Dirty Dishes is a series of hand-tufted rugs by Bev Hisey that were part of the Elegant Corruptions installation curated by MADE. The small round rugs resembled petrie dishes under a microscope, as Hisey based her patterns on viruses and bacteria. An interesting aspect of these rugs was that Hisey left parts threadbare, as though to further highlight the decay wrought by influenza, SARS, HIV and others of their ilk. And yet, despite the disease, the rugs, especially in a group, are beautiful. The patterning found in nature cannot fail to thrill if we are still for long enough.

Artist: Bev Hisey
+ bevhisey.com

Textiles designed by Gina Pierce are so full of texture that it would be easy to mistake the fabric for layers of paint and paper. The Peeling Paint motif conjures up images of the best-intentioned homes fallen on hard times (and, therefore, perfect), a delightfully shabby gentility. The History Maps collection of fabrics and wallpaper presents London as a well-worn beat that is a jumble of walks that might only exist in one's memory or dreams.

Artist: Gina Pierce
+ ginapiercedesign.co.uk

Artist: Elide Endreson
+ redcakegallery.com

Artist: Nina Braun
+ heliumcowboy.com

Artist: Lia Cook
+ liacook.com

Artist: Terra Lachance
+ littlebigpants.typepad.com

Artist: Nina Braun
+ ninabraun.net

Artist: Emily Barletta
+ emily-b.net

Artist: Jenny Hart
+ jennyhart.net
+ sublimestitching.com

Denise Burge is a quilter who uses her craft to create art that can be described as textile collages. A vast range of fabrics and stitching is incorporated into scenes or stories that are folkloric in flavour. Sometimes cartoonlike, Burge’s work can be taken as social or political commentary, not necessarily something your grandma would have done down at the church at her bee. Log Cabin and Double Wedding Ring these quilts are not.

Artist: Denise Burge
+ myoriginaldirt.com

If an artist were to decide that one’s artistic focus would mix aspects of Disneyworld with portraiture, what type of medium would be an obvious choice? Why, latch-hook rugs, of course. At least, that is the route taken by Rob Conger. And, it just so happens that the areas of Disneyland depicted by Conger’s artistry are those where fatalities occurred. The portraits range from that of the world’s strongest woman to a variety of faces from the world of business. Not your typical latch-hook scenes of red barns and fluffy kittens.

Artist: Rob Conger
+ mixedgreens.com