My current position as Head of Product & Maker Relationships sees me leading on the strategy and implementation of all product development, procurement and maker management for leading luxury craft business The New Craftsmen. My focus in this role and my own business has centred around craft and design collaborations and commissioning unique contemporary objects, live events & projects rooted in craftsmanship and narrative.
I manage The New Craftsmen's network of over 100 British makers and a portfolio of over 4000 individual products. I set the critical path for the whole business with a firm commercial focus but understanding the many and varied challenges of working with independent crafts people.
My professional experience over the last 10 years, both in London and Southern Africa, has been primarily in project management positions. This has led me to work with a huge variety of Art industry partners & clients, including some of the top emerging and established designers and makers in the UK, Sub-Saharan Africa and India and working with a vast array of people and disciplines, from artisans weaving in rural communities, to master ceramicists and cutting- edge furniture designers.
With the support of the Prince’s Trust, I set up award-winning start-up Shake the Dust in 2012 to support new markets and development for African artists & designers and producing 2 exhibitions for The Southbank Centre's Alchemy & Africa Utopia festivals.
I have been invited to speak at Downing Street as a representative for Craft Design Entrepreneurs, to Buckingham Palace as a guest at the Queen’s Commonwealth Reception in 2013 and was featured in the Maserati 100 in 2013, a definitive list of Britain’s most successful business leaders actively supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Projects
- Production Design for Southwark Splash 2015'The Love Architects' was performed by 561, 8 – 10 year old children through singing, dance, instrumental performance, art and design for Southwark Splash 2015. Performed at the Royal Festival Hall on 24 June, the performance was part of Southbank Centre's Festival of Love and was produced by It’s All About the Music! In preparation for the performance, Kathy Shenoy led visual art workshops with some of the students, producing material and concepts for the show, meanwhile learning the content
- Africa CallingAfrica Calling launched in September 2014 at Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia festival with a showcase in the main foyer of the Royal Festival Hall alongside workshops and a pop-up shop. The showcase then toured to Design Junction for London Design Festival with a debate session and workshop run by designers Heath Nash and Yinka Ilori. The 2014 showcase was curated by Kathy Shenoy (Shake the Dust) & Liezel Strauss (Subject Matter Art), and highlighted the work of new and established designers f
- Africa Calling LABSAC Labs presented a special evening at RichMix London with London-based artist Lakwena Maciver and guests. Lakwena’s work spans illustration, graphic design, set design and large-scale paintings and murals and is fast-becoming as well known for her work in outdoor environments as in the gallery. Working largely with bold graphics and adornment as a means to communicate, her style explores how these decorative instincts manifest in popular culture and the urban environment. In this PechaKucha-style talk, Lakwena presented a dynamic visual introduction to her work and inspiration so far, including the launch of her first solo show and her recent trip to South Africa with Africa Calling as part of the SA-UK Seasons programme. Following her presentation, Lakwena was joined by a guest panel including Knit designer Laduma Ngxokolo in a discussion about African/British design; Long featuring in the Western consciousness only as a land of unending suffering, Africa is finally becoming a place of rapidly falling poverty, increasing investment, and young, ambitious populations. With the rise of creativity and innovation stemming from the continent, we ask ‘what does it mean to be an African artist or designer creating work in London?’ In this interactive discussion, audience members were invited to join the discussion about what can be done to create more opportunities for exchange and development of the creative industries. How might we start to break down the perception of a monolithic Africa and start engaging with authentic, individual cultures and stories? This free evening discussion was chaired by Africa Calling Co-director Lola Young and was followed by an informal networking evening.
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Work history
Project ManagerThe New Craftsmen
London, United KingdomFull Time
My current role as a Project Manager finds me initiating collaborations and commissioning unique contemporary objects, live events & projects that are rooted in craftsmanship and narrative. Working with a network of over 130 makers all over the UK, it is my job to develop & deliver to a covetable list of accounts with high profile clients ranging from architects and design studios to brand partners.
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OwnerShake the Dust
London, United KingdomFull Time
Since 2009 I have worked as a design consultant collaborating with artisans in South Africa and Swaziland, building connections between developing world artistry to contemporary creative platforms.
With the support of the Prince’s Trust, I set up Shake the Dust in 2012 when I moved back to London following my time living and working with creatives in Southern Africa.
Since launching the business I have been invited to speak at Downing Street as a representative for Craft Design Entrepreneurs, to Buckingham Palace as a guest at the Queen’s Commonwealth Reception in 2013 and appeared in the Maserati 100, a definitive list of Britain’s most successful business leaders actively supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Skills
- Events
- Marketing PR
- Visual Arts
- Art Direction
- Creative Event
- Exhibition
- Presenting
- Budgeting
- Problem Solving
- Project Management
- Creative Thinking
- Excel
- Photoshop
- Ideas Development
- Facilitating Workshops
- Account Management
- Adobe Indesign
- Buying
- Relationship Management
- Critical Analysis
Education
Awards
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Maserati 100Maserati
Listed on the Maserati 100- recognising entrepreneurs who generously give their time and resources to support young founders.
https://www.themaserati100.co.uk/S
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Shell LiveWIRE AwardShell
Grand Ideas Award winner in February 2013 for ethical design business Shake the Dust.
http://shell-livewire.org/alumni/grand-ideas-award-winners/2013-winners/2013-february/katherine-shenoy/