Erin Wilaby
Erin Wilaby (they/them) is a botany technician who has worked with the U.S. Forest Service and an artist with a deep love for tactile materials such as ceramics, fiber arts, and origami, as well as playing with color. Originally from Minnesota, Erin has lived in several places across the country and internationally, developing a deep…
Read More...Kaitlin Wadley
Kaitlin Wadley is a lifelong Midwesterner whose life can be divided into two halves: growing up in Lafayette, Indiana, and later settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she currently resides. Curious by nature and always eager to learn, Kaitlin is a multidisciplinary artist working in drawing, painting, embroidery, knitting, printmaking, and beadwork. Her influences include High…
Read More...Joe Manthei
Joe Manthei began leathercrafting in 2011, starting with bookmarks made from fish leather. In 2019, he began tanning his own fish skins in response to growing interest in locally sourced fish leather. Joe has taught wallet-making and handbound journal classes and continues to share his craft through teaching. Although retired, he still works as a…
Read More...Jess Lindell
Jess Lindell has been painting watercolor pet portraits for over 20 years, earning multiple State Fair ribbons and a feature on Twin Cities Live. She was first introduced to the magic of watercolor by her aunt Meridith and quickly fell in love with the medium. Her mother’s work as a veterinary technician later opened the…
Read More...Riley Kleve
Riley Kleve is a nonbinary textile artist and educator creating interactive, collaborative work in community-led settings. Their practice in weaving, handspinning, and embroidery draws from history to imagine a queerer future for textiles. They have taught fiber classes of all sizes, from biweekly library gatherings to large dusk-to-dawn community arts festivals. Riley is a 2025…
Read More...Miriam Khanan
Miriam Khanan began dipping their own beeswax Shabbat candles in 2019 after noticing that most Jewish candles are machine-made from paraffin wax, a petroleum product. Today, they make thousands of Chanukah, Shabbat, and non-denominational candles each year. A novice beekeeper, Miriam also sources wax from the St. Croix River Valley. Miriam loves sharing the meditative…
Read More...Linda Johnson-Morke
Linda Johnson-Morke is a shepherd who has been felting for many decades. Her background in engineering has deepened her curiosity and understanding of the felting process. Over the years, she has raised more than 10 different breeds of sheep and has traveled widely to teach and study feltmaking. Her travels include New Zealand, as well…
Read More...Maeve Gathje
Maeve Gathje is an artist, craftsperson, and educator from Rochester, Minnesota. A third-generation woodworker, Maeve focuses on material intelligence and storytelling through her work with wood, stone, leather, paper, and other traditional materials. She was first introduced to Scandinavian handcraft by Harley Refsal at Luther College in 2013 and completed her Master of Fine Arts…
Read More...Sarah Bober
Sarah Bober graduated from St. Olaf College with a major in Fine Arts. She works in several mediums and specializes in Art Clay, a clay form of silver that she has been working with since 2007. Sarah teaches a variety of techniques, including metal clay, kumihimo, paper quilling, and metal-stamped jewelry.
Read More...Winna Bernard
Winna Bernard is a self-taught textile artist and lifelong gardener. She grew up learning to sew and garden in the St. Croix Valley, where her love for working with plants and fabric first took root. Botanical printing uses natural dyes from plants and flowers to create beautiful, organic designs. Winna works with a technique called…
Read More...Greg Kraft
Originally from North Dakota, Greg Kraft worked as a prison therapist while pursuing art through carving and sculpture in a wide range of materials, including ice at the St. Paul Winter Carnival. His work spans silver, bone, metal, antler, wood, leather, stone, and scrimshaw. Greg has over 10 years of experience teaching welding classes and…
Read More...Kirsten Aune
Kirsten Aune is a textile designer who handcrafts her work using silkscreen and stenciling techniques. She combines her love of color, pattern, and making by designing and sewing functional pieces for everyday use. Kirsten also shares her creative process through teaching, guiding others in hands-on textile and sewing projects. A graduate of the School of…
Read More...Melinda and Jared Hoke
Residents of Marine over generations, Melinda and Jared pursue many active interests. With a love of the outdoors, history, the arts and philanthropy, you can find them leading bike tours, public speaking about Minnesota’s parks and performing music together. Learning to play bridge at the Folk School brought them not only a new life-skill, but…
Read More...Meena Mangalvedhekar
Meena Mangalvedhekar is a MN-based artist and woodworking instructor passionate about sharing the craft as a tool for creativity, mindfulness, and connection. Meena’s teaching practice focuses on empowering students of all backgrounds to explore woodworking fundamentals. Her approach blends tradition and innovation, encouraging hands-on learning and fostering community through craft. Meena’s classes emphasize the meditative…
Read More...Sue Gavin
Sue Gavin is a retired physical therapist with over 30 years of experience in the field. She draws on her deep understanding of anatomy and movement to teach an accessible-for-all style of yoga that supports students of every level. With more than 35 years of experience leading movement and exercise practices, Sue is dedicated towards…
Read More...Steven Van Houten
Steven Van Houten is a longtime bluegrass musician with a deep love for folk, Americana, and traditional bluegrass music. He brings years of performance and songwriting experience to his teaching, guiding students through the craft of writing songs in the folk tradition. Steven is a returning instructor, having previously taught one of the community’s favorite…
Read More...Michael Karns
Michael is the author of Untamed Mushrooms and an educator with over 30 years of experience exploring the world of fungi. A passionate forager, there’s no place he’d rather be than in the woods searching for mushrooms—unless it’s in the woods chasing birds. When he’s not hunting for fungi, Michael is an avid birder who…
Read More...Alex Schmelig
Alex Schmelig, originally from Warsaw, Poland, has lived in Stillwater since 1998, where she works at River Market Co-op. Her cooking blends old-world Polish flavors with a modern appreciation for seasonal, local, and sustainable foods. Whether preparing pierogi by hand or simmering a pot of bigos, Alex shares not only her recipes but also the…
Read More...Margo Novak
Margo Novak has been creating and professionally selling jewelry for over 20 years. What began as a creative outlet during her career as a school counselor and teacher has grown into a deeply fulfilling craft in her retirement. She enjoys working with all types of metals and gemstones to design one-of-a-kind pieces for clients who…
Read More...Stephen Mickolajak
Stephen Mickolajak is a 41-year-old self-taught greenwood carver who specializes in carving mugs, spoons, and small bowls. While this will be his first time teaching in a formal setting, he has shared his skills through demonstrations and one-on-one carving sessions. Stephen brings a passion for traditional handcraft and a love for working with wood to…
Read More...Petra Guenthner-Johnson
Petra Guenthner Johnson is a fiber artist who lives and works near the Kinnickinnic River in River Falls, Wisconsin. She studied art at the University of Wisconsin–Superior from 1998 to 2001 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts from North Dakota State University in 2003. Petra believes that art has the transformative power…
Read More...Megan Connors
Megan Connors is an Early Childhood and Special Education teacher with a deep passion for the outdoors and early childhood development. She currently leads nature-based parenting classes on local trails and in outdoor spaces, helping families connect with the natural world. Megan’s goal is to support parents and encourage time spent outdoors with young children,…
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