AAFCS turns the spotlight on individuals, their experiences, and how they have benefited from AAFCS membership. It offers an opportunity for you to share your story with your colleagues and the greater FCS community.
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Teena Jennings-Rentenaar
Akron, Ohio
Active Member Since 2006
Dr. Teena Jennings-Rentenaar studied textile science and conservation at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada followed by a Ph. D. in material culture at The Ohio State University, and currently teaches textile science courses at The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. Read on to learn more about Teena, and how her work truly is making an impact on the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities.
Why did you join AAFCS?
I had attended a conference in June of 2006, specifically The 5th International Household and Family Research Conference, in Savonlinna, Finland which had sessions that pertained directly to the societal benefits of craft development in conjunction with sustainability. I felt that the researchers were asking the same questions that I was. I also felt that the relevancy and consequences of the research was enormous. At that point I became a member of AAFCS.
How has membership in AAFCS been of value to you and your practice?
First of all, AAFCS is of value to me as I teach at one of the universities whose program is accredited through the AAFCS. The recognition of the caliber of our program has enormous ramifications for us, particularly in attracting students to the program. The work that I do relates directly to the health of families around the world and is a motivating factor in my research. That I should be a member of AAFCS is both logical and proper.
Please complete the following sentence:
AAFCS is …an organization of committed members who work for the betterment of families and ultimately the environment.
Please explain your answer.
I am constantly amazed and proud of the members that I meet by their level of commitment and the work that they take on, particularly as it relates to the importance of maintaining the family structure.
Why did you choose the field of family and consumer sciences?
I first chose FCS because of the opportunity it gave me to work in the field of textiles. At the time, I was very interested in textile conservation. I am not sure that I understood then the connection this would have to family and environmental betterment.
Today, I work in museums conserving textile collections that demonstrate the relevance of craft to communities around the world. I study the textiles to get information on the fibers and their textile structures. I travel to different communities around the world to understand what fibers they use and how they manufacture their textiles. I try to understand the feelings of wellness and satisfaction that comes from optimizing fibers and techniques to create a satisfying product that relates to the society within which it is made. I explore the potential for understanding an art/craft form well enough to support the individual, family, and community both at home and in developing countries which in turn is supported by the museums as points of reference. Furthermore, it is important to learn to live in a sustainable way culturally, societally, economically and environmentally, here in the US and in developing countries. Because of this interrelatedness among the study of textiles, the conservation of textiles in a museum setting and the contemporary application of textile production as it relates to the betterment of families and the environment, I think that FCS is the logical place for me to be.
Please share a few of your most recent accomplishments.
Jennings-Rentenaar, T. “The potential relevancy of craft in establishing ecological sustainability: The Betseleo of Madagascar as a case study.” Sixth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador. Jan. 5-7, 2010.
Jennings-Rentenaar, T. “The mola blouses of the Kuna of Panama.” In Schevill, Margot (ed.). The Berg Encyclopaedia of World Dress and Fashion Vol. II Latin America. Oxford, UK: Berg Publishers. 2010.
Jennings-Rentenaar, T. “An analysis of Lahu textiles.” In Green, Alexandra (ed.). Eclectic Collecting: Art from Burma in the Denison Collection. Singapore: Singapore University Press. 2008.
My research is directed towards grassroots support of Fair Trade and the Co-operative movement, the latter most affecting women in developing countries and in situations where strengthening ideas of empowerment are fundamental in improving their families’ living conditions. The production of craft/art textile items often establishes them within their community while at the same time offering a means of support. This work has led to my relationship with women’s co-operatives in Bolivia and Madagascar.
I became interested in indigenous cecropia silk in Ohio. Examining the silk’s potential led me to Madagascar where they spin, dye, and weave silk as they have done for centuries.
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