Text & Textile! – Connie Flynn

Text & Textile! is an engaging exhibition by Connie Flynn that explores the unexpected connections between language, history, and the textile industry. Inspired by familiar everyday phrases, Flynn’s research revealed that many expressions commonly used today originate from textile production and mill culture. These discoveries form the foundation of a body of work that combines text and cloth in thoughtful, tactile ways.

Using repurposed domestic textiles and traditional white cotton garments, Flynn hand-stitches selected phrases in contrasting red thread, emphasising both their meaning and material origins. Alongside these works, she incorporates outcomes from a recent artist residency focused on traditional letterpress printing, introducing an additional layer of time, history, and heritage.

Flynn’s multi-skilled practice brings together traditional hand techniques and modern processes, working across a wide range of materials with both hand and machine skills. Deeply committed to sustainability, she carefully sources recycled and natural fibres. Her work often carries a reflective, “food for thought” narrative, making visible the connections between people, materials, time, and place.