| Irene MacWilliam 
              BEM (for services to Textile Art in Northern Ireland)
  Walls have Ears
  23 
              bricks each 13 x 7 x 5 cms 
 Selected 
              and Invited  Exhibitions
 2024
 Solo 
              show… Threads of Witty Discernment in Belfast School of Art, 
              Ulster University
 Threads of Empowerment: Ark, Queens University Belfast
 Gadsden Arts Centre & Museum, Quincy Florida USA then 
              touring USA until December 2027
 Stitching 
              Memory: Commemorating 
              50 years of Solidarity in Scotland
 2023
 Roe 
              Valley Arts and Cultural Centre. N Ireland
 University of Glasgow
 2022
 with Art Quilt Fusion, 
              Nadelwelt, Karlsruhe, Germany 
               -- Vincenza, 
              Italy
 Solo show at Quiltfest, 
              Llangollen, Wales
 Ulster Museum, N Ireland
 Tower Museum, Londondery N Ireland
 2021
 RSPB NI won Artist of the Year
 Following in the Footsteps of the Disappeared, Ulster Museum. Belfast
 Linen Hall Library, Belfast, Northern Ireland
 Faifield Mill , Sedburgh, England
 2020
 Magee Campus library, Ulster University
 2019
 Galerija Principij, Rijeka, Croatia
 Back to the Future 1989-2019-2030: Fürth, Bavaria
 Ruby Serendipity: Hands Across the Border, Flowerfield Arts Centre, 
              N Ireland
 2018
 In 
              Print with Contemporary Quilt, travelling around UK
 The Troubles and Beyond, Ulster Museum, Belfast. 
              Northern Ireland
 Journeys- Crossing Oceans Group—Touring into 
              2019: Prague Czech Republic, Belgium, Moscow Russia, Canada, New 
              Zealand
 2017
 Stitching 
              Memoryscape, Tokyo 
              Electron Hall, Miyagi, Japan
 Hands Across the Border, Dublin and Island Arts Centre 
              Belfast
 Stitched Voices: Aberystwyth, Wales
 War Torn Children, Linen Hall Library, Belfast
 2016
 Stitched Legacies of Conflict, Roe Valley Arts 
              and Cultural Centre, Northern Ireland
 Stuff for Thought: Ehrenhalle, Nuremberg, Germany
 The Nineties Collection: Quiltfest, International 
              Pavilion, Llangollen. Wales
 Freedom, The Blasket Centre, Co Kerry, Ireland
 Stitched Art Textile: Minnesota Quilters Association, 
              USA and Beaujolais, France
 2015
 Stitching Peace: Conflict, Memory: 
              Museo 
              de la Paz de Gernika, Spain:
 Hands 
              Across the Border: Belfast City Hall and Botanic Gardens, 
              Dublin, Ireland
 Crossing Oceans: FOQ Birmingham, Alsace France, 
              Russia (2016)
 Wild 
              Atlantic Way: 
              Ireland and FOQ 2017 UK
 World Quilt Competition X1X, USA - 2015 travelling
 CQ 
              - Elements: FOQ 
              Birmingham, Quilt Expo en Beaujolais, various venues in UK
 QGBI 90s Collection: Quiltfest, Llangollen Wales
 2014
 CQ – 
              Dislocation: Festival 
              of Quilts, Birmingham, - travelling into 2015
 SMALL Actions BIG Movements: the Continuum of Nonviolence - International 
              Conference of WRI (War Resisters International) and Ceasefire Campaign 
              of South Africa
 World Quilt Competition USA XVIII - 2014
 Quilts of UK, Ailsa Craig Quilt Festival, Canada
 2013
 Hands 
              Across the Border, National 
              Botanic Gardens, Dublin and Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Northern 
              Ireland
 Park of Memory: Monument to the Victims of State Terrorism 
              Buenos Aires, Argentina
 Hidden Histories, ICHF exhibitions. Touring GB into 2014
 2012
 Pieced Patterns, ICHF exhibitions. Touring GB into 
              2013
 The Art of Survival, Peace Building, University 
              of Hamburg. Germany
 UK Quilts, QGBI, Open European Quilt Championships, 
              Einthoven, Holland
 acCent - Art Quilts of the UK, Paducah, Kentucky, 
              USA
 Events of the Year Quilts and Testimonies of Survival, 
              Tower Museum, Derry & Donegal County Museum. Ireland
 Political Textiles, Conflict Transformation Gallery, 
              UMASS, Boston, USA
 Community Action and Empowerment through Narrative Textile, 
              The George Washington University Art Therapy Program Gallery
 2011
 What 
              is Treasure, National Trust, Tranmere House. England
 Branching Out, Irish Patchwork Society, Botanic 
              Gardens, Dublin. FOQ, NEC, Birmingham
 World Quilt 2011, Manchester, New Hampshire. USA 
              - travelling
 European Quilting Association (EQA) Circle of Friends 
              - FOQ, NEC, Birmingham - Touring
 Textile News: Freiheit – 
              Liberté – Freedom, NEC, Birmingham, Touring Europe
 Arpilleras and the Poetry of Survival, Queens University 
              Belfast, N. Ireland
 Stitching Peace. WCC Conference, Geneva, Switzerland 
              and Jamaica
 Irish Patchwork Society exhibition, European Patchwork 
              Championships. Veldhoven. Holland
 2010
 Stitching 
              Resistance, University 
              Museum, Osaka University, Japan
 Hands All Around Xll, Houston, USA touring into 2011
 The Human Cost of War 2, Tower Museum, Derry, Northern 
              Ireland
 Arpilleras from Yesterday and Today, Chilean Embassy London 
              and United Nations Plaza, New York
 2009
 The Human 
              Cost of War, Imperial War Museum, and 
              St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation, London
 Arpilleras  that 
              Cry Out: Flowerfield 
              Arts Centre, Northern Ireland
 Events 
              of  1989: 
              as 
              part of the permanent rotating exhibit, Verbal Arts Centre, Londonderry, 
              Northern Ireland
 World 
              Quilt 2009, Manchester, New Hampshire. USA - travelling
 Threads 
              of Destiny: Testimonies of Violence, Hope and Survival. Museum 
              Frauen Kultur, Furth/Germany
 Womens 
              Real Lives. Women's 
              Centre, Derry. N Ireland
 2008
 Hands 
              All Around XVl, 
              Houston, USA
 World Quilt and Textile, 
              Manchester, New Hampshire. USA - travelling
 The Thin Blue Line, CQ, Dudley Museum and Art Gallery, 
              England
 The 
              Art of Survival, International and Irish Quilts, Londonderry, 
              N Ireland
 Links, Irish Patchwork Society, Dublin
 2007
 World 
              Quilt, Pennsylvania, 
              USA touring
 Fish 
              out of Water, 
              solo exhibition 
              within the Loch Lomond Quilt Show, Scotland
 Fissures, Contemporary Quilt, 
              1st 
              International Patchwork Show, Prague, Czech Republic
 2006
 Dublin - Irish Patchwork Society, 
              Dublin
 World Quilt, New 
              Hampshire, touring – Pennsylvania, California, Illinois
 First Quarter - Irish Patchwork Society, 
              Dublin and Festival of Quilts
 Contemporary Quilt, FOQ, Birmingham
 SAQA Breaking Boundaries, 
              Quilt 
              Expo Lyon, 
              France
 Elements 
              of Nature, Wallsworth Hall, England
 European 
              Suitcase Exhibition, touring
 2005
 Hands All Around, 
              Houston, USA touring into 2006
 Recycled, Contemporary Art Quilts, Amberton Hall, 
              Essex
 Mind Body Spirit 2005, open art show, Naughton 
              Gallery, Queens University Belfast
 Year and Peace Quilts. Solo show. Armagh County 
              Museum, N. Ireland
 Retrospective of 20 Years in Textiles. Solo show. 
              Armagh County Museum, N. Ireland
 Fishy Tails. Solo show. Redditch Needle Museum. 
              England
 2004
 Hands All Around, 
              Houston, USA touring into 2005
 Solo show of 
              18 Events of the Year + 2 Peace Quilts, Festival 
              of Quilts, NEC Birmingham.
 Recycled, Contemporary Art Quilts, Uffington, 
              Oxfordshire
 Irish Quilts, Val D’Argent, France
 From the Edge 2004, MCAC Open Textile Exhibition. 
              Portadown, N Ireland
 2003
 Hands All Around, Houston, USA (touring into 2004)
 EQA, The 
              Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham
 Quilt 
              2003, 
              The Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham
 British Quilts, Mid 
              Atlantic Quilt Festival XIV, Williamsburg, 
              USA
 2002
 Quilt 2002, 
              within the Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
 Hands All Around, Houston, 
              USA  (touring into 2003)
 The World 
              Quilt Carnival, 
              The Quilters' Guild of the British 
              Isles exhibit, Nagoya, Japan
 Quiltfest 2002, 
               The Royal International Pavilion, 
              Llangollen
 2001
 Quilt 2001, 
              within the Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
 Now and Then, The Minerva Arts Centre, Llanidloes, 
              Mid Wales
 The Light, De Heyzel, Bruxells, Belgium
 Quilts You Have Loved, Hereford Art Gallery, Hereford,
 Rise and Shine, Bovey Tracey, Devon
 2000
 Quilt 2000, within the Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
 Under The Covers, 7th National Exhibition of The Quilters 
              Guild of the British Isles, Bovey Tracey, Devon
 World Quilt and Textile, Michigan and North Carolina USA
 Hands All Around, Houston, USA (touring into 2001)
 1999
 Quilt 1999, Knitting and Stitching Show, (touring)
 World Quilt and Textile, North Carolina. USA
 Unwrapping, Fibre 2000, Dublin Airport, and the Irish Linen 
              Centre, Lisburn Museum
 The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles 7th National Juried 
              Exhibition, Lords Cricket Ground, London
 1998
 4eme. Carrefour European du Patchwork, Alsace, France
 Swiss Quilt International, 
              Zurich, Switzerland
 World Quilt 98, Japan (invited)
 World Quilt and Textile, California, USA
 Year Quilts & Peace Quilts at N.P.A. Spring 
              Fairs, Britain & Belgium
 Hands All Round, Houston, USA (touring into 1999)
 1997
 European Quilt Championships, Veldhoven, Holland
 N.P.A. Autumn Quilt Fairs, Selected Irish Quilts, England, 
              (touring)
 Stitching Time Together - Solo exhibition of 10 'Events of 
              the Year Quilts', Down County Museum, Downpatrick
 The Quilter's Guild 6th National Juried Exhibition, Devon 
              Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey
 Hands All Around, Houston, USA, (touring into 1998)
 Williamsburg Quilt Festival, Virginia, USA
 1996
 The Quilters' Guild 6th National Juried Exhibition, Dean 
              Clough Galleries, Halifax
 Hands All Around, Houston, USA (travelling into 1997)
 Stitching Time Together  - Solo exhibition of 10 'Events 
              of the Year Quilts', The Irish Linen Centre, Lisburn Museum
 Quilts UK, 10 'Events of the Year Quilts' exhibited, England
 1995
 Graduate Showcase at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Selected 
              by the Embroiderers' Guild
 N.P.A. Autumn Quilt Fairs, Invited exhibitor
 Hands All Around, Houston, USA
 1994
 Hands All Around, Houston, USA
 Quiltstars, Shipley Museum and Art Gallery, Gateshead
 1993
 The Quilters' Guild 5th Juried National Exhibition, Edinburgh
 Grobenzell Quilt Symposium, Bavaria
 The Quilters' Guild Retrospective Exhibition, Hampton Court, 
              London
 Contemporary International Quilt Collection, Oxford and 
              Leeds
 1992
 Quiltfest, Florida, USA
 Le Chassy d'Or, Chateau Chinon, France
 1991
 E.B.S. Crafts Show, Dublin, (patchwork and embroidery awards)
 Shortlisted for the Muriel Gahan Development Grant (covers all crafts 
              in Ireland)
 The Quilters' Guild 4th Juried National Exhibition, Bath
 1990
 Quilters' Feelings 1990, Lelystadt, The Netherlands
 Embroidered jacket shown at  Quilt Expo Europa, Odense, also 
              at  Spring Quilt Festival, Denver and Houston, USA
 1988
 Crafts Council of Ireland Exhibition, the Landesgewerbeamt Gallery, 
              Karlsruhe, and the Handerskammer Gallery, Hamburg
 Irish Patchwork Society exhibition at  Quilt Expo Europa, 
              Salsburg
 1987
 The Quilters' Guild 3rd Juried National Exhibition, R.I.B.A. 
              London
 Quilt Exhibition. Selected Irish Quilts, Houston, USA
 1986
 Swiss Quilt, Berne, Switzerland
 
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              of page
 
 BOOKS FEATURING WORK
 Stitched Journeys with Birds by Martha Sielman 
              2023
 The Complete Book of Patchwork, Quilting and Applique by 
              Linda Seward 2021
 Art Quilts International - Abstract & Geometric. by 
              Martha Sielman 2016
 Quilts and Human Rights by Marsha McDowell, Mary 
              Worrall, Lynne Swanson and Beth Donaldson, Foreward by Desmond Tutu 
              2016
 The Ultimate Guide to Art Quilting by Linda Seward 
              2014
 Text in Textile Art by Sara Impey 2013
 My Kind of Non Violence: (cover) – 
              Booklet published by Innate – Irish network for non violent 
              training and education
 Adventures in Design by Joen Wolfrom 2011
 A Quilter's Guide to Floral Quilts by 
              Marion Haslam 2004
 Making Connections by Janet 
              Rae and Dinah TraviS 2004
 Quilting from Start to 
              Finish by Katharine 
              Guerrier 2003
 Quilt 2003 by Creative Exhibitions 2003
 Quilt 2002 by Creative Exhibitions 2002
 Quilt 2001 by Creative 
              Exhibitions 2001
 The Nineties Collection 
              by The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles 2001
 Quilt 2000 
              by Creative Exhibitions 2000
 Colour Play  
              by Joen Wolfrom 2000
 Quilting Masterclass  
              by Kate Guerrier 2000
 Quilt 99  
              by Creative Exhibitions Ltd.1999
 Fibrearts Design Book Six  
              Edited by Nancy Orban 1999
 Textiles Royal College of Art Schools Technology Project 
              –1998
 Patchwork Quilting and Appliqué by Jenni 
              Dobson, Readers Digest 1998
 Patchwork Quilting and Appliqué by Linda 
              Seward, Revised edition 1996
 88 Quilt Leaders of the World by Nikon Vogue, Japan 
              1995
 The Encyclopedia of Quilting 
              and Patchwork Techniques  
              by Katherine Guerrier 1994
 Contemporary Quilts  
              by Barbara Hallas 1994
 Creative Patchwork  
              by Annette Claxton 1993
 The Complete Quilting Course  
              by Gail Lawther 1992
 Quilters Feelings  
              1990
 Making Needlecraft Landscapes by Mary Carroll 1986
 Quilting for You, Issue 
              75 Dec 2011/2012,
 
 PERIODICALS
 Association 
              of Art and Design: 
              Issue 96 Summer 2019
 Circa: No 74 Winter 95
 Crafts: No 157 March/April 99
 Crafts Council of Ireland: Review 1991
 Fiberarts: Vol 25 No 2 Sept/Oct 98
 Finn Quilt: No 22/6 Jan 96
 Fabrications: Issue 56 Oct/Nov 2008, Issue 47 April/May 
              2007
 Guiding: 1989
 Irish Patchwork Society Newsletter: Autumn 2016 
              Issue 136, Winter 2014 No 129, Autumn 2014 No 128, Summer 2014 No. 
              127, Summer 2007 Issue 99, Autumn 2004 No 88 p.3, Spring 2003 No 
              81, Spring 2002 No 79, Cover of No 70, Summer 99, Spring 97, Cover 
              of Winter 94
 Irish Quilting: Issue 1 Nov 2008
 Patchwork and Quilting: January 2008, Feb 2003, 
              Dec 2001, April/May 96, Spring 90
 Patchwork -und Quiltjournal: Number 103, March/April 
              2009,
 Popular Patchwork: June 2010, April 2008, Issue 
              7 2007, Vol 14 No10 September 2006, Summer 2006, February 2003, 
              February 2002, July/August 2001, June 2001, July/August 98, July/August 
              95 Vol14 No10 September 2006
 Patchwork Professional: Feb 2009
 Quilters Review: No 8 Winter 89
 Quilting International: May 93
 Quilters Newsletter Magazine: No 408 Feb/March 
              2009, No 349 Jan/Feb 2003, No 327 November 2000, No 318 December 
              99
 Quilting Today: Issue 89 March 2002, Issue 16 Dec/Jan 
              89/90
 Textile Forum: 'Textileforum' 1/2000 March
 Today's Quilter: Issue 53 2019
 The Sunday Times colour magazine: 25 May 86
 The Sunday Times: Culture Ireland: Feb 97
 The Independent Patchworker: No 27 Summer 94, No 
              23 Summer 93, No 16 Autumn 91
 The Quilter:  Issue 160 Autumn 2019, Winter 2012, 
              Issue 132 Autumn 2012, Issue 119 Summer 2009, Issue 100 Autumn 2004, 
              Issue 91 Summer 2002, Issue 84 Autumn 2000, No 81 Winter 99, No 
              77 Winter 98, No 69 Winter 96, No 68 Autumn 96, No 64 Autumn 95, 
              Cover of No 58 Spring 94, No 57 Winter 93, No 56 Autumn 93, No 51 
              Summer 92, No 42 Spring 90, No 40 Autumn 89, No 39 Summer 89, No 
              35 Summer 88, No 33 Winter 87, No 28 Autumn 86
 Woman and Home: July 90
 Workbox: Issue 79 February/March 2003, Issue 75 
              June/July 2002, Cover of No 14 Summer 90
 The World of Embroidery: Vol 48 No 4 July 9
 QUALIFICATIONSCity and Guilds Patchwork and Quilting, Part 2 - 1998
 City and Guilds Creative Embroidery, Part 1 -- 1993, Part 2 - 1995
 COLLECTIONS 
              and COMMISSIONSThe 27 
              Events of the Year quilts ..Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, 
              Northern Ireland.
 Conflict Textiles......... Ulster University, Northern Ireland
 Ulster Museum, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
 Linen Quilt, Irish Linen Centre, Lisburn Museum, 1996 (commission)
 The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles 90's Collection, 1995
 10th Anniversary Quilt, Down County Museum, Downpatrick 1994 (commission)
 Private collections
 Conflict Textiles Collection see-CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) 
              at Ulster University, Northern Ireland. https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/conflicttextiles
  AWARDS 
              and APPOINTMENTSChosen 
              to be one of 7 ambassadors for BSoA175 in 
              celebration of the Belfast School of Art's 175th year. One of the 
              oldest Art Colleges in the UK
 
 I won the RSPB NI Artist of the Year 
              2021 for my piece Will there be poppies, daisies and apples 
              when I grow up
 
 I was awarded the BEM for 
              Services to Textile Art in Northern Ireland in the Queen's Birthday 
              Honours 2019
 
 World Quilt and Textile, USA: 2nd for innovative use of colour 
              1999
 
 Winner of the Charles Henry Foyle Trust Award for stitched textiles 
              1996
 
 Quilt Fest Florida USA: Judges recognition award 1993
 
 Various awards at English Quilt Shows
 ER
 Written articles in The 
              Quilter:
 'On Exhibiting in Selected Shows' Issue 89 Winter 
              2001 page 18
 Letter on Judging,  
              Issue 83; Summer 2000 page 7
 'Now Quilt It'  Issue 81 Winter 99 page 12
 Quilt used on cover of video 'The Celtic Connection' 
              1996Quilt used on cover of catalogue for 5th National Patchwork Championships 
              1989
 
 Judge at Royal Dublin Society, Embroidery section. 2001
 Judge at Quilts UK, 1996
 Judge at Great British Quilt Festival. 1995, 1988
 
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