“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
