Artist Frankie Creith
Frankie Creith is an internationally exhibited Irish artist who grew up in the Bushmills countryside on the north coast of Northern Ireland. She now lives a stone’s throw away in the seaside town of Portrush, where her artwork is showcased in her art gallery, Frankie Creith Art.
Frankie's work has been published, televised and held in both private and public collections worldwide, including the prestigious V&A - Victoria & Albert Museum London, home to the world’s largest collection of Applied Art.
Since graduating from the Ulster University in Belfast with a BA (Hons) in Fine Craft Design, Frankie has continued to develop her creative practice working as ‘Artist in Residence’ for the Education Board and Arts Council of Northern Ireland, where she has facilitated numerous art commissions and cross community creative projects over the last 20 years.
Frankie loves to encourage others in the development of their own creativity and facilitates an immersive art experience, 'Making Your Mark on the Causeway Coast' as part of TourismNI's 'Embrace a Giant Spirit' programme, where visitors can connect with local people, culture and landscapes through experiential tourism.
In recent years Frankie has supported the work of the RNLI through the creation of an original artwork of Portrush Lifeboat, which was auctioned to raise vital funds for the Portrush branch. The RNLI is a charity close to Frankie’s heart as her family has a long affinity with the ocean – most notably her husband Andrew Hill who is a six times Irish National Surfing Champion, Oceanographer and the owner of Troggs Surf Shop which is located across the road from Frankie's Portrush art gallery.
Frankie is best known for her 'mixed media textile' work which involves incorporating fabrics, papers, paint, inks, wax, resin and all manner of media through collage, fusing, layering and embellishing with both free machine and hand stitch.
Currently, the local Irish landscape of her beloved north Antrim homeland - rich in colour, texture and cultural heritage inspires her artistic work in acrylics, oils, cold wax and stitch.
Professional Background
Public Collections
V&A Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Taunton Museum, Taunton, England
Clotworthy House Arts Centre, Northern Ireland
Northern Bank, Northern Ireland
Southern Education & Library Board, Northern Ireland
The Ulster History Park, Omagh, Northern Ireland
Private Collections
Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Singapore, Canada, United States of America, Australia, Spain
Professional Memberships
Current Artist in Residence for the Education Board and Arts Council of Northern Ireland
1991-2007 – The ‘62 Group’ of Textile Artists
Publications
‘Living stones’, Issue 1, 2007
‘Lifetimes’, Issue 40, 2005 Holmes, V.
‘The Encyclopedia of Machine Embroidery’, Batsford, London, 2003
‘The World of Embroidery’, Volume 50 No.5, 1999
‘Northern Ireland Homes Interiors & Living’, 1997 Holmes, V.
‘The Machine Embroiderers Workbook’, Batsford, London, 1991
Public Commissions
Department of the Environment / Carrickfergus Castle, Northern Ireland
The Northern Bank, Northern Ireland
Lisburn Museum, Northern Ireland
Ulster History Park, Northern Ireland
Big Telly Theatre Company, Northern Ireland
Southern Education & Library Board, Northern Ireland
Education
1998–1999: Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Art, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
1997–1998: Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Art, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
1986–1989: BA (Hons) Fine Craft Design, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
1985–1986: Foundation Course in Art & Design, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
