Sievers School of Fiber Arts

		Our Instructors
		Lorrie Grainger Abdo In 1985 Lorrie learned how to make handmade paper at Sievers. That weekend changed the direction of her professional life, and she’s not stopped playing with paper and pigment since. Her paper mosaic pieces feature the freedom of colorful expression through a surface design technique called paste painting, yet highlight precise craftsmanship as well. Lorrie is detailed in her instruction, fun with her delivery and encourages her students to play! She is a founding member of the Paper Collaborative, serves on the board of the Handmade Paper Guild, and teaches workshops throughout her home state of Michigan.
		Nancy Adams Nancy’s interest in fibers and weaving ran the gamut from owning and raising her own flock of sheep, to spinning their fleece, to weaving with it. She came to Sievers in 1986 for her first weaving class, and has returned almost every year since that time for more. In 2002 she became an assistant instructor with longtime friend and fellow weaver Louise French for intermediate weaving classes at Sievers. Now Nancy is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of weaving by teaching it to others. Nancy makes her home in Rochester, MN.
		Carol Anderson Designer and owner of Cottage Creations, Carol publishes and supplies knitting patterns to over 500 shops nationwide. Her illustrated booklets have particular appeal for the advanced beginner or intermediate knitter, and range from scarves to afghans to sweaters, with the “Wonderful Wallaby,” no doubt, her trademark design. A retired teacher of Special Needs students and mother of four, Carol lives with her husband Paul on their St. Ansgar, IA farm. “A perfect day,” says Carol, “includes at least two or three hours of knitting!”
		Jacalyn Bedworth Since a 1992 class with Jo Campbell-Amsler at Sievers, Jacki has specialized in creating traditional willow baskets. Through a MN Arts Board grant she apprenticed with Joanna Schanz in Amana, IA to learn historic German basketry techniques. Jacki is currently an historic interpreter at a reconstructed 1804 fur post site, where she portrays “Makukewye” (Basket Woman). Living in Grantsburg, WI, she also teaches classes and workshops, in addition to demonstrating at historic re-enactments and Voyageur Rendezvous’ as the “Wickering Wench.”
		Jeanette Biederman Jeanette is an accomplished artisan whose work shows a great respect and appreciation for the history and lore of basketmaking. She enjoys working with color, and makes a wide variety of traditional and contemporary basket styles. Jeanette and her husband Rich Prange offer basketry classes at their home studio in Merrill, WI, and teach throughout the Midwest. Interested in other fiber arts, Jeanette learned to make ‘Stained Glass’ Sweater Vests and Coats from their originator Linda Davis in a 2001 class at Sievers and has continued to create more ever since, as well as teach others how.
		Karen Buell Living in Hoyt Lakes, MN, Karen has taught surface embellishment, silk ribbon and all types of embroidery for 30+ years, and bead embroidery for 20 years. Her local and area guild teaching includes the Minneapolis Textile Center, as well as correspondence classes for the Council of American Embroiderers. Karen’s work has been seen and won awards in many area needlework exhibits. Through her business, Karen Buell Designs, she creates, writes and self-publishes instructional booklets, patterns and kits, marketed throughout the country.
		Jo Campbell-Amsler Teaching throughout the United States for guilds, basket conferences and art schools, Jo instructs students in rib-style techniques for baskets made of willow and other gathered materials. From her eastern Iowa home studio, Willow Ridge, Jo creates a wide range of baskets, from traditional forms to sculptural one-of-a-kind pieces. Her work has been featured in magazines and books, and selected for numerous exhibits across the U.S., the most recent being “Containers of Our Culture III” at Arts Visalia in Visalia, CA.
		Mary Curran As an artist, teacher, writer and inspirational speaker, Mary experiments with materials of all sorts (fiber, paper, metal, paint, leather, found objects in 2- and 3-dimensions, etc.). Creative process tips and experiences are part of every class she teaches, and she believes that creativity is an essential life skill. Mary participates in a variety of juried art shows and area Arts Events, which includes serving on boards and for public art projects. Her home studio, Twa Corbies, is in Green Bay, WI.
		Sandy De Master A knitter since 1970, Sandy took up spinning in 1988 and soon after began a life of raising and breeding Finnsheep and marketing their wool. Very interested in ethnic and traditional knitting, she enjoys designing traditional mittens, socks and sweaters based on the patterns of Fair Isle and Shetland, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Sandy and her friend and co-teacher Mary Germain worked jointly on a Latvian knitting article and pattern, published in Piecework magazine (’95). They have taught knitting at Sievers since 1999 and throughout the Midwest, as well as Latvian Mittens classes on both coasts.
		Christi Eales Ehler Christi enjoys exploring many different on- and off-loom fiber techniques, including weaving and basketry. She finds inspiration in historic textile traditions from all over the world, in her love of nature, as well as contact with fellow weavers and students. Past President of WI Handweavers, Christi has taught weaving to area guilds, at WI Spin-In and Midwest Weavers Conference. Her work has won awards at the WHI annual exhibit, other juried WI art fairs, and been featured in Handwoven magazine.
		Diane Ericson After years of collecting baskets, in 1982 Diane decided it was time to be making her own. Beginning with a kit, she wove her first basket and just kept right on! Five years later she started a business, Baskets From the Heart, making and selling her work at juried art shows. Diane began teaching basketry classes in 1992, and currently teaches for guilds and at basket conventions. In 2006 she was guest instructor for the Art Department of Gustavus Adolphus College, and began to teach at Sievers. Diane also offers workshops at her home studio in Rogers, MN.
		Mary Sue Fenner A Clothing, Textiles and Design major at U. WI-Stout, art studies at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Polytechnic, England, Kansas U. and a UW-Milwaukee MFA gave Mary Sue an excellent background in fibers. She teaches Marketing Communications at N.W. Technical College, Green Bay, WI, and maintains a business, Fiber Designs. Noted for use of bright colors and her own handspun yarns, Mary Sue’s clothing and accessories are seen in area shows, galleries and shops, and have been featured in Handwoven, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot, Belle Armoire, Altered Couture, Sew Somerset and Haute Handbags magazines.
		Diane Fitzgerald Beadwork is Diane’s passion. Currently, color and geometric shapes in ethnic jewelry and ornaments provide inspiration for her new work. She writes frequently for magazines and is the author of 10 books, most recently, Shaped Beadwork. Diane travels to learn about and collect beads, and teaches nationally and internationally at conferences, for bead societies, etc. Her work receives recognition as well, and in 2008 Diane was the recipient of the “Excellence In Bead Artistry Award” given by Bead & Button magazine.
		Nancy Frantz Nancy’s weaving journey began in 1977 when she received a loom as a gift. Since 1985 she has shared her love of weaving and fiber arts with students through the Sheboygan Recreation Dept., from beginners and up, ages 6 – 86! Her work has won awards at county fairs, WHI Annual Shows, and MWA Conferences, including two “Weaving For The Home” Awards of Excellence from Interweave Press. Active in the Sheboygan Shuttlecraft Guild, Nancy was Co-Chair of the 2005 Midwest Weavers Conference.
		Mary Germain A knitter most of her life, Mary has taught knitting, weaving and other fiber arts since 1983, and was owner of The Wool Works yarn shop in Milwaukee from 1985-96. Her woven and knitted garments have won awards at the WHI Annual Shows and Harrisville Designs’ Convergence Contests. Inspired by a Latvian friend, Mary co-published a Latvian knitting article and pattern in Piecework magazine with friend and fellow teacher Sandy De Master. Trips to Latvia in 2001 and Estonia in 2005 provided Mary with more knitting inspiration, which she enjoys sharing with her students.
		Thomas Grade From Menasha, WI, Tom has a BFA degree in On- and Off-loom Fiber Techniques from U. WI-Milwaukee, and was among the first foreign artists admitted to Beijing, China’s Central Academy of Arts & Crafts (1982). His handmade paper and mixed media sculptures, known for their use of intense color, surface textures and pattern plays, are inspired by his world travels. Recent commissions include the Outagamie County Airport and Paper Discovery Center in Wisconsin. Tom actively promotes paper art across the state, as an instructor and through school Artist-In-Residence programs.
		Chad Hagen Chad has explored the resist dyeing and surface design of hand felted wool since 1979, with BA and MS degrees from U-WI and MFA from Cranbrook. Her dyed, pieced, beaded and stitched felt work has been featured on the covers of Surface Design Journal, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot and Fiberarts magazines and is in major collections. Chad writes extensively on art and feltmaking, including 3 books for Lark: Fabulous Felt Hats, Weekend Crafter: Feltmaking, and Fabulous Felted Scarves. She teaches workshops in the U.S. and Europe, and maintains a full-time studio in Asheville, NC.
		Rita Hagenbruch Rita’s weaving is inspired by textiles she has examined on her travels to Sweden, particularly those for the table. Weaving brings joy into her busy life, and she loves to share this desire and inspire others through teaching, at conferences and workshops throughout the Midwest. Rita’s work has been published in Handwoven magazine and received awards, most recently the Handweaver’s Guild of America’s “HGA Award” and the 2008 Woodstock (IL) Weavers Guild’s “Members’ Choice Award” for her handwoven cape and beret.
		Judy Hasheider Judy’s main focus is on the traditional patterns and techniques that make quilting enjoyable, along with the friendships that evolve when quilters are together. Her work has been featured in a number of issues of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, and in the book Color Harmony For Quilts. She has taught quilting for over 25 years and gives instruction throughout the year at Stitcher’s Crossing in Madison, WI, as well as organizing and offering weekend retreats. Judy and her husband have 3 grown children and own a dairy farm near Sauk City, WI.
		Mary Hettmansperger Fiber/jewelry artist, Mary exhibits and teaches jewelry, basketry, surface design and quilting across the U.S. and abroad, including SOFA, Arrowmont, Bead & Button, Convergence, national conferences, guilds, etc. Her work is seen in books (500 Baskets, Fiber Arts Design Book 7, Fabulous Found Object Jewelry, Beading With Crystals, and others), on television (PBS’s “Beads, Baubles & Jewels,” and “Quilting Arts”), and in numerous magazines. For Lark/Sterling she has authored and illustrated 2 books, Fabulous Woven Jewelry and Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet, with a 3^rd one in the works for Spring, 2010.
		Flo Hoppe Full-time artist, teacher and author, Flo began her career in 1971, teaching herself basketmaking from a small booklet published in 1924. She lived in Japan and studied there with two master basketmakers. Flo’s main emphasis is on wicker and Japanese basketry. She exhibits her work worldwide, and teaches throughout the U.S. as well as in England, Canada, Japan, Russia and Australia. Her published books are Wicker Basketry and Contemporary Wicker Basketry, the latter translated into German. Flo’s trip to Russia resulted in co-authoring a new book in 2009 with Vladimir Yarish and Jim Widess, Plaited Basketry With Birch Bark.
		Deb Jones In Black River Falls, WI, Deb shares the peaceful country setting with sheep and llamas, who are “donors” of her fibers. She is an enthusiastic handspinner and has taught workshops throughout the state. Deb is the owner of The Fiber Garden, a year-round fiber arts school, gift mercantile and fiber shop that has been featured in such magazines as American Small Farm, Impressions, and Positive Thinking. For Deb it’s a means to promote fiber arts and combine her love of spinning, teaching and country living!
		Donna Kallner Known for the contemporary ways she uses ancient fiber techniques to tell timeless stories, Donna teaches and exhibits her work across the country. She is the author of Altered Images: A Handbook For Fiber Artists and New Age Looping. Visit her web site, www.donnakallner.com or her blog, www.donnakallner.blogspot.com for information about techniques such as looping, coiling, netting, Fuegian coiling, for reading recommendations and more.
		Kayla Kennington An award-winning art-to-wear designer of elegant and fanciful one-of-a-kind garments for 30+ years, Kayla enjoys sharing her skills with others through lectures and teaching, offering retreat-workshops all over the U.S. and Canada. She writes articles for Threads magazine and has been featured in many other magazines. Kayla’s elegant but simple modular styles and unique seaming techniques are available as a pattern collection published through her company, Modular Design For Couture Artwear, and marketed widely, including in the Sievers Shop.
		Joyce Krueger Joyce has been hooking rugs since 1976 and is an active member of the Assoc. of Traditional Hooking Artists, McGown Guild, and the International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers. An accredited McGown Teacher, she has taught since 1984 at rug schools nationally and internationally, for private rug groups and in her Waukesha, WI home studio. Joyce teaches all aspects of hooking, from fine to wide cuts, shaded to primitive looks, and enjoys personalizing commercial patterns as well as helping students with original design ideas. She has written articles and had her work featured in the ATHA and McGown Newsletters, Rug Hooking magazine and several rug hooking books, as well as received awards for her rugs.
		Daryl Lancaster Daryl received her degree in Fine Arts in 1977. She has been sewing for more than 40 years, and has spent 10 years as a production weaver, selling her handwoven clothing in craft markets and galleries. She travels the country, teaching garment construction techniques to handweavers and surface designers, and exhibits her woven work nationally. Daryl was the Contributing Features Editor for Handwoven magazine for 7+ years, and occasionally writes for various publications. A breast cancer survivor, Daryl uses her work as a vehicle to express who she is and the path that she has travelled.
		Darcy Love Darcy began her exploration of textiles after taking a silk painting class at Sievers in 1995 and was hooked. Since then, she has found a way to combine her two favorite things—art and nature—by serving as Artist-In-Residence at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2003 and most recently, at the St. Croix Watershed Research Station In Marine, St. Croix, MN. Darcy lives with her husband and many animals in rural Dane County, WI. She creates one-of-a-kind textiles and wearable designs at her Dancing Bird Studio, nestled at the edge of the woods behind their home.
		Anita Luvera Mayer Designer of contemporary clothing inspired by ethnic originals, with finishes and embellishments done by hand, Anita’s work is personal and often speaks to women’s issues. It has been included in many national and international exhibits. Teaching and lecturing have taken her around the world, occasionally leading groups to study ethnic textiles and techniques on location. Anita is the author of 5 books and often writes articles for fiber publications. She believes there should be something magical and unique about what is worn each day, something to celebrate, and enjoys sharing that concept with others.
		Jeanne Pfister Jeanne started quilting in 1981, first working with traditional quilts and designs, and gradually moving toward art quilts. In recent years she has developed her own style in the world of contemporary quilts, using a variety of techniques to express her thoughts in fabric. Jeanne’s creations have been seen and awarded in a variety of regional, national and juried shows, such as National Quilters Association, International Quilt Festival, Hoffman Challenge, Kaufman Quilt Quest, and in the books Coloring With Thread, Gallery of Contemporary Quilting, and Convergence Quilts.
		Rich Prange Rich is an aerospace engineer-vocational teacher, turned basketweaver. He learned weaving baskets at Sievers in 1989 and from his wife, Jeanette Biederman. As a retiree, Rich is now able to enjoy more time teaching antler basketry with Jeanette at their studio, Tisket A Tasket, in Merrill, WI, as well as at conferences and Sievers. His work is displayed in galleries and at art show tours around the country. Rich’s non-weaving time is occupied with photography, sailing and aviation.
		Carol Huebscher Rhoades Living in Madison, WI, Carol has a special interest in the wools—their preparation and spinning—and the techniques for traditional handspun and knitted garments, particularly those of Scandinavia and England. She is the Technical Editor of and frequent contributor to Spin-Off magazine, and has translated Swedish, Norwegian and Danish knitting books. Carol’s teaching has taken her around the U.S., including to SOAR (Spin-Off Autumn Retreat) and the WI Sheep & Wool Festival, as well as to England, Canada, Norway, Denmark and New Zealand.
		Mary Jo Scandin Mary Jo’s students are motivated in their surface design work by her enthusiasm for color and design, plus her sense of fun which she readily shares. She and her husband enjoy life in Madison, WI where Mary Jo maintains a studio and works daily with fibers and surface designs to create original pieces of art. She has licensed and marketed her designs as posters, notecards and plaques, and three children’s books feature her painted silk illustrations. Mary Jo participates in shows statewide, as well as galleries in Madison and Door County.
		Lynn Stracka Schuster A handweaver and feltmaker since 1978, Lynn has expanded her interests to a wide and varied repertoire of fiber arts. She still enjoys handweaving and feltmaking, and has added silk ribbon embroidery, beadwork and coiled basketry to the list. Lynn’s work has been seen in a number of magazines, at art museums and galleries, and in the Sievers Permanent Collection. Lynn has offered classes at Sievers since 1981. She enjoys sharing her artwork and creativity through teaching, and believes that art is a celebration of life.
		Natalie Sewell Natalie has been a quilter since 1991, spending most of that time making landscape quilts. Her quilts have won major prizes at many national quilt competitions, including those sponsored by the American Quilter’s Society, Quilt Visions San Diego and the National Quilters’ Association, and are seen in galleries and quilt shows throughout the country. Natalie has appeared numerous times on PBS’s “Sewing With Nancy” (Zieman), and has co-authored three books with Nancy on landscape quilt techniques, including their newest, The Art of Landscape Quilting.
		Deb Sharpee Deb’s interest in weaving was first sparked as a small child, watching her grandmother weave rag rugs. She now can’t believe it has been over 25 years since she wove her first rag rug. Many miles of warp later, Deb has much to share with her students. Her work has been published in Weaver’s, Complex Weavers Journal, Crafts Report and Handwoven magazines, as well as the book Weaving Contemporary Rag Rugs. Deb and her husband live on a small farm near Madison, WI, where she maintains a herd of angora goats.
		Harvey Stahl A Door County native who retired after 32 years with the DNR, Harvey has always been surrounded by the subjects of his wildlife carvings. He creates them by utilizing locally cut wood and collected pieces of driftwood. Harvey exhibits his work at The Clearing in Ellison Bay, WI, the town where he and wife Rita make their home. Harvey has taught workshops for Elderhostel groups and enjoys instilling an appreciation for wildlife to all of his students, in addition to teaching them basic handcarving techniques.
		Shirley Ver Hage From Waupun, WI, Shirley is interested in all types of needlework, sewing, quilting and crafts in general. She loves to let ‘recycled’ materials, such as old woolen garments, worn blue jeans, stained doilies and old jewelry ‘speak’ to her, and brings them back as a new purse, quilt or bracelet. Owning a retail furniture store provided her with lots of nice upholstery fabric samples, which led to designing purses and tote bags. Next, she added felting old wool sweaters to her purse design repertoire. She looks forward to sharing all of this with her students.
		Connie Westbrook Connie discovered the wonderful world of weaving cloth at a local art fair, and immediately knew sitting at loom was where she belonged. Since her first Sievers weaving class in 2003 she has continued to study the work of her most respected weavers, including Jean Hutchison, Louise French, Judie Yamamoto, Mary Sue Fenner, and Deb Sharpee, whom she credits for nurturing her love of weaving and belief that it is meant to be shared. Connie joined the Sievers staff in 2007, volunteers at the Island’s Farm Museum, and has been published in Handwoven magazine. She also enjoys hiking, biking and kayaking with her husband Dan and yellow lab, splitting their time between Sherwood, WI and Washington Island.
		Ken Workowski While paging through Mother Earth News magazine in 1977, Ken came across an article on building willow furniture—the perfect opportunity to combine his carpentry skills with his love of nature. Thus began a home business for Ken and his wife Michelle, The Nature of Things, building home furnishings that use such materials as willow, birch and poplar bark. They craft furniture, baskets, lamps and shades, brooms, mirror frames, and one-of-a-kind pieces, selling their creations through art shows and shops across the U.S., and enjoying their self-sufficient lifestyle.
		Michelle Workowski Michelle thanks her mother for cultivating her creative interests as a child, instilling self-reliance and confidence when learning new skills. When she and Ken started their business, they taught themselves more and more with each new material they discovered. Handmade paper lampshades were added in the ‘90s when they began to make chandeliers and lamps, and Michelle has worked with various materials, shapes and embellishments ever since. “I enjoy equally learning new crafts and sharing that knowledge with others.”
		Judith T. Yamamoto Judie enjoyed her Beginning Weaving class at Sievers in 1981 so much, she just kept coming back for more. Now she teaches and lectures nationally, and writes about weaving and related topics. Notable for its use of color and blending, her woven work and polymer clay jewelry have been featured in Handwoven magazine and been seen at a variety of fiber shows, galleries and shops. Judie lives on Washington Island and demonstrates handweaving at the Farm Museum on an antique loom she and her husband restored.
		Howard & Ann H. Young, Owners/Director Ann’s involvement with Sievers began in 1979, when founder Walter Schutz asked her to be General Manager of the school. She soon became an enthusiastic weaving student and later a basic weaving instructor. Over the years she was more and more involved in the school’s operation and, when Walter retired in 1987, Ann and her carpenter husband Howard (Butch), became the owners of three businesses—Sievers School, Sievers Looms and Sievers Benchwork, a modular table system for model railroad hobbyists. In 1989 Ann added a retail consignment shop, selling the fiber arts and fine crafts made by the teachers and students.
		Cindra Hokkanen, Manager In 1986 Cindra began working in the office for Walter Schutz and hasn’t strayed since! She thoroughly enjoys the variety of her duties at Sievers, such as writing and editing the school brochure and web site, registering students, working with the consignment artists and inventory, processing mailed and online inquiries and orders, and interacting with the many Sievers visitors. Cindy and her husband Tom, who teaches at the local K-12 school, are both active in a number of Island organizations and groups. Her favorites are singing and community theater.
		Carolyn Foss Carolyn has worked at Sievers since 1990, even returning in the summer when she and her family spent six years in Washington State. Besides bookkeeping, Carolyn acts as the Sievers photographer, maintains the Sievers online newsletter, is responsible for the yarns, books and supplies in the Shop, and sometimes gives an impromptu knitting lesson to a visitor. In addition to knitting, Carolyn enjoys reading, and walking and jogging her way through quiet Island mornings.