges viewers to confront the intersection of the physical body, nature, and the socio-political dimensions of life through the lens of textile art.
Follow Tamara Kostianovsky
Website: https://tamarakostianovsky.com/home.html
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamara_kostianovsky/
7. Salley Mavor
Salley Mavor, the artist behind Wee Folk Studio, is a master of needlework, creating intricate, three-dimensional hand-stitched art that spans over four decades. Her work, which often features playful and poignant narratives, is deeply inspired by the natural world, particularly animals and the stories they can tell. Mavor’s art transcends the fibre medium, blending craftsmanship with meaningful social and cultural commentary. Her creations are widely recognized for their emotional resonance and meticulous detail, often finding expression in children’s books, editorial illustrations, and stop-motion animation.
Mavor is perhaps best known for her richly detailed, miniature worlds and the “Wee Folk” dolls she designs, which have captivated audiences of all ages. Her book, Felt Wee Folk, offers a glimpse into her creative process, providing patterns and instructions for making her iconic dolls. Though she no longer sells her original artwork, Mavor’s pieces are preserved for exhibitions, allowing her distinctive blend of artistry and storytelling to reach a broad audience.
Follow Salley Mavor
Website: https://weefolkstudio.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salleymavor/
8. Sophie Standing
Sophie Standing’s vibrant wildlife portraits are created through a unique fusion of appliqué and free-motion embroidery. Having spent over two decades in Africa, her work is deeply inspired by the continent’s rich wildlife, which she captures with extraordinary detail using only coloured threads. Sophie’s intricate pieces, some as large as 1.5 metres, combine carefully selected fabrics from collections like Liberty Tana Lawn and the Kaffe Fassett Collective with thousands of metres of Aurifil cotton thread.
Her art is characterised by the dynamic interplay of fabric and thread, where the appliquéd fabrics provide a rich background, and the free-motion embroidery brings the animals to life with striking realism. Sophie is also a dedicated educator, regularly conducting workshops worldwide to share her technique. She works on a commission basis, creating bespoke pieces for clients across the globe, ensuring that each artwork is a collaborative process tailored to the client’s vision. Now based in Dorset, England, Sophie continues to create and inspire with her distinctive textile art.
Follow Sophie Standing
Website: https://www.sophiestanding.art/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiestandingart/
9. Karen Nicol
Karen Nicol is a renowned textile artist based in London, known for her innovative and eclectic approach to embroidery. With a diverse career spanning gallery exhibitions, fashion, and interiors, Karen blends traditional techniques with contemporary flair. She specialises in various forms of embroidery, including Irish, Cornelly, Multihead, beading, and hand embroidery, often pushing the boundaries of these methods to create unique textures and effects.
Her work is characterised by “couture creatures,” where she explores the relationship between humans and animals through the lens of fashion and culture. By dressing animals in skins inspired by human attire, she creates thought-provoking pieces that straddle the line between art and design. Karen’s studio in Hampton Court serves as a creative hub where she experiments with materials and techniques, constantly evolving her practice.
Karen’s influence extends beyond her own work; she has taught as a senior lecturer at the Royal College of Art for 15 years and continues to inspire the next generation of artists through lectures and workshops. Her work is celebrated for its ability to fuse the old with the new, transforming traditional embroidery into contemporary art that is both visually stunning and conceptually rich.
Follow Karen Nicol
Website: www.karennicol.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karennicol1/
10. Janine Heschl
Janine Heschl is not just an embroidery artist; she is a storyteller, a wildlife enthusiast, and an ARTivist on a mission to celebrate the marvels of nature while raising awareness for its preservation.
What sets Janine’s art apart is her fearless spirit of experimentation and her relentless pursuit of perfection. Through the ingenious use of free-motion sewing technique, she breathes life into her creations, meticulously crafting photorealistic animal portraits that leap off the fabric with unparalleled vitality. Every stitch, every contour, speaks volumes of her dedication to capturing the essence of nature’s breath taking beauty.
But Janine’s art is more than just art; it is a poignant reminder of our responsibility towards the planet. With each masterpiece she creates, she endeavours to shine a spotlight on the plight of endangered species, using her talent as a tool for advocacy and change.
Follow Janine Heschl
Website: https://www.textilewildlifeart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janine.heschl
