Mary-Havana Little, a talented fibrous plasterer, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour to share her love for traditional plasterwork and encourage women to enter the craft. Using historic techniques, she creates decorative mouldings for heritage restoration and bespoke design.
In her conversation with Anita Rani, Mary-Havana described how she broke into a male-dominated trade, overcoming stereotypes and practical challenges along the way. Her journey illustrates the importance of preserving historic skills and making them accessible to future generations. She also spoke about the value of craftsmanship in a world dominated by mass production. For Mary-Havana, plasterwork is more than a job—it’s an art form. She emphasized how working with your hands builds creativity and confidence, and she hopes to inspire others to pursue skilled trades.
By featuring her story, Woman’s Hour shone a light on women thriving in specialist heritage roles, demonstrating that these traditional crafts can offer fulfilling, sustainable careers for those passionate about design
Lath and Plaster 