Workshops :: Instructors 2008
Meet your instructors
Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival guests have enjoyed meeting instructors from the Sunshine Coast, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and further afield.
If you'd like to apply to be one of our instructors, speakers, or demonstrators, see the Contribute page.
Current instructors/speakers are listed below in alphabetical order, by surname. Workshop codes are linked in parentheses at the end of each bio.
See past instructors: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003; 2002; 2001 & earlier.
Kris Abshire — Wasilla, Alaska, USA
Workshops: 2008-5, 2008-6
Kris has lived and worked in Alaska for the past 25 years. During this time she has increasingly pursued her creative
muse as a self-taught weaver and surface design fibre artist. Inspiration for her work comes from many years of venturing
into Alaska's wilderness, and from the wildlife and seasonal colours and textures surrounding her studio in the
magnificent Matanuska Valley. Welcome back Kris.
Janet Armstrong — Vernon, BC
Workshops: 2008-19, 2008-20
Janet believes that to be happy in life one must have a passion—hers
is fibre! In her workshops, she actively cultivates an atmosphere of invigorating creativity,
encouraging discovery and invention amongst the participants. Janet has co-ordinated the Okanagan Knitting Retreat
with Wendy Henderson since 1999, and has taught at national (Quilt Canada) and international (Japan, England) quilt
conferences. www.janetarmstrong.com
Venessa Bentley — Vancouver, BC
Workshops: 2008-16, 2008-17,
2008-18
Venessa grew up knitting and stitching and now works as an instructor, designer, and consultant in the needle,
fibre, and textile arts, and as an elementary teacher. Venessa knit her way through a Textile Arts Diploma Program from
Capilano College, a Bachelor's Degree, a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Fine Arts Education, and a Professional Teaching
Certificate from Simon Fraser University. She is currently working on her Master Spinner certificate through Olds College,
Alberta. Venessa has done knitwear design and construction work for the film industry, has worked as a subject matter
consultant in needlearts for a local publisher, serves on the Board of Directors for Circle Craft, is a member of the
Langley Weavers & Spinners Guild, The Canadian Guild of Knitters, and The Westcoast Knitters, The Knitting Guild of
America, and the Surface Design Association. She provides instruction, and public education programs for adults, youth,
and children in knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, stitching, and surface design. She teaches in a variety of Lower
Mainland venues, from her studio, and at exhibitions and fibre festivals. Venessa produces original pieces that she
exhibits in Lower Mainland galleries, and sells locally. She works from The Working Hands Fibre Arts Studio on Granville
Island.
Ursula Bentz — Gibsons, BC
Workshops: 2008-14
Ursula is a fibre artist who explores the many possibilities in fibre arts, especially with felting. She has
taken the textile art program at Capilano College, is an active member of the Spinners & Weavers Guild, and exhibits
and sells her work be in many Galleries on the Sunshine Coast. She has participated in wearable art competitions in Port
Moody and at the Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival. She works from her home studio in beautiful Gibsons.
Deanna Bertelsen — Victoria, BC
Workshops: 2008-08
Deanna is a lifelong needlewoman whose passion is raised embroidery. She is an E.A.C. Certified Teacher who has
taught on local and national levels from Victoria to Atlanta, including Seminars in Toronto, Truro, Regina and Edmonton.
She loves to see her students succeed and we welcome her back again this year.
Ruth Blazenko
Workshops: Master Spinner Certificate Program — Olds College
Ruth has been a Master Spinner for 6 years and has instructed Levels 1, 3 and 6 of the Master Spinner's Program at
Olds College, Alberta. She also keeps busy teaching dye workshops for weavers, spinners, rug hookers, and quilters as
well as rug braiding, colour blending for drum carding and introducing new spinners to the craft. She has taught at
Hand Weavers Spinners & Dyers of Alberta (HWSDA) conferences.
Michelle Boyd — Fort McMurray, AB
Workshops: 2008-33
Michelle is a fibre artist working and living in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Trained as a graphic artist, Michelle worked
as a custom hand knitter while at home with her small children. As her children grew, so did her passion for fibre and
textiles, leading her to explore spinning, dyeing, felting and weaving. She now combines all of these techniques in her
work, which has been displayed in the VAAA Gallery in Edmonton and at the Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival. Michelle
recently completed the Master Spinners Certificate Program through Olds College.
Joan Carrigan — Salt Spring Island, BC
Workshops: 2008-2, 2008-3
Joan discovered basketry in 1991 and has since studied with numerous outstanding basket makers. She has
acquired a broad-based knowledge of basketry techniques and materials and has taught extensively. Her work has been
exhibited in international juried shows and she is the recipient of two Handweavers Guild of America Awards. We are very
pleased to have Joan return to the Festival.
www.joancarrigan.com
Jessica Casey — Sechelt, BC
Workshops: 2008-1
Jessica is a Coast Salish weaver. She harvests and prepares her own materials, using red and yellow cedar bark.
She also makes her own dyes using traditional methods. She makes baskets, hats, purses, mats and cedar bark clothing
and has recently started weaving Coast Salish blankets. She teaches so that the art she loves is not lost and we welcome
Jessica to the Festival.
Cec Caswell — Sherwood Park, AB
Workshops: 2008-28
Cec has been hooking for 20 years and is a certified McGown instructor. Her work has appeared twice in the annual
Celebrations magazine, once on the cover. Cec is very motivated to hook and teach self-designed patterns and
encourages her students to use bright colours and 'hook outside the lines'.
Thelma Cook — Vancouver, BC
Workshops: 2008-29
Thelma, a life long sewer, is a recent student of design, textiles, the visual fibre and wearable arts. Professor
Emerita of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia, she takes great pleasure and pride in her self-sewn
wardrobe of unique internationally designed garments.
Will Cummer — Gibsons, BC
Workshops: 2008-39, 2008-40,
2008-41
Will has been a woodworker for over 30 years. He has been making driftwood furniture for over 12 years on the Sunshine
Coast and enjoys teaching others how to make comfortable, durable furniture from wood found on the beach.
Angela Fullwood — Gibsons, BC
Workshops: 2008-30
Angela has been sewing for herself and others since the early age of 7 having been taught by her mother and sister.
A newspaper article about professional bra making caught her attention and she registered for a workshop given by
Beverly Johnson. The fit and comfort of the bra made her decide to take the Professional Bra Makers course, and
spurred her on to start her own business — "Wow Bra Creations". She is passionate about bra making,
believing that every woman should have a bra which makes her feel "Wow" fabulous!
Suzanne Glick — North Vancouver, BC
Workshops: 2008-13
Suzanne is an accomplished textile artist in weaving and spinning and specializing in the ancient craft of feltmaking.
She uses only home-grown, locally processed and plant dyed fibres. She also teaches fibre arts at the Vancouver Waldorf
School and has many years of experience with children's craft events. She exhibits in both Canada and the USA.
Leslie Green
Workshops: Master Spinner Certificate Program — Olds College
Leslie has been a spinner and weaver since the mid 1980s while living in Yellowknife, NWT. She began developing her
skills through practice and through taking workshops. Correspondence with fellow spinners in Alberta led her to the
Olds College Master Spinner's Program, from which she graduated in 2007. Her area of study was Qiviut, learning about
bleaching it to obtain more pure colours while dying, as well as blending it with other fibres. Leslie has taught
beginner and intermediate spinning classes and natural dye workshops. She also owns an environmental consulting
company out of Calgary, Alberta.
Freda Jackson — Maple Ridge, BC
Workshops: 2008-26
Freda began rug hooking in the early 1990s while stationed in Nova Scotia. She trained under Carol Morse, whose work
has been published in several rug-hooking magazines. Freda attended the Nova Scotia Rug Hooking School and has
participated in numerous workshops. Her delightful classroom manner is an asset to the class. We welcome her back to
teach with us this year.
Gary Kelly
Workshops: 2008-36, 2008-37
Gary is a self-taught wood turner. Beginning with the purchasing his first wood turning lathe in 1980 his passion and
commitment to woodturning continues to grow. His expertise ranges from production work to one-of-a-kind unique pieces.
Gary enjoys sharing his knowledge about and love of wood turning with others and he conveys these elements with a sense
of fun in his classes. We welcome him back to teach with us this year.
Doreen MacLauchlan — Gibsons, BC
Workshops: 2008-15
Avid fibre artist and current president of the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild, Doreen is frequently seen
knitting two socks at the same time, on the ferry or at meetings. Now is your chance to learn how to do this. Register
early — this class is popular.
Pam Mahoney — Prince Rupert, BC
Workshops: 2008-21
Pam was born and raised on a sheep and wheat farm in Australia, where she learned how to cut sheep's wool and learned
embroidery, smocking and sewing. She immigrated to Canada and took her first quilting class in 1981 and developed a
passion for making quilts. Wools, ribbons, threads, buttons, old jewellery, beads, and many found objects are an addition
to her main medium of fabric. Using its colours and texture to interpret what she sees helps her to create quilts and
hangings. Using traditional and modern techniques and combining them make the possibilities endless. Pam has quilts and
hangings in many collections across Canada and internationally, attends many conferences and judges.
Kim McKenna — Langley, BC
Workshops: 2008-32
Kim is an experienced spinning and dyeing instructor. She enjoys helping others to hone their spinning skills and learn
the intricacies of the fibre at hand. Kim was instrumental in helping Treenway Silks to develop their "Salt Spring
Island Series" and was published in Spin Off magazine's Fall issues of 2005 and 2007.
Eileen Neill — Qualicum Beach, BC
Workshops: 2008-9
Eileen received a B.A. in Visual Arts from Brock University, studied jewelry design at Algonquin College, visual arts at
the University of Ottawa, weaving at Ontario College of Art and surface design at Ryerson and Sheridan Colleges. She
devises many innovative ways of using beads on quilts and to make jewellery.
Angela Possak — Peachland, BC
Workshops: 2008-4, 2008-27
Angela is a certified McGown rug hooking teacher and has been hooking for over twenty-five years. Each year she takes
part in the McGown teachers' workshop at the University of Oregon. This year she will be teaching a Celtic workshop.
Angela lives in Peachland, BC. She travels and teaches rug hooking classes throughout the province. In her soft spoken,
Irish lilt, Angela will amaze you with her talent.
www.rughookingteacher.ca
Wendy Rao — White Rock, BC
Workshops: 2008-22
Wendy was awarded the Harry Wohlfarth Scholarship in 2002, and received a Certification in Fine Arts in 2004 following
her first solo exhibition, "Face To Face". Wendy is an independent instructor teaching portraiture and design
fundamentals for fibre artists. She can be contacted at her Blue Fusion Studio:
bluefusionstudio@shaw.ca or through the website:
www.bluefusionstudio.com. Through portraits, whether
painted with fingers on paper or stitched with fibres, yarns, beads and found objects, Wendy explores the human spirit,
giving the public a personal and emotional connection with their own state of being. "Come and take the journey with
me."
Nadine Sanders — Chehalis, WA, USA
Workshops: 2008-12, 2008-35
As the "Singing Weaver", Nadine travels around North America teaching and performing. She has written books
and produced recordings. She weaves, quilts and machine needle felts. "I strive to touch each participant's sense of
creativity by incorporating all of the senses in the classroom. Inspiration is on par with perspiration!"
Cheryl Smith — Ajax, ON
Workshops: 2008-10
Cheryl is a fibre artist, quilter and doll maker. She enjoys sharing her passion for fibre and fabrics through teaching.
To see her creations, visit her website at www.magpieartworks.com.
Jane Stafford — Salt Spring Island, BC
Workshops: 2008-34
Jane has been weaving since 1978. She studied Textiles and Sculptural Form at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts and
later taught at this renowned school. She now lives on Salt Spring Island BC where she operates Jane Stafford Textiles.
She produces a line of blankets, scarves and stoles using luxurious yarns in an astounding range of colours. In addition,
she markets the largest inventory of quality yarns, looms, boos and accessories for weavers and spinners in western
Canada. Jane teaches and lectures throughout North America. www.janestaffordtextiles.com
Sunshine Coast Spinners & Weavers Guild
Workshops: 2008-31
The Sunshine Coast Spinners & Weavers Guild is a talented group of fibre artists with varying expertise in spinning,
weaving, dyeing, and felting. Several members will share their expertise and enthusiasm for the wonderful craft of
spinning and give you an opportunity, using the ancient drop or hand spindle, to try your hand and explore this
traditional art of making yarn. We welcome them back to teach with us this year.
Larry Westlake — Davis Bay, BC
Workshops: 2008-38
Larry is currently self-employed, working full time at custom boatbuilding and researching. He has taught many boatbuilding
workshops from 1986 to the present, and has many published articles in magazines. In Halifax, NS, he did volunteer work
for the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, including on-site measurement and recording of a small work-boat of historic
interest, prepared blue-prints for boats which had been measured and photographed by others and conducted independent
small-craft research. www.westlakeboats.ca/courses/.
Sharon Wickstrom — Armstrong, BC
Workshops: 2008-7, 2008-11
Sharon expanded a life-long enthusiasm for working with textiles when she learned to spin and weave in 1979. Her
passion for textile crafts lead to participation in numerous craft markets, workshops, awards in fairs and art shows,
and commissioned works for collections around the world. She has taught numerous workshops in sewing, spinning, weaving,
dyeing, felting, bobbin lace and quilting for various guilds, interest groups and community colleges throughout the
province. Her enthusiasm and hard-gained knowledge of creating unique textiles finally lead her into opening her own
business, Homespun Haven, which she operates from her home in Armstrong, BC. This 600 sq. ft. shop is filled to the
brim with yarns, fibres, tools, notions and Sharon's favourite textile books!
Sheila Wintle — Richmond, QC
Workshops: 2008-23, 2008-24
Sheila is an award winning quilter and author who has received national and international recognition. Her workmanship
in her hand stitching is very fine and unbelievably beautiful! Come and learn from a truly motivational artist.
Coreen Zerr — Nanaimo, BC
Workshops: 2008-25
Coreen began quilting in 1991 and in 1993 a Guild challenge inspired her to create her first original landscape
and so began her journey of creating original pictorial and thread painted fibre art quilts. In 1999 she began teaching
and encouraging students to discover the artist within themselves. www.coreenzerr.com