About.
I am an artist, designer and educator with a background in knitwear and textiles. My work has always been rooted in materials, process and making — particularly the point where traditional craft, experimentation and contemporary design meet.
The UK is my homeland. I first attended art college and then specialised in fashion and knitwear design at Nottingham Trent University. I hurtled into a career that first kept me in Europe before moving to New York in 2002, where I worked with brands including Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.
In 2008, I moved to Northern California and taught fashion knitwear design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco alongside freelance and independent creative work.
Today I am exploring my future. My interests extend beyond knitwear into art, materials and ways of teaching that challenge convention. I’m particularly drawn to tactile processes, thoughtful use of materials and creative workmanship. I’m interested in work that evolves through practice while still leaving evidence of the hand behind it.
In Detail.
My work is an artistic language — my yarns are my paint. I hand and machine knit. My concepts and designs are captured using various materials and methods.
I have learnt — and am still learning — to spin yarn by hand. There is so much spontaneity in this practice! Some things happen by chance and then become intentional. When I make decisions, I know I am designing and can be in control. That territory between intention and happenstance is what I love most. I get to play and still keep my voice. Recreating something that first happened by chance, and then practising it, is when it starts to become art.
Sourcing material is fundamental. Building skills and craftsmanship is vital. I believe in keeping discipline alive before breaking the rules — encouraging experimentation while always respecting the craft. Trusting intuition.
I have never let go of my first love of fashion design. But now, mostly, I dislike where it has arrived commercially. I love to create fabric with no prescribed purpose… or create a garment so simple that its simplicity is exactly why it is loved, or it becomes a canvas with possibilities for collaboration.
I strive to explore and evolve traditional methods through contemporary making, education and community — keeping them relevant and real for today.