Davey Powell

Focus on Davey Powell Davey Powell’s textile practice explores heritage, identity, and belonging through bold quilted forms rooted in the visual language of travelling fairgrounds. Raised within Showman culture, Powell draws from hand-painted signage, decorative lettering, spectacle, and colour to create works that sit between personal narrative and public declaration. Through quilting, fragments of memory, queerness, protest, and joy are stitched together, allowing identities that have not always comfortably coexisted to occupy the same space. What interests us within Davey’s work is the tension between attraction and vulnerability. The quilts carry the humour, invitation, and immediacy of fairground aesthetics while holding deeply personal reflections on visibility, resilience, and belonging. Each stitched surface becomes both archive and celebration, preserving cultural memory whilst reimagining it through a contemporary queer lens. #DaveyPowell #AtelierSeventySix #ContemporaryTextiles #Quilting #QueerCraft #MaterialCulture #TextileArt #ContemporaryCraft #CraftCommunity #BritishCraft #FairgroundCulture #HandmadeTextiles #NarrativeCraft 📸@alick.co.uk @davey.makes

Still a couple days left to get yourself down to Seven Crafted Stories. A chance to experience multiple craft disciplines all set inside a gorgeous London Townhouse. You will find work from @emmalouisepayne @jochen.holz @aimeebetts @rhgoldsworthy_art @mo.fin @otziltd And of course me @davey.makes 76 Sussex Square, London W2 2SS #londoncraftweek2026

COME ONE, COME ALL Join me at Atelier Seventy-Six for Seven Crafted Stories this London Craft Week ✨ A process-led exhibition bringing together seven makers across different material practices, each exploring the relationship between craft, process, and storytelling. Featured by @wallpapermag - Five things to see this London Craft Week 2026 Join us for the launch party DM for RSVP details. 📍 Atelier Seventy-Six 76 Sussex Square, London Curated by @emmalouisepayne Installation photography by @alick.co.uk Pictured: Come One, Come All quilt, 2026 #londoncraftweek2026

A snap shot of our install last week before we open doors today for @londoncraftweek A busy few days with everyone coming to hang other own work and install exciting new peices across the house. @emmalouisepayne @otziltd @mo.fin @aimeebetts @rhgoldsworthy_art @davey.makes @jochen.holz

LOVE "The journey of self-love begins when you let go of who you think you have to be." – Yung Pueblo #daveymakes #quiltlove #textileartist #londoncraftweek2026 #selflove

LUSH I will be showing some new pieces in London as part of Craft Week at @atelier_seventy_six @londoncraftweek #londoncraftweek #quiltart #fairgroundart #letteringdaily

Yesterday I ran a 3-hour workshop at @mimauseful , creating hand-sewn panels inspired by my quilts ✂️🌈 We explored queerness and what it means to each of us. Using scraps from my fabric stash, everyone used layering and hand sewing techniques to build their own panels. Finishing with a word that captured their personal relationship to being queer. From spreading positivity, to resistance, to ballroom expression or even reclaiming slurs. The work created in such a short time was genuinely stunning. The whole afternoon felt full of joy, connection, and thoughtful conversation in such a great setting created by MIMA. Some people did leave with a little bit of homework to finish their piece and I cant wait to see what they have created. Thank you so much to @mimauseful And everyone who came along it was an absolute pleasure to spend the afternoon with you all.

🌈 10 free spots just opened! Join us for a relaxed, creative afternoon with artist Davey Powell at MIMA on 25 April, 13:00–16:00. This workshop is for LGBTQIA+ adults (18+) who want to play with colour, recycled materials, and quilt/collage techniques while connecting with community. No experience needed, all materials provided. For further details and to claim a place, please book via the link in our bio. Image courtesy of the artist. #Quilting #Textiles #CraftingCommunity

I hosted my first workshop at @the_april_11 and what a joy it was. Bright colours and beautiul designs created using the half square triangle patchwork technique. I will be hosting some more in the future, so keep an eye out for dates. But in the meantime theres loads of other work shops happening there and if youre in Durham you must stop by the shop. ❤️ . . . . . #daveymakes #craftworkshop #april11

YEAH banner finished for @bethanlaker_illustration cant wait to hand it over. . . . . . #daveymakes #quiltart #yeahbanner #faiegroundart #textileart

Don’t be shy! 💜💚💛💙💕🌈 Join us next Friday and learn how to make your very own patchwork tote bag with David Powel, the creator behind @davey.makes . David is a textile artist based in Whitley Bay, UK. Born into the Traveller community, he spent his early years living on a fairground in the North East of England. His vibrant wall art and tote bags are inspired by the bold colours and playful lettering of fairground signage, reimagined through textiles to create striking, joyful pieces . We think his work is the perfect way to brighten up a gloomy Friday in February! We have a few places left, so book your space now in store or using the link ⬆️ We can provide sewing machines if you don’t have your own — just let us know when booking!

2016 The year of colourful hair Making clothes for @therealpandemonia Working in the fetish world And probably the last time I flipped burgers on the fairground I grew up on.