I discovered Tara Kennedy while searching for colour palette inspiration for my new sculpture on Pinterest. I was immediately drawn to the gradient tones of red and dynamic forms in her textile works. Through further research on her website, I learned that she is a textile artist who creates sculptures and wall pieces exploring emotional responses to lived experiences. Using techniques such as knitting, stitching, wrapping, and felting, she works with mixed yarns, fabrics, and threads, often incorporating contrasting materials to evoke feeling and reflection.

I resonate deeply with the quote on her website: “The painful suffering from cultural conflict could transform and develop into hope through unity, understanding, and empathy.” Like Kennedy, I also explore how traumatic experiences can hold both pain and hope. It is insightful to see how she uses colour, texture, and form to construct meaning. The coloured yarns metaphorically trace a transformation from the red tones of blood and suffering to soft ivory hues that evoke hope. This resonates with how I use gradients in my own work. Knots and spikes convey tension, while wrapped lengths and cage-like forms suggest protection. In my earlier work from last semester (shown in the image above), I also used a net-like structure wrapped around an egg form to suggest both protection and entrapment, which now encourages me to explore cage-like forms further. Kennedy’s bundled shapes imply unity, and her cascading ivory forms with buds express renewal and optimism. I have not yet considered the concept of unity in my practice, though I have been reflecting on the shared experiences of women, particularly the feelings of agony and anger which I plan to research further.

Hope Vessel, Collaboration between Tara Kennedy and Tim Kennedy, 2025

Another work I found particularly engaging is her collaboration with Tim Kennedy. By combining textiles with ceramics, the contrast between the materials creates a stronger sense of tension and transformation, effectively expressing the shift from suffering to hope. This inspires me to revisit working with ceramics in my own practice next year.

I felt both excited and frustrated when viewing her work. The concepts, colour palettes, and sculptural forms she explores strongly resonate with my own practice. On one hand, it’s exciting to see an established artist working in a similar direction; on the other, it’s unsettling to realise that someone is already creating the kind of work I aspire to make. This brings a sense of frustration and anxiety, but it also serves as a valuable reminder. It pushes me to further define my own artistic language and refine my approach so that my work remains distinct and original.

Kennedy, Tara. “Harmony 2.” Tara Kennedy (website). Accessed October 17, 2025. https://www.tarakennedy.co.uk/harmony-2-1

Kennedy, Tara. “Hope Vessel.” Tara Kennedy (website). Accessed October 17, 2025. https://www.tarakennedy.co.uk/hope-vessel

Emotional Textiles: Tara Kennedy

Quilted Canvas: Sydney Kleinrock

Poetic Sadness: CAMERA