Susan Holmes is a New Zealand fabric artist. She is known for her 'fantasy-inspired' wearable art pieces and use of stencilling and silk dying. She has won 19 World of Wearable Arts awards.
Early life
Holmes was born in Auckland in 1941. In 1961 she studied a home science degree at Otago University and lectured there for two years following her graduation. After this she travelled abroad through Europe and Asia. These experiences influenced her methods of dying and printing, after witnessing block-printing in Afghanistan and silk-dyeing in India.
Career
Susan Homes first sold her printed clothing through the Trina J Boutique in Auckland. Her first prints were onto 'Indian style' voile shirts. In 1971, Holmes began to make and sell fabric through Brown's Mill, a craft co-op in Auckland. This market operated on Saturday mornings before this considered acceptable in New Zealand. It was known as a place for independent artists and alternative fashion. The fabric and clothes Homes sold here were all hand-dyed and she experimented with using potatoes to produce the prints. She spent twelve years at the co-op. She first entered her designs into the Benson and Hedges fashion awards in 1974, winning the 'fantasy award' in 1978. This was a significant event in Holmes' career as it marked her transition from wearable fashion into wearable arts. Her first entry to the World of Wearable Arts was in 1988. In the 90s she designed costumes for the television shows and Greenstone while continuing to enter wearable arts competitions. In 2002, Prime MinisterHelen Clark wore her designCrest of a Wave on the catwalk at the World of Wearable Arts Awards. In 2016, Auckland applied arts and design gallery Objectspace held a retrospective of her work and published a book alongside the exhibition.
Awards and recognition
1978, 'Fantasy Award' Benson and Hedges Fashion Award. 1988, Winner in Evening section, Mohair Awards, New Zealand 1991, Runner Up for ‘The Great New Zealand Cloak’ Competition Compendium Gallery, Auckland 1993, Winner Silk Section: New Zealand Wearable Art Awards. Runner up to Supreme Award. 1994, Winner Wool Section 1994 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards Highly Commended in Pacific Paradise Section, 1994 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards. 1995, 'Highly Commended' in silk section, Nelson Wearable Arts. Finalist in ‘Visual Symphony’ Section, 1995 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards. 1996, 'Supreme Award', Nelson Wearable Arts 1998, Winner 1998 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards, Transformation Section 1999, Highly Commended for Silk Section, 1999 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards 2001, Finalist in 2001World of WearableArt Illumination Section. 2003, 'Highly Commended' in Kimono section, World of Wearable Arts Awards 2004, 'Creative New Zealand Artistic Excellence Award' World of Wearable Arts Awards 2005, "Highly Commended' in Creative New Zealand Artistic Excellence Award' World of Werable Arts 2006, WOW CentrePort Shape It Section winner for ‘Fluroessence’ 2006, Winner 2006 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards Shape It Section ~ ‘Spots and Stripes’ 2008, Winner 2008 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards: Avant Garde Section 2009, Winner 2009 New Zealand Wearable Art Awards: WOW Factor Award 2010, Invited Guest Artist, New Zealand Wearable Art Awards
Exhibitions
2013, Off The Wall: WearableArt Up Close, Auckland War Memorial Museum. 2016–2017, Susan Holmes:Fabric Artist, Objectspace.
