“I love to subvert people’s associations and preconceptions of knitting and crochet. To engage audiences with challenging issues.
My artwork is about more than just the idea. It’s imbued with symbolism – sometimes autobiographical, always issue based.”
In November 2011 Lauren O'Farrell (aka Deadly Knitshade) creator of Stitch London craft community, founder of graffiti knitting and craft collective, Knit the City, referred to me as the ‘Banksy of Knitting’ in her article ‘Knitting the Riots’ for Crafty Crafty. This was in reference to my piece ‘Out of the Blue’ – a knitted response to the London Riots.
I achieved a 1st Class Hons degree in Digital Multimedia from De Montfort University, Leicester, and a Masters degree in Knitted Textiles from Royal College of Art, London.
My MA dissertation ‘Myth: Black People Don't Knit - the importance of art and oral histories for documenting the experiences of black knitters’, was highly commended and awarded a distinction.
‘This is a work of real merit and one that I hope might be developed to seek publication’
– Jo Pickering, Research Tutor, Critical and Historical Studies, Royal College of Art, London.
In my practice, I combine my skills as an artist, researcher, educator, knitwear designer, performer and video maker. The processes of making and aesthetics are of equal importance.
As an independent researcher, my interests lay in questioning the lack of visibility of black crafters’ and documenting their hidden histories.
In 2004 I was awarded an MBE for services to the community, I am a Patron of the Knitting & Crochet Guild and a member of Vogue Knitting's Diversity Advisory Council
Photo by Ann Chown
![I love this photo @centerforknitandcrochet shared. Why don’t we see such images in books about the history of knitting? In my dissertation ‘Myth - Black People Don’t Knit: the importance of art and oral histories for documenting the experiences of black knitters (link in bio) I state that art and photography have a role to play in capturing black people knitting and raising its visibility. However having images of black people knitting isn’t enough. They need to be shown in a positive light and as competent knitters. Most books on the history of knitting don’t include any images of black knitters, why is this this? If there is an image of a black person they are shown as learning the craft and only capable of doing simple garter stitch. We are as skilled as any other knitters and have a long history that dates before knitting came to Europe. Posted @withregram • @centerforknitandcrochet Many diamond miners working in Kimberley, South Africa, "like[d] to knit colorful sweaters and caps for themselves when off duty," wrote photographer Constance Stuart Larrabee. The miners' names were not recorded. Kimberley Miners Knitting, 1948. Photograph by Constance Stuart Larrabee. Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection, EEPA 1998-006, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution at https://sova.si.edu/details/EEPA.1998-006#ref2631 Found in CKC's online collection, digital.centerforknitandcrochet.org, by searching "diamond." #blackknittersofinsta #bipocinfiber #knittersofinstagram #knittersoftheworld #guyswhoknit #blackpeopledoknit #menwhoknit #blackmenwhoknit](https://www.lornahamiltonbrown.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
