Caroline Utterson Textiles and Embroidery

17/08/2026

I’m thrilled to be taking in part in Staithes Festival of Arts for the first time this year! I’ve always wanted to do it so thanks so much to Artist, Charlotte Willoughby-Paul for inviting me to share her lovely venue. We’ll both be exhibiting at Harbour View cottage, right near the sea! I can’t wait, it’s going to be so colourful!

Meet Caroline Utterson
Artform: Textiles and embroidery

Caroline is a textile and embroidery artist from York, working from a church studio on Bishopthorpe Road.

Combining two great loves, fabric and photography, Caroline creates intricately embroidered, appliquéd and beaded artworks inspired by animals, nature and the beautiful Yorkshire landscape.

Each piece is created authentically, using Caroline’s own photographs for reference. Some start as paintings onto fabric, while others incorporate photography directly. Details are “drawn” using freehand machine embroidery, with appliqué, punch needle, felting and knitting adding texture. Hand embroidery and beading add the finest details.

Expect original artwork, prints, cards and quirky textile gifts.

See Caroline’s textile and embroidery work at Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage 2026.

Where:
Harborside, Seaton Garth

When:
Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage Weekend
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026
10am–5.30pm

Preview Evening:
Friday 11 September 2026
6pm–9.30pm, where available/subject to confirmation

Find out more:
Staithes Festival artist page: www.staithesfestival.com/festival/artists.php?artist=89

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ItsCuteShop

15/08/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to our ‘Summer Open Doors’ event at South Bank Studios last Saturday. It was great to chat to lots of enthusiastic people about art and our artistic community. Many of whom didn’t know that the studios existed! This is kind of the point in doing events like this, to get the word out and let people know that we’re here and we have lots to offer the local community in our fantastic building!

I’m thrilled that my new embroidery ‘Over the Wall at Parcevall Hall’ found a home with a lovely lady who told me that she promised herself that if she sees a piece of art that she loves, she’ll buy it. I’m so grateful to her, it’s been an incredibly lean few months!
This piece was painted onto silk, before being free machine embroidered and adding bits of appliqué. As always, finished off with lots of hand stitches and tiny, shiny beads and a few sequins for extra sparkle!

If you haven’t been to Parcevall Hall, you really should! We went there last year, by chance, after dropping off a piece of work in Skipton. It’s one of those gardens that really takes your breath away (figuratively and literally, it’s on a big hill!). But I was honestly blown away by it. We visited in May when the rhododendrons were blooming and everything was bursting into life. This little woodland stream captured my attention, with its rickety fence, dry stone walls and bluebells in the distant fields.

05/08/2026

I have wanted to jump in this lake sooo many times in the last few weeks/months! Sooo glad it’s cooler today! 🙌

‘The Frozen Lake’ is one of my newer pieces, which I started in January and completed in April, just before York Open Studios. It’s a bit different for me but got lots of positive reactions. It’s a painting on silk, which I have added lots of free machine embroidery to, as well as hand embroidery. It needs to be seen in real life to appreciate all its sparkle! ✨

Luckily, I’m opening my studio this Saturday the 8th August, along with most of my fellow South Bank Studios York artists. So you can come and see!
We thought it was about time we had a Summer studio showcase (and what better picture to promote a Summer event 🤣🤭) so please pop along if you can!
We’re open 10-4, there’s a cafe and toilets, art demonstrations/activities AND, it’s totally FREE! 🙌

We would love to see you and tell you all about our art and show you where the madness, I mean creativeness happens!

⬇️
South Bank Studios,
Southlands Methodist Church,
97 Bishopthorpe Road,
York,
YO23 1NX

01/08/2026

We will be opening the doors to South Bank Studios a week today! Come and catch a glimpse of the creative work and goings on at our church studios on Bishy Road, York. 12 of the resident artists will be there to show you their work and their studios, including the very rarely opened to the public, ‘Loft Studios’! We will have works in progress, demonstrations and lots of lovely, art and gifts for sale. There’s a cafe and toilets too. We’re also very close to the beautiful Rowntree Park (Friends of Rowntree Park) and the wonderful, independent shops and cafes on BishyRoad. Come and have a FREE day out and be inspired by real life, local, friendly artists. We love sharing our creativity and having a good old chat!
Open 10 til 4.
Saturday 8th August.
97 Bishopthorpe Road, York, YO23 1NX

27/06/2026

Working on another purple picture, in the garden, this evening. Apparently I like purple! And lavender. And beads! Feeling sooo glad for the breeze, hopefully it’s starting to cool off a bit now🤞. What a week 🥵. And breathe.. 💜💜💜💜

10/06/2026

It’s been a purple and a rain kinda day and now the sun’s shining! Been working on this dinky bluebell wood and a purpley background for my embellished brooches, which I hope to restock over the summer. I save certain jobs for when it’s too hot in my studio (it’s South facing & upstairs in an old building, so gets realllly hot!). When only outside working will do. I’m massively enjoying this cooler weather, I even managed my first outdoor run in flipping ages today. Nearly died, but I did it! 🤪 🙌🏻
Anyhoo, this one will soon be added to my folder of many pictures that are just waiting to be finished, with hand stitching and some lovely sparkling beads! ✨🪡

08/06/2026

I almost forgot about this embroidery which I started last year and finally finished just before York Open Studios. In fact, it wasn’t quite finished (mainly the framing) when a lady popped to my studio to buy my fox picture. I had to apologise and tell her that she was a year late, as it sold last year! She was most disappointed until she saw this one and decided there and then that she wanted it! In a blind panic, I had to properly frame it and take a couple of photos while my Mum distracted her downstairs! 🤣. I learned there and then, don’t ever leave anything on display that’s not quite finished to your exacting standards, as someone WILL want it! (Or perhaps do?! Cunning ploy maybe? 🤔). Thankfully she was lovely and patient, and in fact bought another one while she was waiting! 😅

09/05/2026

Just as I thought that nobody liked birds anymore, (well, specifically my embroidered birds!) this little fella flew off to his new home! It’s a good job, because I love birds and photographing and stitching them! ‘Nuthatch on the Mossy Oak’ is one of my all time favourites, I so enjoyed making his 3D dinner, particularly the mealworms and carrot! Plus his very mossy tree. Lots of lovely textures to play with! I’m sad to see this one go, but, again, that’s the whole point of being a professional (ish!) artist 🙈😂