Portraiture has been an important part of Brenda Wood’s textile practice, beginning with early explorations in masterclasses and workshops. These formative works included a stitched portrait of her son, created under the guidance of Kathryn Harmer Fox, and a self-portrait developed during a workshop with Danish textile artist Dorte Jensen. They established an enduring interest in the expressive possibilities of face, gesture, colour and mark-making in cloth.
Working primarily with acrylic inks on fabric and incorporating stitch and layered surface texture, Wood approaches portraiture as an interpretation rather than a literal representation. Colour, line and mark are used to convey character, presence and emotion, allowing the painted and stitched surface to become part of the portrait itself.
Her current portrait practice has developed into Women’s Work, a growing series exploring women whose lives, achievements and experiences invite closer attention. From cultural icons and artists to activists and women whose stories have been overlooked, each portrait is an opportunity to consider not only the individual, but the broader questions of visibility, voice, memory and how women’s stories are remembered.
Women’s Work represents an important new direction within Wood’s practice, bringing together her interest in portraiture with her growing exploration of women’s voices, history and social narrative.
read more about the Women’s work series here.
Have Faith – A Newly completed work for an exhibition entry in 2026. Process photos of the portrait of this amazing woman.
Womens work – Red Flag series –
Geneviève Pélicot — Shame Must Take Sides
Nadia Murad – Are you only listening to half the story
Brenda Wood Art 