Unsewn

Artist Statement

Michelle Agnew is an Canadian artist specializing in sculptural goldwork embroidery. With training from
the Royal School of Needlework, she transforms traditional embroidery into a three-dimensional art form.
Agnew’s work merges the ancient craft of goldwork with contemporary techniques, re-contextualizing it
within modern frameworks.
Inspired by nature, architecture, and the historical traditions of embroidery, her pieces celebrate the
medium’s versatility. Agnew’s approach honours the craft’s rich heritage while expanding its boundaries,
creating visually striking and conceptually engaging artworks.
In 2024, Michelle exhibited with the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery where she won the The
Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers Associate Award for ‘Unsewn’ and her use of the
ancient art of goldwork embroidery in the piece.

Drawing on themes of ancestry and family history, ’Unsewn’ is embroidered using metal threads on 80
year old Japanese silk that was purchased by Agnew’s great-great uncle while stationed in post war Japan. It contains the shards of a teacup belonging to her great grandmother, and is framed in wood from the Dalziel Barn, a historical site in Toronto once belonging to Agnew’s family.