Marcia Bennett-Male

The UK’s only Black female stonemason

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Marcia Bennett-Male is the UK’s only Black female stonemason. Born in South London, her career as an artist began with a Fine Art degree at Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1987. After graduating in 1990, and with support from The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, she went on to train as an architectural stone carver, letter cutter, and later as a stonemason. Now a freelance carver, Marcia has collaborated with institutions such as The Royal Academy, The British Museum and Lloyd’s of London, and exhibits her work internationally. Alongside stonemasonry, Marcia creates textile pieces inspired by the embroidered flags of the Fante people in Ghana. Referring to her work as "cathartic and autobiographical" Marcia bases her art on her experiences of navigating through the world, and her industry, as a Black woman. Marcia has overcome the challenges of underrepresentation in her field, forging a celebrated career that stands as both a testament to her resilience and an inspiration for future generations within the Black community.