About — Alex Horan

From our Earth to our Walls

Hi, my name is Alex. I am a textiles artist and this is how my journey began. ‍ ‍

BEHIND THE WORK

I am an artist, maker and recently qualified secondary art teacher. After completing my PGCE, I found myself reflecting on the creative path I had been quietly building for the past six years through weaving. Teaching has given me a deeper appreciation for the importance of creativity, but it has also encouraged me to make space for my own. Now, I’m following that thread and giving my own creative practice the time and attention it deserves.

MY INSPIRATION

I find inspiration in the quiet details of the world around me.  The changing colours of the seasons, the texture of bark, the subtle gradients found in leaves and flowers, and the landscapes and coastlines I encounter through travel. I’m drawn to the things that can easily go unnoticed, collecting fragments of nature along the way, from rocks and stones to colours and textures that stay in my memory. 

My weavings rarely begin with a finished drawing or a fixed plan. Instead, I allow each piece to grow organically, responding to colour, texture and feeling as I work. Through this process, I hope to create pieces that bring a sense of softness, comfort and stillness into the spaces they inhabit.

MY MISSION

My mission is to create thoughtful, tactile pieces that invite a sense of calm, comfort and connection into the spaces around us. Weaving is an ancient human experience; for generations, woven materials have surrounded us through clothing, blankets, furnishings and keepsakes, creating an intimacy and familiarity that I believe still lives within the medium today. In a world that can often feel fast and overstimulating, I want my work to offer something quieter, a moment to pause, notice and reconnect with the simple beauty of natural materials, colour and texture. Each piece is made slowly and by hand, with the hope that it becomes more than something to look at, but something to live alongside, bringing warmth, softness and stillness to the space it inhabits.

MINDFUL MATERIALS

My relationship with materials has evolved alongside my practice. When I first began weaving, I used whatever I could find, allowing experimentation and curiosity to guide me. Over time, I have become much more intentional about what I choose to work with, and today I try and only use natural fibres and materials. I am drawn to their softness, variation, texture, imperfections and the way they connect my work back to the natural world. For me, choosing materials mindfully is an important part of the process, appreciating where they come from and allowing their natural qualities to become part of each finished piece.

THE BEAUTY OF SLOW‍ ‍

Weaving is a slow and considered process, and I have come to value the time it asks me to take. Each piece develops gradually, built row by row and shaped through the rhythm of my hands. I embrace the small imperfections and unexpected changes that emerge along the way, allowing each piece to retain a sense of individuality. In a world of fast production and constant movement, there is something meaningful about making slowly, creating an object with time, intention and care woven into every thread.

LET’S WORK TOGETHER

Much of my work begins through collaboration, creating bespoke woven pieces for private collectors, homes and considered spaces. I love working with people, to take an idea, a feeling, a colour palette or a particular space and translate it into something tactile and entirely unique. Whether you have a clear vision or simply a feeling you’d like to explore, I’m always interested in seeing where the process can take us. Together, we can create something made especially for you, thoughtfully considered, naturally tactile and woven by hand from beginning to end.

Places Woven Into My Work

The places I’ve travelled to often find their way into my weaving through colour, texture, shape and feeling. These landscapes are a collection of moments that have stayed with me and continue to influence the work I create.