Workshops :: Instructors 2006
Who was here in 2006? Lots of names you'll recognize! See this year's instructors.
Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival guests have enjoyed meeting instructors from the Sunshine Coast, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and further afield.
Names are listed below in alphabetical order, by surname. Workshop codes are linked in parentheses at the end of each bio.
See past instructors: 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003; 2002; 2001 & earlier.
Venessa Bentley
Workshops: 2006-27
Venessa is a graduate of the Textile Arts Diploma Program at Capilano
College, holds a Bachelor's Degree, a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Fine
Arts Education and a Professional Teaching Certificate from SFU, and is
currently working on her Master Spinner's Certificate through Olds
College, Alberta. She teaches adults and youth in various fibre arts, is
an elementary school teacher, has done knitwear design and construction
work for the film industry, has worked as a subject matter consultant in
needle arts for a local publisher and lives and works in her studio
hideaway in Whytecliffe.
Pat Borecky
Workshops: 2006-15
Pat has been working as a fabric artist for 30 years designing
wearable art and landscape quilts. She has an extraordinary sense of
colour and a flair for combining unusual patterned fabrics. Pat has won
many awards for her work, including the CQA award of excellence in 2002
for her Scraps to Riches vest. She lives in Calgary and we welcome her
to the Sunshine Coast.
Cindy Buis
Workshops: 2006-14
Cindy discovered Fibre Arts while studying at the Nova Scotia College
of Art & Design in Halifax, N.S. She obtained a B.F.A. in 1982. She
owned and operated a picture framing shop in Gibsons Landing from 1984
to 1997. Prior to opening her own shop she worked and taught for two
years in Calgary. Cindy has taught one-day picture framing workshops
many times. We welcome her back to teach with us this year.
Joan Carrigan
Workshops: 2006-1
Joan Carrigan 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 while living on Salt Spring Island, BC. Her work has been
exhibited in international juried shows and she is the recipient of two
Handweavers Guild of America awards.
Betty Caskey
Workshops: 2006-4, 2006-5
Betty, a resident of Olds, Alberta, has been teaching various textile
arts for the last 20 years using silk ribbons, threads, and beading.
Fourteen years ago, she started developing kits, patterns and videos
that use the techniques she teaches in her classes. Betty believes that
everyone is creative, and inspires her students to try something new and
different.
Nancy Climie
Workshops: 2006-18
Nancy has been a popular Instructor of quilting and sewing for twenty
years. Until her move to the Sunshine Coast, BC, in 2003 that teaching
was primarily in the Markham and Toronto areas. She teaches for shops,
guilds, Creative Sewing Needlework Festival in Toronto and Sewing and
Crafts Shows in Victoria and Abbotsford. We welcome her back to teach
with us this year.
Lee Croy
Workshops: 2006-13
Lee is an Australian born painter and printmaker who has taught art
workshops, and has freelanced in graphic design for 15 years. Let her
help you focus on your individual creative ideas. Her original art books
have been exhibited in juried shows in public art galleries.
Will Cummer
Workshops: 2006-35, 2006-36
Will is a local woodworker who has over 30 years experience. His work
has been featured in many newspaper, magazine and television stories. He
enjoys teaching others how to choose and assemble driftwood to make
furniture that is comfortable as well as beautiful. His workshops are
fun and empowering. We welcome him back to teach with us this year.
Wendy Henderson
Workshops: 2006-10,
2006-11
Wendy is a published
designer who is interested in all aspects of knitting from the latest
innovations to the vast heritage available in knitting books. She
teaches regularly at our Festival and at the popular Okanagan and Island
Knitting Retreats. She inspires knitters to try new techniques and
challenges with no 'knitting police' in sight! We welcome her back to
teach with us this year.
Elena Iove
Workshops: 2006-8
www.bestneedleart.com
Elena has loved needlework since childhood. Born in Romania, she
immigrated to Canada 19 years ago. She taught Romanian Point Lace,
crochet, and knitting as a substitute teacher in Romania. In Canada she
has been teaching RPL at shops, lace guilds and demonstrates at
different multicultural events in Vancouver/Lower Mainland. Her designs
have been displayed at different craft shows across Canada. They are
also advertised in Embroiderers Association of Canada magazine and
published in Canadian Lacemaker Gazette.
Freda Jackson
Workshops: 2006-23
Freda began rug hooking
in the early 1990's 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.
Les Józsa
Workshops: 2006-37
Les has been drawing and
painting all his life and discovered the medium of wood in his mature
years. His woodcarvings range from small decorative wall hangings to
water fountains and monumental garden gates. Much of his work reflects
the folk art traditions of his native Hungary. He is a recognized expert
on wood, having published over 150 scientific papers, technical reports
and articles. We welcome him back to teach with us this year.
Gary Kelly
Workshops: 2006-32, 2006-33
Gary is a self-taught wood
turner. Beginning with the purchasing his first woodturning 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.
David C. Kemp
Workshops: 2006-34
David was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. He presently lives in
Spruce Grove, 15 miles west of Edmonton. He considers himself mostly
self-taught. His award winning unique carvings, canes and walking sticks
have been shown in galleries throughout Alberta and are in private
collections around the world. He is a member of a number of woodcarvers'
associations in Canada.
Barbara Kingsland
Workshops: 2006-2
Barbara comes from a family of teachers and artists. She has a degree
in Education and taught in various schools for 25 years. For the last 30
years, she has focused her love of handwork on basket making, the art of
the Abenaki Indians in her heritage. She works with locally harvested
cedar bark and more recently has incorporated copper into her work. She
presently devotes all of her time to basketry and copper work.
Mike Komick
Workshops: 2006-38
www.preferrededge.ca
Mike started work in the metal trade over 37 years ago as a 'Class A'
welder, progressing from welder to instructor and inspector. Wood and
woodworking have been life long hobbies, and when asked a few years ago
to make some chip carving blades, this new hobby soon was to lead to a
full time business. Michael works and lives in Maple Ridge, BC and his
tools are sold locally to select First Nation Artists, as well as
distinctive artists throughout the world. (A retailer in Metten, Germany
is one of his largest customers.) Michael taught this class at Sardis
Secondary School where the students then used their knives in
conjunction with a woodcarving class that followed. We welcome him back
to teach with us this year.
Kathy Lewis
Workshops: 2006-39
Kathy has been a woodworker for the past twenty years. In the 2005
GLFAF juried show she received two awards including the Best
of Show Award and 1st Prize
in Woodworking. She loves to work with beautiful and exotic wood
in creating her unique pieces. She resides in Roberts Creek, BC where
she continues to create artistry in wood.
Linda MacDonald
Workshops: 2006-24
Linda has been a certified member of the Teacher's Branch of the Rug
Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia since 1995, serving as Secretary and
President of that branch. She has also served as Vice President, and
President and is currently the Past President of the Rug Hooking Guild
of Nova Scotia. In 1998 she acquired the perforated stencils and
approximately 300 printed burlaps of the "Bluenose Hooked Rug
Patterns" made famous worldwide by John E. Garrett of New Glasgow,
Nova Scotia. These patterns are her passion and she is still cleaning,
sorting and classifying them.
Doreen MacLauchlan
Workshops: 2006-12
Doreen is an avid textile artist and an active member of the Sunshine
Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild. She learned to knit as a child and has
produced countless sweaters for children and adults, hats and socks. She
has also explored embroidery, cross-stitch, needlepoint and rug hooking
over the years. Doreen is frequently seen knitting two socks at the same
time, on the ferry or at meetings. She has been asked many times to
"show me how you do that". Now you can learn.
Vi McDonald
Workshops: 2006-28, 2006-29
Vi has been a weaver since 1983. She has attended courses in
Vancouver and San Jose. She became fascinated with the intricate design
of Temari, which she now teaches, and shares with others. She has a
major interest in colour combinations, which she puts to use in pyramid
construction (Koma).
Kim McKenna
Workshops: 2006-3
Kim does custom dyeing and textile work for other artists as well as
pursuing her own creative endeavours. She also teaches, helping others
to hone their spinning and dyeing skills and to learn the intricacies of
the dye and the fibre at hand. She lives in Langley, BC and has worked
with Treenway Silks. We welcome her back to teach with us this year.
Diane Matier
Workshops: 2006-9
Diane began making Spirit Dolls in 1997 to restore her energy and
gain insight and peace. She now enjoys sharing this art mediation
process with others through her inspirational workshops and slide
presentations. Students love her stress free and encouraging teaching
style where "Anything goes!"
Joanne Middleton
Workshops: 2006-16, 2006-17
Joanne has been a quilt maker for over 16 years and a teacher for
over 8 years. Most of her workshops focus on techniques. She explores
the best and most accurate ways of piecing. She has exhibited her quilts
in several shows and won many prizes for her excellence in design and
workmanship. Joanne is the owner of Patchwork Schoolhouse near Calgary.
Visit her at www.patchworkschoolhouse.com.
Bonnie Milne
Workshops: 2006-13
Bonnie is an accomplished quilter with extensive interpersonal skills
and teaching experience. While working in the UAE she coordinated a
small group of quilters who shared their expertise with one another.
Victoria Olchowecki
Workshops: 2006-30
Victoria is an experienced and meticulous weaver with a background in
teaching. She has taught beginner weaver and basic weaving skills to
children and adults. Her particular interest is in exploring colour
interaction and the principles of good design.
Linda Pearce
Workshops: 2006-6, 2006-7
Linda is a third generation fibre and textile artist. Painting,
drawing, stitching and creating generally have been a part of her life
from her earliest years. She has been a practicing artist and teacher
for a good part of her adult life. In the past few years, canvas
embroidery has become a fascination and she has pursued its practice
with enthusiasm finding challenge in endless colour combinations. We
welcome her back to teach with us this year.
Katie Rainwater
Workshops: 2006-25
Katie is a McGown certified rug-hooking instructor. She is an
experienced fibre artist who has worked in many different media. She
became a rug hooker after years of working and teaching using a variety
of fibres. Katie is continually learning and teaching, always with an
eye to pushing her creative voice and helping others find theirs. We
welcome her back to teach with us this year.
Tricia Rasku
Workshops: 2006 Olds College Master Spinner Cert. Prog. Level 1
Tricia is a Master Spinner, weaver, felter, dyer, and soap maker who
lives in a ski town in BC. Her only fibre animal is a Samoyed X as - so
she has to buy her supplies, which is welcomed by fibre suppliers and
animal breeders. She is interested in indigenous fibres and plants, and
did her research paper on lichen dyes. She often explores dye sources
while out walking the dog. In the winter lichens and bark show well
against the snow. We welcome Tricia back to the Festival.
Jane Stafford
Workshops: 2006-31
www.saltspring.com/jstafford
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.
Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild
Workshops: 2006-26
This Sunshine Coast 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.
Kathy Tidswell
Workshops: 2006-21, 2006-22
Kathy earned a BSc in Honours Biology from the University of New
Brunswick. Later, she combined quilting and free motion embroidery with
art techniques. She produces thread-painted works of art, wearable art
and quilts and her work has been published nationally and
internationally. She taught at Quilt Canada 2000 in Toronto and 2004 in
Winnipeg. In 2005 she received the Canadian Quilters'
Association/Association Canadienne de la Courtepointe Teacher of the
Year Award. In 1999 she won the Wearable Art Award at the CQA/ACC
National Juried Show and in 2005 received Honourable Mention. Kathy
joins us from Burtts' Corner, N.B.
Gayle Vallance
Workshops: 2006 Olds College Master Spinner Cert. Prog. Level 2
Gayle has been a sheep breeder since 1976, maintaining a flock of
purebred Corriedales on a small farm near Fernie, BC. She has a special
interest in dyeing, weaving, hand carding and spinning hand carded
rolags using the long, unsupported draw. She is a Master Spinner (Olds
College, 1991) and has a Certificate of Excellence in Spinning,
Technical Level (Handweavers Guild of America, 1995). She has also
passed the Basic Level of the Master Weaver Program (Canadian Weavers'
Guild, 1992). She has been published in Spin-Off magazine (Summer 2002,
Fall 2003) and has instructed in several venues including the Master
Spinner Program, HWSDA Conferences, and the North West Regional
Spinners' Association Conference.
Susan Wittrup
Workshops: 2006-20
Susan Wittrup is a quilter and fibre artist who hates to throw
anything fabric away. As a result, she has developed a number of ways to
create her own fabric using the scraps that magically collect around
her. She comes well qualified with such artists Bonny Voice & Judy
Morningstar praising her work.