About

McIlhatton (B1985 Belfast) is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily with textiles, found materials, and sculptural installation. Her practice is grounded in mythology, ritual, and the politics of domestic life. Transforming everyday monotony into sacred acts of making.

Through meditative, hand processes; stitching, knotting, weaving, she invokes the divine feminine in all her forms. Her tactile installations provide space for calm reflection in contrast to her own childhood shaped by conflict and fear. She says, “In making the work, I remake myself”

Using fashion waste and found objects, she practices a kind of sacred recycling. Every material is treated with tenderness and reverence. Nothing is discarded. Everything is transformed.

McIlhatton completed MASS Sculpture CC 2024/25. Taken part in the PADA residency in Portugal 2023.

In 2023 Jenny was a grantee of the British Council in the Philippines and the Forest Preservation Society (PH) to work in conversation and collaboration with the Indigenous Kalandang (Peace) weavers, ‘Interwoven, Life, Art and Peace’ exhibited in an international touring exhibition. London, Manila and Bukidnon.

McIlhatton has been shortlisted for the Clyde & Co and Longlisted for the Aesthetica Magazine Art prize 2025. Worked at Vivienne Westwood Couture (2010-14.) Graduated Fashion Design, 1st Class Hons. De Montfort University (2007).

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

Current:

Studio Nocturne, London. Celestial Bodies. June - September 2026

Past Solo:

Heckmann Design Gallery Domestic Goddess; Worship at Her Altar. Solo show July -September 2024

Past Group:

Clyde & Co Art Prize. City of London. April 2025 - April 2026

Macfarlanes Art Prize. City of London. April 2025 - April 2026

Aesthetica Magazine Art Prize. York. September 2025.

The Painted Church. Cambridge. Interlaced. March 2025

Amen Lodge. St Pauls, London. SHRINES. March 2025

ARTSY. The End Gallery. Chinese New Year. Jan 2025

Southwark Park Galleries Annual open. November - December 2024

Women in Art Fair Mall Galleries London. October 2024

Tenderbooks Fashion and art pop up. London. August 2024

Community Centre AGMIHICU Ancestral Domain, Higaonon, Bukidnon. Philippines. Interwoven; Life, Art and Peace. Feb 2024.

UP CHE Museum Interwoven; Life, Art and Peace. Manila. Dec 2023 – Feb 2024

Drifter Gallery Interwoven; Life, Art and Peace. London. October 2023

PADA Gallery End of Residency show Lisbon. August 2023