Education

 

Royal College of Art. MA Textiles Programme 2023
Mentored by Seetal Solanki and Freddie Robins.
London, UK

Royal College of Art. Graduate Diploma, Art & Design 2022
Fashion and Textiles
London, UK

Syracuse University. BID, Bachelor of Industrial Design 2019
Mentored by Donald W. Carr and Louise R. Manfredi.
Syracuse, New York, USA, Five-year Program

Industrial and Interaction Design
Concentration in Fashion and Textiles
Fashion Beauty Communications Milestone

Community Agriculture in Materials Thesis aimed to repair the relationship between people and their food. Researching the connection between agriculture, community, and material ecologies—identifying pain points to lead dialogue of the farm-to-table food system.

Syracuse London 2018
Sustainability and Environmental Justice, Scandinavia

Taught by Delfina Fantini van Ditmar, and Dr. Rebecca R. Farnum. Internship with Clare Brass and Dejan Mitrovic.

Parsons School of Design. Summer Intensive Studies 2016
Fashion and Apparel

 
 

Special Projects

 

For Women by Women. Ongoing

Innovation for sport-technical gear & garments for competitive female sailors. Honing in biomimicry in a study of material and the body.

 
 

Achievements

 

Advanced Textile Program. 2024 Shortlist
Shortlisted for a specialized TextielLab TextielMuseum program.

RCA x RNLI Grand Challenge. Winner.
Engaging Communities for Generating Marine Sustainable Economies

Royal College of Art in partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) 2022-2023 Grand Challenge

“In the largest Grand Challenge to date, students across the RCA’s School of Design are exploring the ways design can leverage and stimulate citizen science-led practices for increasing the health and productivity of the world’s oceans. The theme is a progression from last year’s ocean-based challenge, with more focus on community-centred knowledge and solutions.”

Ocean Education Project
GoWater is an integrated system consisting of a wearable sensor, a virtual map, and a data distribution system which empowers locals and visitors to contribute water quality data to charitable organisations through water sports activities in the Gower Peninsula in Wales.

GoWater Team ~ Tarika Kumar (MA/MSc Global Innovation Design), Hanbo Zhan (MA Design Products), Danyi Zhang (MA Service Design), Jialin Feng (MA Fashion), and Emily Trenton (MA Textiles) ~ Gower Peninsula, Wales

Presentation and Exhibition
Coastal Communities Presentation and Exhibition, Hangar Space, RCA
Ocean Education Presentation Paul G Allen Foundation
London Design Biennial EUREKA Pavilion at Somerset House
London Design Biennial 10 Downing Street Presentation and Reception

Other Outcomes
Video showcase on Ocean Generation educational charity
Feature in DesignWeek by Sophie Tolhurst; RNLI news feature



Helen Kirkum Studio. Mentee.
London, England. Autumn 2021 to Summer 2022
Mentored by Helen Kirkum.



National YoungArts Foundation. Visual Arts Merit Scholar & Alumna.

YoungArts identifies and support the next generation of artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts; assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development; and raise appreciation for the arts in American society.

YoungArts WK Los Angeles. Master Classes, Getty Curated Exhibit.

Masterclasses led by prestigious artists, gallery and studio visits, and work curated by John Tain of The Getty Museum Research Institute. Mentored by Lee Heinemann and Anna Sew Hoy.

Syracuse University VPA Distinguished Portfolio—College Honors.

Merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students are awarded by the Admissions Committee to recognize academic achievement.

Syracuse University VPA College Best of Foundation Exhibition.

Works selected for exhibition J & J Smith Gallery. One of twenty shortlisted from two hundred submissions.

 
 

Exhibitions

 

Text-ure 2025
Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (CICA)
Gimpo, South Korea

Work—One Less Hug, Pain Bodies

Coalition Across Differences 2023
Curated by Meichen Zhou and Sijie Song
The Forage Gallery, London

Work—Pain Body Sculptures, a dance

“17 female artists using different materials and media to express female bodies, consciousness, and femininity, and re-examine and resist misogyny, to eliminate the separation between women.”

Textiles Festival at RCA2023 Show 2023
Curated by Emily Shires and Natasha Motaghi
Royal College of Art, London

Work—A Reimagined Ritual of Healing and Revealing, Knit Pain Bodies

London Design Biennial Somerset House, EUREKA Pavillion 2023
Artistic Direction by Aric Chen of Het Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam

with Royal College of Art and RNLI Grand Challenge
Work—Coastal Communities Gower Water Quality, Go Water

 
 

Published Works

 

A.Y.F.P by Emma Crabtree ISSUE #2 REMNANTS 2024

Work featured in A Yarn & Fibre Publication, an annual DIY self-publishing project dedicated to yarn and fibre crafts. 

Caring Feminists* a collection of mini-stories to raise awareness 2023

Printed publication acquired by Royal College of Art Library Special Collection ~ Item Barcode RCA011024

“Every snowflake has its own power. Every snowflake is worth being seen. Intimately brought upon by our experiences and desires for change, we interrogated the meaning of Care. Experimenting with different creative languages to show the struggles of women.”

In collaboration with Zhuoyan [Zoey] Hu, Nishan Zhong, Ruohan Peng, Xianqing Zhao, and Wenqing Li, supported by Dr. Qian Sun

Ocean Generation 2023

GoWater Research Process Video for UNESCO and United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, endorsed educational charity by Richard Hill.

Ocean Generation's core audience is young adults, regularly reaching over 100,000 young people globally to provide inspiration for what is possible.

 
 

Contributions

 

YoungArts Mentor
The National YoungArts Foundation
2023 to Ongoing

Mentoring new YoungArts alumni abroad as they pursue their academic studies in the arts ~ nurturing a dialog of support and community



Board Member & Community Strategist
Women In Industrial Design
2020 to Ongoing

Advocating for women, closing the gender gap, and addressing industry challenges. Women in Industrial Design is a nonprofit organization cultivating a community of female-identifying industrial designers and inclusive to non-binary designers.

Led by eight-women. Founded in 2018 by Mallory Evans and McKayla Barber, later joined by Miranda Degg, Lea Stewart, Tati Ferrucio, Mona Sharma, Jessica Hedge, and Emily Trenton. We do this out of passion.

Founder and Mentor
Women In Design Syracuse
Syracuse, New York, USA. 2018-2022

Empowering women, encouraging creativity, and advocating for equality in every field. Bringing women together as the first undergraduate one of its kind on the East Coast. A creative community of artists, designers, architects, and more.___

 
 

Talks

 

Artists Talk RCA2023 Kensington 2023
Royal College of Art, London

Delivered a talk, A Reimagined Ritual of Healing and Revealing, sharing my work Pain Bodies.

Ocean Education. 2023
London Design Biennale, 10 Downing Street, London

Showcased GoWater’s impact on marine life and the coastal community of the Gower Peninsula of Wales to the curators of the London Design Biennale, educators and designers of industry/culture.

Paul G. Allen Foundation 2023
Research and Innovation, Royal College of Art, London

Shared the benefits of GoWater for ocean health to protect biodiversity and ecosystems.

Materials and Manufacturing 2021
University of Kansas

Presented alongside Sally J. Linville, about the Art of Chickening creative processes employed at The City Girl Farm. Organized by Betsy Barnhart.

The Women Behind Yona 2021
Women In Industrial Design. Conversations Series.

Organized, curated, and delivered an evening of radical empathy for 200 attendees. Speakers include Rachel Hobart and Fran Wang, Founders of Yona, Health for People with Vaginas.

“Vaginas are amazing. Taking care of them should be too. Yona is an experience design concept that reimagines the pelvic exam from a patient-centered perspective, beginning with the redesign of the speculum. Founded in 2017, Yona is the brainchild of Rachel Hobart, Sahana Kumar, Hailey Stewart, and Fran Wang, designers and engineers at frog design. Yona is a work in progress—today a concept and conversation starter, tomorrow something much more.”

Fearless Female in the Field 2019
Women In Design Syracuse. Inaugural Event.

In celebration of our founding, hosted eight Syracuse University design alumnae for an evening of storytelling and conversation with up to 100 students, faculty, and friends in attendance.Two keynote presentations, a panel discussion and network event.

Guest Speakers ~ Rachel Regina and Julie Regina.
Guest Panelists ~ Sarah Morris, Ryn Adkins, Kate Percevault, Ann Marie Benedict, Cassie Raymond, and Alexandra Rausch.

 
 

Experience

 

In Residence 2024
Naori Priestly London, UK

Developing my practice in residence as an independent artist/designer and researcher in Naori Priestly’s studio.

London Fashion Week Assistant 2022
Ingrid Kraftchenko London, UK

“Kraftchenko's JUBILEE (Post Couture) NO SEASON '22 is a punk homage to Derek Jarmans cult film, her homeland Dungeness and a radical satire on the upcoming Queen's Platinum Jubilee.”

Design & Creative Studio Assistant 2020-2022
The City Girl Farm Kansas City, USA

One-of-a-kind Chicken Footstools, Art of Chickening,

Crafting with natural wool fibers, textile process, and the furniture design methods and development process. Sourcing, art direction, editorial + brand. Honing in the fine details of making and the arts of special collections. Particularly focused on the intricate Gee’s Bend Collection honoring the women of the Quilting Bee, and the flocks.

Product and Visual Design Internship 2018
Kidesign and Department 22 London, UK

Collaborated under the direction of Founder and Creative Director Dejan Mitrovic, at a local Lambeth London-based educational creative studio and start-up. Meticulously worked in research and development, consulted on various design problems and critiques. Rapid-prototyped models created new and modified existing designs, ideated concepts and packaging.

Delivered Kidesign Educational Workshop at Imperial College London Science Festival to encourage thought and innovation between children and adults.

Kidesign taught me invaluable lessons about startups, design education, and how to embrace the R&D process. Department 22 inspired me to embrace sustainability through a circular economy with a glimpse into urban agriculture in food systems.

Fashion Week Creative Internship 2017
Bureau Betak New York, USA

Thakoon Chelsea viewing, Raf Simons inaugural Calvin Klein collection at the CK Garment District headquarters, "No After Party" No AP by Alexander Wang at the RKO Hamilton Theater, a Harlem Hamilton Heights landmark, and FRAME Robert T. Miller Gallery runway shows, arts, installations, and presentations.

Summer Creative Internship 2015
Birdies, Peregrine Honig Kansas City, USA

Worked under American Artist Peregrine Honig in her studio, at Birdies, and for the annual local West 18th Street Fashion Show. Learned basic sewing and construction skills from Artist-in-Residence RR Lingerie Designer Rachel Rector, who recently debuted her line. A July launch party, and concept design research for a small gender-fluid undergarment line called All Is Fair In Love and Wear.

 
 

Certifications

 

Certified SolidWorks Associate CSWA in parametric modeling
Dassault Systèmes Mechanical Design Certification. May 2019 


Certification for Institutional Review Board Professional IRB
Research Integrity and Protections Syracuse University. February 2019


Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative CITI of BRANY
Human Subject Research Certification. April 2020

 
 

Publications