Introducing Erin McQuarrie - our end of season Dye Garden Social host
Erin McQuarrie (b.1993 Glasgow) is an artist and educator who believes ancient methods of making provide an innovative means of interpreting and responding to contemporary life. Inspired by the connection between text and textile, the language of warp and weft is her slow and intentional vocabulary, providing an antithesis to the wasteful consumerist society around us. Led by a healthy connection to materiality she uses natural dyeing, deadstock fabric and yarns, hand spinning and found objects to construct her tools and sculptural tapestries, demonstrating the architectural, dynamic, poetic, and sensitive qualities of fibre.
She completed her BA in Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art (2018) and her MFA in Textiles at Parsons School of Design, NYC on a Fulbright scholarship (2021). Her work has been exhibited widely including Jane Lombard Gallery, Mana Contemporary, Dovecot Studios, RSA, L’Space Gallery and NYPL. Erin lives in her hometown Glasgow, where she works as a lecturer in Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art.
I first came across Erin’s work when I was teaching in the textiles department at The Glasgow School of Art in 2018. Although I wasn’t teaching Erin directly, I caught glimpses of her work in the studio, where she was studying print design and undertaking in-depth research into the Mackintosh fire to inspire her work.
I loved the depth of research Erin committed to, visiting the site and exploring the archives to inform her practice. When I recently saw how her beautiful and thoughtful work had developed, including her use of natural dyes, I was intrigued to learn more.
Sadly, I couldn’t make it to what looked like an incredible recent exhibition at The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney, so it was a delight to invite Erin to join us at the Sculpture House Dye Garden to close our growing season for 2026 with her event, Textiles, Text & Landscape...
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