UWTSD Student’s Textile Work Blossoms in Brighton’s Liberation Art Gallery
Aimee Rayner, a Surface Pattern and Textiles student at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has been selected to exhibit her work in the Art in Bloom open exhibition at Brighton’s Liberation Art Gallery.
Nestled in the heart of the historic Brighton lanes, the Liberation Art Gallery is the UK’s first trauma-informed art space, dedicated to promoting arts for health. Aimee’s work, one of the few textile entries in the exhibition, is currently on sale and on show as part of a vibrant, multi-floor creative community that blends artistic expression with mental health support.
Aimee brings a unique blend of experience from the healthcare sector and the arts, championing the benefits of creativity on wellbeing. Passionate about making art accessible, she regularly facilitates workshops for children and adults, encouraging self-expression through hands-on artistic processes. Her practice centres on screen printing, stitch work, and digital pattern design, drawing deeply from natural landscapes and personal reflection.
“When I saw this opportunity come up, I instantly felt I had to apply to be part of Liberation’s artist community promoting positive mental health and wellbeing through beautiful, cathartic, healing art,” said Aimee. “Their ethos lined up perfectly with how I create, so I am very grateful to have been selected.”
Art in Bloom invited submissions that explore how nature and flowers contribute to mental wellbeing. For Aimee, inspiration springs from her surroundings: “My safe place is sat behind my sewing machine. I enjoy free-machine stitching floral or abstract texture into cloth from what I’ve experienced on coastal walks or runs. It’s about translating that peaceful, joyful feeling into textiles and prints.”
Liberation Art Gallery offers more than exhibitions—it is a sanctuary for healing and creativity. Under the guidance of founder and art psychotherapist Caroline Pendray, the gallery also hosts community workshops, artist talks, and private art therapy sessions, reinforcing the therapeutic potential of art in a non-clinical, inclusive environment.
The gallery’s mission is as ambitious as it is compassionate: to redefine the art space as one that supports mental health, nurtures local talent, and builds community. Current initiatives include a weekly free art psychotherapy service for young people unable to attend school, and the ongoing development of new exhibitions, workshops, and partnerships.
To explore the Art in Bloom exhibition online and learn more about Liberation Art Gallery’s innovative approach, visit: www.liberationartgallery.com/about-us.
Further Information
Rebecca Davies
Executive Press and Media Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384 467071