Rebecca Skeels

Rebecca Skeels started her business in 1994 after graduating from the University of Wales. Since 1994, Rebecca’s thirst for knowledge and her passion for sharing has led her to graduate from Central Saint Martin’s, MA Project by Design and achieving a PGC in Higher Education from the University for the Creative Arts. Rebecca is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. As a designer-maker, Rebecca’s work has been exhibited across Europe, in the USA and China and she continues to explore ideas and work collaboratively with like-minded designer-makers within different disciplines, utilising different materials. In parallel, Rebecca’s enthusiasm to encourage others to learn and to be creative led her to the position as Course Leader for Postgraduate courses in Craft at the University for the Creative Arts and now Course Director and Senior Lecturer at the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University in BA honours Jewellery and Objects, as well as College Lead for Employability and Mobility. Rebecca’s position as a design maker, leader of craft courses and as an active member of the UK’s craft industry, provides her with a unique perspective on education and requirements for the future of ‘the crafts’. Her interests allow her to continuously develop craft education to enable more inclusive learning experiences which are adaptable to the students’ abilities. Her exploration of ‘other’ materials and processes from different craft disciplines provides an extensive view of the industry. Materials are her obsession; bridging her work as a designer-maker and her role as an educator. Materials and their related processes determine not only the form and function of an object but also the object’s interaction with the surrounding environment, connecting with personal memories and associations. The use of materials within Rebecca’s own work can be fun, contradictive, functional and thought-provoking. The knowledge of other craft sectors has lead to the exploration of traditional techniques and processes, along with new technologies and digital processes, developing current and future craft practices. Birmingham