Bec Kirby (b. 1992, Blackpool) is a painter and textile artist based in Manchester. Her practice explores transformation through material manipulation, time-intensive processes and heritage techniques. Rooted in ecology and sustainability, her work reflects on responsibility in making amid environmental and social uncertainty. Using antique fabrics and dead-stock yarns, she prioritises traceability, waste reduction and low-impact materials. Guided by an ethos of slow craft, supported by ongoing research into sustainable fibre systems and regenerative models.

After an early career in interior design, Kirby established her studio practice in 2020 without formal training, developing a distinctive approach through experimentation and independent research. Her work is grounded in curiosity, persistence and a deep commitment to low-impact making. She works exclusively with antique fabrics and surplus yarns, embracing the limitations and embedded histories of these materials as integral to the work. 

Her recent series, developed with surplus mohair sourced from a local mill in Northern England, foregrounds the tactile and ephemeral nature of fibre, transformed through intensive brushing and hand-stitching. Guided by an ethos of slow craft, Kirby creates pieces that reward quiet, sustained attention. This sensibility underpins her ongoing exploration of material nuance, labour and care. 

Selected Exhibitions

2024 - HANDS - 8 Holland Street Gallery, curated by Wondering People, London (group)
2022 - In the Nicest Way Possible - Where the Light Gets In, Stockport (solo)
2022 - Tactile Interactions - Aboli Bibliot, curated by Objects & Sounds, Antwerp (group) 
2022 - Super Futures - Selfridges, Manchester (group) 

Press

2024 - The Sunday Times
2024 - The Standard
2022 - Enki Magazine
2021 - Elle Decoration
2020 - New Norm Mag 

for enquiries contact bec@soosumsee.com