Cas holmes artist biography
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The Romani Cultural and Arts Company 38th profile will be of Cas Holmes
Cas Holmes trained in fine art and works in textiles and mixed media as means to interpret her ideas. Born in Norfolk to a family with Romany ancestry (her Grandmother was born in Newport, Wales) she now resides in Kent. After graduation with an honours degree from the University College of Creative Arts in Kent she was awarded the Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship (1985) and Japan Foundation Fellowship (1987) to undertake extensive research into paper-making and textiles in Japan.
A core of her practice is centred around environmental themes based on the natural and observed world which speaks about our connection to place and sense of identity. Community learning and engagement in the arts has informed her work throughout her career and she continues to bring the two together with inspiring creative projects and exhibitions. Collaborations and installations use old cloth, paint and stitch contain intriguing, often hidden stories exploring the narratives relating to heritage, place and culture. These themes are reflected in her book ‘Stitch Stories Batsford 2015
Cas teaches and exhibits internationally using materials she gathers as she travel. She is a senior tutor at the prestigious West De
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Artist: Cas Holmes of Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom
Interview 106
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Biography
Cas Holmes has an Honours Degree in Fine Art (University of Creative Arts, Kent, England) and gained further practical experience through long-term studies in Japan and Canada (supported by the Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship and the Japan Foundation). A British Council Award to Canada allowed further research into art organizations re-using found materials. She enjoys the challenge of working on site-specific projects either for temporary or permanent installation for indoor and outdoor spaces. Often she works in collaboration with other artists, performers and the broader community both in the U.K. and overseas. Commissions include work for hospitals, art centres and regional councils. Projects undertaken focus on environmental/social issues and are usually of a participatory nature.Cas' website.
Artist: Cas Holmes |
I work with found materials and have a sustainable approach to textiles, which is fast becoming a trend. This desire to re-use is part of an ethical choice. Clothing, plant materials, printed paper, I use whatever I find or am given.
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