Richard McVetis

Richard McVetis, MA, RCA - Richard's practice is deeply rooted in process, and hand embroidery is intrinsic to this. His installations, drawings, and embroideries span across the congruity of macro and micro, often monochromatic and labour intensive. He records time and space through multiple dots, lines, and crosses. These meticulously rendered stitches reflect a preoccupation with the repetitive nature of process. Richard explores the subtle differences that emerge through ritualistic and habitual making. These inscribed patterns mark the hand's rhythms, a delicate performance of obsessive intricacy, refinement, and gesture. They record human presence, time and decay, each stitch or line acting as a marker for lived time, an embodiment of thought and patience. These physical, tactile, and repetitive modes of creation allow him the time to see and think, to occupy a space.


In his work, Richard examines, amongst other things, his enduring fascination with outer space, our connection to material, place, and our intrinsic relationship to the cosmos. In making this work, Richard seeks to connect and regain perspective in a world of disorder.

Born in eMalahleni (Witbank), South Africa, Richard currently lives and works in London.  He studied at Manchester School of Art and the Royal College of Art, where he is currently Interim Co-head of the Textiles programme.


Richard has been shortlisted for the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize (2023), Jerwood Drawing Prize (2011, 2017), and Loewe Craft Prize (2018). His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including Threads at Arnolfini (2023), the British Textile Biennial (2021), RENEW at Kettle’s Yard (2019), the Loewe Craft Prize at the Design Museum (2018), and Form + Motion with the British Council in South Korea (2017). In 2022, he held a solo show at the Craft Study Centre, Farnham. Recent awards include Bronze at Cheongju Craft Biennale, South Korea (2025), A-N Bursary (2025) and Cove Park Awarded Residency (2025/26).