Inga Hamilton
Autistic PhD Researcher & Maker
Art Jewellery & Inhabitable Sculptures Blending the Spaces Between Species
Next Appearance: MEAM (Multispecies Ethnography & Artful Methods) Canberra, Dec 2025
ARTISTic Re-Normalising Interspecies Communication February 2026 (link soon).
Recipient of Mike Davies Global Design Challenge Award 2024 & 2025
Recipient of a UKRI Full Doctoral Studentship Award Recipient of Multiple Arts Council NI Awards
"It's the easiest thing in the World to create art that shocks, but I want to touch your heart - for
you to become lost in my work’s intricacy; seized with a childlike desire to be enveloped by it."
Next Conference Appearance
MEAM (Multispecies Ethnographic & Artful Methods) Conference, Dec '25.
ARTISTic Symposium: Re-Normalising Interspecies Communication, Feb '26.
Bio
Inga is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Sunderland, researching
'The Things That Nonhuman Animals Make.'
Her research is a continuation of her artistic work, aimed at
Blending The Spaces Between Species to bring about a non-speciesist society.
She is the recipient of an AHRC, Northern Bridge Consortium
full Doctoral Studentship Award.
Using low-fi equipment that she often builds herself, Inga also embraces cutting-edge technologies. It's about the process, the detail and the rich backstory of materials. This has led her to create bespoke yarns and blends for the late Alexander McQueen at Gucci, judge international fibre grant awards and sit on an ethics panel at Trinity College, Dublin.
Whilst her large installations show in galleries, some permanently, whilst her transient performances are usually captured through photography or film.
Her site-specific installation for Belfast's Queen’s University Computer Science Building, and the Naughton Gallery, is on permanent display, open to the public.
Inga's exhibitions and residencies boast prestigious international venues and galleries, such as VISUAL Carlow; The Chicago Cultural Centre; The Hayward, London; New York’s American Irish Historical Society; Dublin’s Ark and Queen’s University, Belfast;.
Her US residencies include Pyramid Atlantic MD, St Lawrence University, NY, and Flux studios, MD. Inga is an international member of Red Dirt Studios, MD, USA.
She is the recipient of multiple Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP awards,
as well as the 2020 Association of Contemporary Jewellers' Graduate Award.
In 2014, Hamilton was chosen as one of Ireland’s leading textile artists.
Visiting Professorships, Residencies & Exhibitions
I welcome invitations
to Galleries, Universities, Art Spaces & Residencies, or of Representation.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Workshops Offered
Creating An Intuitive Interspecies Communication Practice in Art Spaces
Acid Dyeing (beginner)
Wild Carding
Freeform Crochet (beginner)
Building a Woodland Loom
Creature Making
Sculpting Smoked Ceramic Birds
Please see the Workshops page in the pull down menu above and then use
the Contact Me page
if you would like to
host one of my workshops.
2010 - present
2010 - present
Artistic Statement
As a maker I blend the spaces between species.
My jewellery, installations and inhabitable sculptures work spotlights the inherent critical thinking and understanding of materials used when makers of all species make.
With readily-dismissed, low-value natural materials, such as seaweed
and salt, I produce desirable, high-value, adornment. Instigating comparative discussion of my work with that of non-human-animal makers employing the same materials and techniques, such as decorator crabs or dolphins challenges the viewer’s concepts of value and adornment in the natural world.
My research is transdisciplinary - working across science, culture and art - synthesizing knowledge into a non-speciest understanding of making.
CV
Education
2021- current PhD Researcher, distance part-time, University of Sunderland, UK.
Researching 'The Things That Nonhuman Animals Make’ using IIC.
Recipient of a Northern Bridge Consortium Full Doctoral Studentship
2017 - 2020 BA Hons Ceramics, Jewellery and Silversmithing 1st Class Honours
Ulster University, Belfast, UK.
Awards
2021 – 2027 Recipient of a Northern Bridge Consortium Full Doctoral Studentship
2025 Mike Davis Global Design Challenge Award
2024 Mike Davis Global Design Challenge Award
2021 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2020 Association of Contemporary Jewellery Graduate Award
2020 Executive Dean’s List Award Winner
2019 Subway Ireland Scholarship Winner
2019 Broadening Horizons Travel Bursary Winner
2016 University of Atypical, Individual Disabled Artist Award
2013 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2013 The Art and Craft of Beer, MD, USA. Judges Award
2012 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2011 Arts Council of Northern Ireland SIAP Award
2009 Arts Council of Northern Ireland Travel Award
Notable Commissions/Collaborations
2018 ‘The Room of Connection’ Permanent Solo Art Installation of a Fake Robotics EEECS Building. Queen’s University Belfast, Naughton Collection.
2014 ‘Mapping The Maker’ 1 of 5 Leading Textile Artists of Ireland.
Collaborating With an Archaeologist. VISUAL, Carlow, Ireland. 2012 Private Commission, FL, USA.
Ceramic Art Installation for Client’s Domestic Setting.
2008 Alexander McQueen, Gucci.
Spinning Bespoke Yarn Blends for McQueen’s Upcoming Collections.
2007 Lush, UK. Created Christmas Window Sculptures for Top 12 Stores.
Residencies & Professorships (many returning)
2012 & 2017 Red Dirt Studios, MD, USA.
Artist in Residence. 1 & 3 months
2012 Flux Studios, MD, USA.
Ceramics Artist in Residence. 3 months
2009 & 2011 St Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA.
Visiting Professor of Community-Engaged Art. 2 & 3 weeks.
2009 & 2011 Pyramid Atlantic. Silver Spring, MD. USA.
Papermaking and Print Visiting Artist Residency. 3 & 4 weeks
2009 & 2010 Shiplake College. Henley-On-Thames, UK.
Artist in Residence. 2 & 4 weeks
2010 Oak Hammock Farm, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA.
Textile Artist in Residence. 6 weeks
Exhibitions
2025 ‘Wanted, More Than Human Intellectual Property – A Response’
IIC and Intellectual Property Rights Regarding Things Majority-Animals Make.
Lecture, School of Law, Queen Mary’s University London. UK
2024-2025 ‘Talking With & About Nonhuman Animals’
Solo Show of Art-Jewellery Co-Created With Majority-Animals via IIC.
National Glass Centre Research Gallery, Sunderland UK.
2024 ‘Threads 2024: Belonging and Unbelonging’
Quilt Square With Removeable Lunula Depicting Autistic Connectivity.
Neurodivergent Quilt, Gloucester Cathedral, UK
2023 & 2024 ‘Cake As Protection: IIC with an Apricot Leafminer Grub’
Art-Jewellery Ring Co-Created With 3 Apricot Tree Grubs via IIC
International Multispecies Methods Research Symposium: Intuitive Interspecies Communication, Saskatchewan, Canada. (online)
2019 ‘Mourning Mouthbrooches’ Art-Jewellery Collection
The Duncairn Centre, Belfast, NI
2018-Present ‘The Room of Connection’
Computer Science Building, QUB Naughton Gallery, NI.
2017 ‘The Ancients No. 1 Mother of All & No. 2 Old Broc’
Red Dirt, Mount Rainier, MD USA.
2015 Angie Newman Gallery, EHS, Alexandria, USA.
2015 Foster Art Gallery, Westminster College, Pennsylvania. USA.
2014 VISUAL Carlow, Carlow, IRE.
2013 Gateway Arts, Mount Rainier, MD, USA
2013 Handmade in America, Asheville, NC, USA.
2012 The Ark, Dublin, IRE.
2012 R Space, Lisburn. NI.
2012 Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, IRE.
2011 American Irish Historical Society, NYC. USA
2011 Cornerhouse, Manchester, UK. & Waterfront Hall, Belfast. NI.
2011 Turnpike Gallery. Leigh. UK
2011 The Ark, Dublin, IRE.
2011 FE McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge. NI.
2010 Ulster Festival of Art And Design. University of Ulster, NI
2010 Mathematics ‘Textures’ Conference, Riga, Latvia.
2009 Alternative Village Fete, Southbank, London, UK
2009 Royal Ulster Hall, Belfast, NI
2009 Crack! Festival, Rome, Italy.
2009 Marine Conservation Society, Birmingham, UK
2009 Turnpike Gallery, Leigh, UK
2008 Clarence House, London, UK
2008 ICHF, Touring, UK
2008 Hayward Gallery, Southbank, London, UK
2008 The Art and Craft of Saving the World Symposium
Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, London, UK
2008 Memorial Art Gallery, Yale College, Wrexham, UK.
2008 World Financial Centre, New York, NY, USA.
2007 Chicago Cultural Centre, Chicago, IL. USA
Professional Activities
2001-2021 Elephant Shoes Ink Ltd. Children’s Publishing Company NI.
Owner Director, Editor, Writer w/ Andrew Hamilton, Illustrator.
2012- Present Red Dirt Studio, MD, USA.
Lifetime Member.
2019 WorldSkills Day Participant.
2012 Science Gallery, Trinity College, Dublin, IRE
Ethics Committee Panellist.
2011 Trinity College. Dublin, IRE.
Using Textiles in Research with Physicist Dr Stefan Hutzler.
2009 & 2010 International Fibre Collaborative
Annual Grant Judge.
2008 Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, London, UK.
The Art and Craft of Saving the World Symposium Speaker.
2000 – 2001 Self-Employed
Writer & Content Creator of Children’s Books and Magazines
1996 – 2000 Act-Two Publishing, London, UK
Content Devisor, Writer and Editor of Children’s Animal, Art and
Reference Books and Magazines.
Publications
2026 ‘Artistic IIC’ Journal of Organization Ethnography (forthcoming)
2025 ‘Anthropocentric Bias May Explain Research Disparities Between Animal Tool Use
and Nest Building’ Animal Behaviour Journal
2024 ‘An Autistic Aesthetic of Connectivity’ Ought, The Journal of Autistic Culture
2023 ‘Talking With The Expansive: An Autistic Connectivity’ Multispecies Belongings
2014 Craftivism contributor
2011 Dubh contributor
2011 Astounding Knits contributor
2010 Resurgence Magazine contributor
Community Activities
2012 - 2020 Women’s Aid
Facilitating Creative Workshops for Women and Children Processing Trauma
2014 North Down Borough Council, ‘Tackling Racism Through Graffiti’
Facilitating a 2 Week Programme for Excluded Teenage Students
2014 Carlow Arts ‘Build A Creature Workshop’, Visual Arts Centre & Outreach
Facilitating Drop-In and Arranged Workshops for Carlow Adults and Children
2013 North Down Borough Council, Sea Bangor
Organised Arts and Crafts Tent to Engage Local Community Over 3 Days
2012 North Down Borough Council, ‘Project 24’
Conceptualised and Facilitated Bid For a Hub of Creatives
2011 Elementals Birds
Devised and Curated Social Experiment to See if Artists and Craftspeople Can Physically Embody Peace, Harmony and Goodwill in Their Work and Tangibly Affect the Showing Environment
2010 Firsty?
Co-Founded a Network of Creatives.
2009 PomPom International
Facilitated Cross-Community Workshops in Border Areas of Historical Trauma for Amy Lamé’s Charity.
2006 The Royal Hospital, Belfast. Coral Collective
Devised and Facilitated Crochet Projects for Patients Visiting Gynaecology unit. The Project Was Later Adopted by an Eating Disorders Clinic.
Memberships Held
Visual Artists Ireland
ARTISTic
Precious Collective
Red Dirt Studio
Sponsors
3M, Bridgedale Socks, Richard Hare Kilts, Culls Upholsterers