Craft Expertise and Maker Stories podcast

Maker Stories Episode 2 - Rose Sinclair

Episode Summary

We talk to Rose Sinclair, a Design Lecturer (Textiles) in the Design Department at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she teaches Textiles and Design related practice at Postgraduate level. You can find out more about Rose at https://www.gold.ac.uk/design/staff/sinclair

Episode Notes

In this episode Rose Sinclair of Goldsmiths, University of London, discusses her journey into craft and her research on the textile practices of Black British women. She describes the prevalence of craft in her upbringing and how her mum, when she migrated to the UK from Jamaica, was a professional seamstress but could not get a job because she was told "a white body could not be touched by black hands". Instead her mother worked on sewing machines in factories. 

Rose's own education spanned technology and craft, despite being told at school that she would make "a good hairdresser". She was determined to make a career out of creative work and she reveals her fascinating journey from textiles practice into teaching, then research. Rose says she decided to research craft because she did not see people like her in the industry. She talks about Dorcas Societies as examples of the importance of craft for identity and sociality. She finishes by talking about her role models in craft and future ambitions.