Meet Agatha “Agy”

Hello there! I’m a textile artist based in Singapore. I love to draw with thread to create delicate lines and textures, producing surfaces that are not only vibrant and dynamic, but captivate the viewer.

In all of my textile art work, I use the technique of free motion machine embroidery where I carefully guide the needle and thread through layers of fabric and fibers to create collages and 3D textures.  As an environmental advocate, I believe in “the power of limitations” and slowing down to appreciate nature. I make use of whatever findings I can find at home and in my surroundings, and upcycling them in my art work. 

I intertwine the machine stitches with various surface markings - including natural dyes and hand stitching.  The resulting marks are a translation of what I capture and feel from the inspiration through the walks and observations of my surroundings.  My favourite subjects are living things or natural phenomena  that are usually ignored  by humans or out of sight. These include weeds, corals and even erosion.

Artist Bio

Agatha Lee "Agy" is a Singapore-based textile artist specialising in embroidery. She was born in England and grew up in Hong Kong where she spent her childhood making daisy chains and walking in the hills.  Although she learnt to sew from her mother, it was not until 2012 that she rediscovered her passion for it and started creating textile collages through free motion machine embroidery, handstitching and marking. Her previous career as an environmental policy maker  has enabled her to bridge the gap between nature and art, and has encouraged her to create works to reconnect people with the environment. As an environmental advocate, her current work looks at slowing down and making the invisible visible.

Agy was an invited artist for The Big Draw 2015, Playeum, art residency L’Observatoire 2017, and Singapore Design Week 2018. Agy has also exhibited at The Substation, Singapore Eco Film Festival, The Festival of Quilts (UK) and The Knitting & Stitching Show. As part of her practice, she holds regular workshops and community-based installations.

She is a member of the Society for Embroidery Work and Fertile Art Refinery Singapore.

Agy has been featured in TODAY, Her World, The Straits Times Singapore, Channel News Asia and Channel 8.