Handwoven Fine Art Tapestries and Drawings | Katharine Swailes
Discover handwoven fine art tapestries and drawings by award-winning artist Katharine Swailes. Each work is created using traditional weaving techniques and archival materials, ensuring both artistic integrity and longevity. Whether you are a private collector building a collection, or a curator seeking works for institutional acquisition or exhibition, Katharine’s practice offers the rare opportunity to engage with a living heritage in contemporary fine art.
Why Collect Handwoven Tapestries?
Collecting a handwoven tapestry is more than acquiring a textile — it is an investment in cultural heritage. Tapestries are among the most enduring art forms, designed to last for centuries while enriching collections with their presence, scale, and materiality.
In the 21st century, woven fine art continues to expand its role within contemporary practice, standing alongside painting, sculpture, and installation. Each acquisition supports the survival of this unique art form and secures its place for future generations.
Katharine’s Expertise in Tapestry Weaving
Katharine is an internationally recognised tapestry weaver with over two decades of experience. As Studio Manager and Designer at the West Dean Tapestry Studio, she contributed to the recreation of The Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestries for Stirling Castle — one of the most significant tapestry projects in recent history.
She has collaborated with leading contemporary artists such as Martin Creed, and her works are represented in national and international collections including the Guy’s and St Thomas’s Art Collection. In recognition of her practice, Katharine has been awarded the Theo Moorman Award.
Working on a variety of high-warp looms, including the Shannock vertical loom with a weaving capacity of up to 2.4 meters, Katharine is able to create ambitious, large-scale works with intricate detail.
Tapestries and Drawings
Katharine’s practice encompasses both tapestries and drawings. Her handwoven works are monumental in scale and presence, constructed with meticulous craftsmanship. Her drawings and works on paper stand as artworks in their own right while also revealing the conceptual and compositional foundations of her woven practice.
Together, these bodies of work offer collectors and curators opportunities to explore both the finished tapestry and the intimate process behind its making.
For Collectors
For first-time collectors of fine art textiles, Katharine offers guidance to help you select works suited to your collection. In addition to large-scale woven pieces, she also offers smaller tapestries not currently displayed on her website — ideal for those beginning their journey into collecting handwoven fine art.
Acquiring a tapestry is a form of cultural patronage. Each piece becomes an heirloom, preserving the tradition of tapestry weaving while enhancing your personal collection with a work of contemporary fine art.
For Curators and Institutions
Katharine’s works are ideal for museum collections, galleries, universities, and public spaces. Her large-scale tapestries command presence in exhibition environments, while her drawings provide insight into process and concept, enriching interpretation and programming.
She welcomes opportunities to collaborate with curators and institutions through:
Acquisitions of handwoven tapestries and drawings
Exhibitions that place textile art in dialogue with contemporary fine art
Commissions of bespoke woven works for public or institutional spaces
Educational programming including artist talks, workshops with Atelier Weftfaced, and studio visits
Studio Visits and Commissions
Visitors are welcome to experience the weaving process first-hand.
In-person studio visits are available by appointment via the contact form.
Virtual visits (live or recorded) can be arranged for curators, institutions, and collectors worldwide.
Contact
To discuss commissions, acquisitions, or collaborations, please reach out via the contact form.