Kim Waine-Thomas

I am a profoundly Deaf craft artist with a passion for freehand embroidered sculpture/art, with a particular focus on the interplay between my artwork and the shadows it creates

My creative journey began in the early 1980s, after a summer spent designing headdresses for a theatrical production of Lysistrata at Theatre Gwynedd. This experience led me to study theatrical hair and make-up at the London College of Fashion. However, I faced persistent barriers—both in education and within the industry—due to my deafness.

Eventually, I earned a BSc in Psychology and worked in the tech sector, but my creative spirit never faded. I continued to explore artistic projects whenever I could. My artistic self truly began to re-emerge when my children were young, through painting school murals and designing theatrical backdrops. More recently, after a stint of making small crafts, I am more focused on freehand machine embroidered sculpture, creating commissioned pieces that reflect my evolving style.

My work is deeply inspired by nature, environmental responsibility, and my lived experience as a Deaf person. Through each stitch, I aim to share a story—one rooted in resilience, identity, and connection.