Following her sell-out show Hand Me Downs in 2022, Annie Montgomerie will be back next summer with a new exhibition Missies and Nippers.

Step into Montgomerie’s world of quiet emotion and vulnerability, with nostalgic detail that coveys the uneasy, tender space of childhood; the place where joy and insecurity coexist so naturally that they become impossible to separate.  

Creating her intriguing 3-dimensional figures, Montgomerie builds each character by hand, from fragments of her own memories with each one resembling the feelings of childhood she remembers so vividly. Each animal is covered in several layers of fabric and fur, dressed in frocks or trouser suits, using vintage finds and ephemera and with a sense of wanting to belong, wanting to be brave, and finding it so difficult to ‘fit in’. It’s about how happiness and sadness always lived side by side, then and now. Making these pieces is a way for Annie to hold both at once; to honour the small, insecure child she was, and to let her speak again through the quiet, handmade worlds she creates.

The show will feature cats, dogs and foxes alongside other exotic animals and each one is covered in layer upon layer of retro patterned fabrics and faux furs, strategically placed to replicate fur, skin, and clothing, with added embellishment, achieving a ‘loved-to-death’ threadbare look. Their bodies are made from vintage finds, from the 1970s and 1980’s era, adding a sense of nostalgia to each piece.  

All works will be for sale, with proceeds supporting our charitable work. Own Art is available on most purchases over £250 at YSP Shop, allowing you to borrow from £250 to £25,000, and pay it back over 10 months interest free.