Our Killerton: Artwork revealed following community collaboration

This summer, visitors are invited to view Patricia Dixon’s climactic artwork in response to the ‘Our Killerton’ display. 

Patricia, an artist who works in contemporary stained glass and textiles, was commissioned by the National Trust at Killerton to create a new artwork inspired by the people-led stories behind Killerton’s objects. 

The ‘Our Killerton’ display on the ground floor of the house features eight objects, carefully chosen by people connected to Killerton: visitors, staff, volunteers and community partners.  

They were all asked the same question: ‘Objects can evoke memories, emotions and personal interests. What object at Killerton House speaks to you and why?’  

Patricia Dixon was commissioned to produce a climactic piece of art, responding to the objects chosen for the display. As part of the process to produce the artwork, Patricia ran creative workshops at Killerton with some of the participants who selected the chosen objects. Using paper collages, and later their own pieces of stained glass, the group explored themes of community and connection at Killerton. Collaborators expressed themes of feminism, music and nature through collages. 

The final artwork consists of 6 stained-glass roundels which are dramatically lit in the Study of Killerton House. 

Katarina Robinson, Collections and House Manager at Killerton, said: “People’s stories have always been, and continue to be, embedded in the history of Killerton’s objects. We really wanted to showcase the voices of all the people connected to Killerton, through the lens of the objects in the House.” 

Patricia Dixon, the artist commissioned to work on the ‘Our Killerton’ exhibition, explains: “There are so many layers to this project from the ‘Our Killerton’ exhibition. Participants chose aspects of the collection to highlight and offered their own interpretation. My role was to interpret their experience and the objects to hold all those voices together and weave them into a coherent whole. The final panels were created and assembled as a collective composition, a tapestry of individual contributions that honours the Killerton collection, shaped by the people who work here and those connected to it.” 

Patricia’s artwork will be in place until 1 November 2026.