Movement Through Materiality

Each year, the Manchester Craft & Design Centre selects and exhibits talented students from the Manchester School of Art whose work is ambitious, exciting, and demonstrates great potential. 

We are proud to announce this year’s 18th award-winning graduates: Mary Craig, Sam Holmes, and Isla Paine. These BA (Hons) Product Design and Craft graduates caught our attention through their creative use of materials, pattern and movement. 

Their collection showcases how materials can both impact and be impacted by the environment. Drawing inspiration from their surroundings, these innovative graduates use the movement of place and person to reflect the harmony of nature and life. Their work conveys messages of urgency and hope, empowering the audience towards a brighter, greener future. 

MARY CRAIG

@marycraigtextiles

Mary Craig is a textile designer and activist artist whose work champions environmental sustainability and social change. Specialising in embroidery and graphic art, Mary uses her craft as a platform for advocacy, creating impactful pieces that spark dialogue and inspire action. Her designs are deeply rooted in the natural world, blending intricate embroidery with bold graphic statements to convey messages of urgency and hope. 

Mary’s mixed media approach reflects her passion for versatility and intention. She draws inspiration from ecosystems’ delicate balance, seamlessly combining materials to highlight the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving it. Her artwork connects on multiple levels, evoking emotion and encouraging communities to engage with pressing environmental issues. 

Through her role as an activist artist, Mary seeks to not only raise awareness but also empower others to join the movement for sustainability. Each piece is a call to action, fostering a collective journey toward a brighter, greener future. 

SAM HOLMES

@samholmes.design 

Sam Holmes crafts jewellery that intertwines artistry with nature’s beauty. His work is grounded in the belief that each piece should resonate with its surroundings, blending personal style with the harmony of the outdoors. Sam’s creative journey began with a deep love for nature, drawing inspiration from wildflowers’ vibrant colours and stones’ rugged textures. This connection fuels his design process, transforming natural elements into wearable art. 

His approach is immersive, beginning with gathering materials and sketching ideas inspired by the environment. Each design reflects the essence of nature, echoing its elegance and complexity. For Sam, jewellery is more than an accessory – it’s an invitation to carry a piece of nature’s story. 

Sam’s creations celebrate the planet’s beauty while fostering a connection between the wearer and the world around them. His vision is to craft meaningful jewellery that honours nature and inspires a deeper appreciation for the earth’s wonders. 

ISLA PAINE

@artis.paine 

Isla Paine’s Material Sound project explores the intersection of music, dance, sound, and the body, transforming these elements into a wearable sculpture. Inspired by Chladni plates, Isla vibrates sheet steel filled with jewellery wax to embed sound-generated patterns into the material, making sound the primary artist of her creations.

Collaborating with her ballet dancer brother and a music producer friend, she merges artistic disciplines to bring her vision to life. The project draws from the flowing lines of the human body in motion and the rhythmic grace of dance, reflecting the essence of music and movement in its form.

Material Sound is both an artistic and sensory experience, capturing the energy of sound as it manifests physically. Through this innovative process, Isla invites viewers to contemplate the profound connection between sound, the body, and art, creating a piece that celebrates the unity of these elements. 

EXHIBITION DETAILS
Movement Through Materiality opens on 13th January – 29th March 2025
Free entrance
Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5.30pm
2nd Sunday of the Month, 11am – 5pm (excluding January)

Select pieces are available for purchase. Items can be collected after the exhibition.
Please email [email protected], call 0161 832 4274, or pop into the office on the first floor.