Instructor Biographies

Rudy Amann’s teaching career began while he was in high school and college, teaching weaving at a summer camp. After college graduation he taught mathematics for twenty years and was a school administrator for fifteen years. When approaching retirement, Rudy learned spinning and nalbinding. His spinning mentor was Priscilla Gibson-Roberts and he learned nålbinding from Kate Martinson. He now lives on the coast of Maine, where he substitutes in the local high school, is a mediator for Community Mediation Services, and is Chair of the Board of Directors of Friends School of Portland.

Sue Black, originally from Illinois, has lived in Sweden, Maine for almost 30 years where she and her husband, Sam, have been working on their 190 year old connected farmhouse. Her main interests include early textiles and the tools used to produce them. She has demonstrated at several historical sites as well as making hats and other items for reenactors . There is always something new to try. She has taught workshops on Kumihimo, cardweaving, inkle weaving, luceting, spinning and 4 harness weaving for the past several years. What she pleases her most is the opportunity to share her interests and skills with others

Janet Conner is an avid rug maker who has exhibited at the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, Maine, at the Portland Public Library, and the Local Color Art Gallery in Cornish.  Her work was accepted in Philadelphia at the juried Moore College of Art Alumnae Exhibition of  2004.  The same year she had a solo show at the Maine Fiber Arts Center in Topsham, Maine.  2005 exhibitions included a solo retrospective at the Bridgton Arts Guild Gallery and The Point Comfort Fiber Arts Gallery in Waldoboro, Maine. She is a member of  the Saco Valley Fiber Artists, Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild, and the Maine Education Association. Recently selected as one of the 200 Best Traditional American Craftsmen by Early American Life Magazine’s jury of curators from Historic Williamsburg, Sturbridge Village, and Shelburne Museum, Janet continues to find her greatest joy in teaching and sharing rug hooking with others. Her latest venture has been the design of antique reproduction Penny Rugs. www.jconnerhookedrugs.com

Michelle DeLucia has an MA in Clay/Pottery from Skidmore College but is more widely known in this area for her work as a full-time garden designer and owner of Sunshine Daydream Farm & Gardens and as a talented fiber artist. She has taken many classes over the years with prominent fiber artists and teaches a variety of fiber-related classes at her studio and at a number of fiber events and also travels to other states to teach. Always taking the organic approach she especially enjoys the process of natural dyeing from growing and harvesting the plants to creating the range of colors that only plants can give. She lives in Brownfield, ME with a collection of different breed sheep, rescued goats, Angora rabbits and a few other non-fiber animals. www.sunshinedaydreamgardens.com  

Rikki Gallagher is a creative woman who gives free range to her imagination. Her rug hooking designs and all her artistic work is full of whimsy and rich in color and detail. As an energetic and imaginative teacher of children Rikki brings out the best in their work by letting them understand that they all have talent within just waiting to bloom in whatever pursuit they follow. She hooks, she knits, she spins, she dyes and takes great delight in sharing her wonder of it all.

Rose Ann Hunter lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She has been interested in Needle Arts for the past 50 years and has been teaching workshops for the past 20 years. In 2005 she was chosen as Craftperson in Residence at Sturbridge Village and is still teaching and demonstrating in the village. Chosen to teach at several other living history museums, Rose Ann lectures to historical societies, guilds, and conferences throughout New England and beyond. She has adapted and developed over 30 different techniques for traditional rug making.

Heather Kerner has been making felt for about seven years, a craft that captured her attention and passion. She specializes in making unique felted wool vessels and sculpture for finer galleries and craft shows throughout the United States. She works professionally as a pediatric occupational therapist. Initially self-taught Heather learned additional techniques from internationally known instructors at American Felter’s Flings in 2003 and 2005. Her work was included in Carol Cypher’s book, “How We Felt”. Currently she is exploring the use of felt to make functional handbags, sculptural hats, and bird forms in addition to her signature vessels with their embellished coiled wire rims. Her juried work is carried by many fine galleries in New England, is exhibited at the New York Sheep & Wool Festival, and at River Roads Artisans Gallery in Skowhegan, Maine which she co-founded. www.spiralworksfelt.com

Roberta McClellan is a multi-talented person. She has been weaving New England splint baskets for about 20 years and is juried with the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. In addition to the many styles of baskets she makes, Bert is a spinner, knitter and dyer with a good sized flock of sheep. Her animals and her garden give her great satisfaction. She participates as a vendor and demonstrator at many New England fairs and events with her husband, Bob, a Shaker broom squire.

Leslie Samson lives in Brantford, Ontario, Canada on a small farm with Angora rabbits and Border Collies. She has co-authored Completely Angora, a reference book in its 6^th printing, which has sold in over 45 countries worldwide. She holds a BA in Fine Arts and has had 25 years teaching experience traveling coast to coast, including Convergence held in Cincinnati in 2000. She has written for several textile magazines such as Spin-Off, Fiberfest and Fiber Focus. Leslie has been featured in Country Woman magazine, CBC-TV Country Report and the Linda McPhee Show. She has designed her own felting tools including a sizeable hat form and a felting needle holder for the craftsperson. She is the current President of the International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders. www.lesliesamson.com

Connie Schmotzer-Fletcher began studying fiber arts during her college years at San Francisco State University in California. She owns Seven Gables, a rug hooking business in her home, and specializes in hooking for the traditional or country home. She draws her patterns on primitive linen and hooks with 100% wool in colors reminiscent of the colors that are found in early textiles. Designs are hooked in a “primitive style” using wider strips and simpler patterns. In 2005 Connie was honored to be chosen by a panel of 20 jurors as one of the top 200 craftspeople working with traditional tools and techniques by Early American Life magazine. www.sevengablesrughooking.com

Linda Whiting grew up in a creative atmosphere, always “making things”, and has worked in a variety of mediums but her love of color brought her back to fiber. In addition to learning new techniques herself she most enjoys meeting new people and encouraging them to take pleasure in the fiber arts. In addition to teaching workshops designed to help people feel comfortable using color she demonstrates spinning, dyeing, and tapestry weaving at fiber events in Maine and New Hampshire and in schools, at fairs and local historical sites. She owns two sheep, enough to keep her in fiber. www.pinestarstudio.com

Leslie Wind has been a jeweler since the late 1960's.  Working in gold, sterling and bronze, she fabricates jewelry with a purpose beyond just being beautiful, often incorporating symbols of the wearer’s choosing to enhance the meaning beyond adornment.  She also recycles old 14k gold (in the form of broken chains, single earrings etc) into one of a kind jewelry from customer photos or ideas.  She is a member of the Cape Ann Artisans  and works from her home/studio in Rockport, MA. Where and sings locally with Three Sheets to the Wind, a sea shanty group and The Songbirds whose current focus is Doo Wop and Oldies. www.lesliewind.com

Julie Yarbrough is a trained studio artist who has lifted her hand in many artistic endeavors. Her work is greatly influenced by her wild sense of humor and imagination. Ideas percolate at the drop of a word, a flash of color. Always ready with an “off the wall” observation you never know where it will lead her and what wonder it will lead her to create. Julie’s felting tools and felted critters can be found in catalogs and fiber shops. She teaches and demonstrates needle felting and other fiber arts at local events and takes pleasure in flights of fancy. www.kick-the-moon-farm.com