Instructors
Lizzie Christian
Lizzie Christian is a self-taught printmaker based in Minneapolis. She runs a one-woman art business under the name Rare Press, and focuses on blockprints, painting, and textiles. She loves sharing the joy of blockprinting with others through local workshops as well as through her Patreon community. Plants, portraits, and patterns are themes that weave through…
Read MoreNeeka Jackson
Ruled by fire and fueled by passion & action, Neeka Jackson (she/her) is always the firstto question how and why. When she first learned about Tufting, she had many questions.At the end of said questioning, she devoted herself to the art of rug-making. Neeka is apassionate Tufting artist, is in charge of her own rug…
Read MoreMandora Young
“I was born in Vientiane, Laos. I came to the United States in 1979 as a refugee to California. Ilearned Hmong embroidery from both my mother and grandmother who are skilled in cross-stitching, reverse applique, and story cloth stitching. I enjoy teaching Hmong embroidery tostudents, adults, and anyone who wants to learn about Hmong paj…
Read MoreAlex Yerks
Alex Yerks is a self taught traditional wood carver focused on what he calls items of “kitchenalia” or “kitchen sloyd.” His wide range of expertise in making traditional craft objects includes hewn bowls, spoons & utensils, cups, shrink pots, wooden sculptures, forging his own carving tools, and helping other tool makers design long lost tools…
Read MoreJoAnne Sabin
JoAnne has been a beekeeper since 2005 and a beekeeping instructor and speaker for over a dozen years. She is a member and librarian for the Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association (MHBA) and a member and on the Board of Directors for the Honey Bee Club of Stillwater. She is also an avid gardener and photographer and…
Read MoreLia Falls
Lia Falls is a singer and songwriter who has been leading a community song circle in St Croix Falls, Wisconsin for the past 8 years. She teaches Full Voice, Vocal Playground, and Yoga of the Voice in classes and as a private vocal coach. Lia is dedicated to sharing the aural tradition of spreading songs, and to the conviction that singing is everyone’s birthright…
Read MoreGigi Nauer
Gigi Nauer is a life-long Minnesotan. She was raised in a family of musicians and has spent a lifetime playing, singing, and teaching. When she was six, Gigi found a ukulele and a picture book of chords. That was all she needed to figure out her first chord, and she was hooked. Decades later, she…
Read MorePhil Moody
Phil discovered spoon carving about 5 years ago, just in time for a global pandemic. While not forgetting about spoons his focus has shifted after seeing some pictures of Scandanavian knutkorg baskets. Drawn to crafts that are challenging yet easily accessible (few tools and easily scavenged materials) the knutkorg basket fits these strict requirements. Like many crafters, Phil…
Read MoreCharlie Prokop
Charlie has been making flutes for over 15 years. An avid woodturner, currently the President of the Minnesota Woodturners Association, he has demoed the making of flutes in multiple venues and taught many classes on how these beautiful instruments are constructed.
Read MoreSharon Knutson
I have crafted most of my life. I started embroidering fish on burlap at my grandma’s house when I was little. I’ve dabbled in many things along the way, embroidery, crewel, needlepoint, cross stitch, and quilting among others. Knitting and spinning have been my primary focus for many years now. There is something about spinning…
Read MoreAlycen Brothen
Alycen Brothen is an embroidery and rug hooking artist from Minnesota. She is a passionate learner of handcrafts who has been needleworking since childhood. She believes in embracing the process, turning mistakes into happy accidents, and having fun.
Read MoreLynn Berens
Lynn Berens is an avid crafter and gardener. She enjoy sewing, needle felting, counted cross stitch, and embroidery. Lynn loves to grow natives, annuals, perennials, and vegetables. She harvest seeds from most of my plants every fall. Lynn is a retired elementary school Librarian and teacher. Lynn’s work can be found on Etsy: Bloomandgrowmn
Read MoreChristine Shoemaker
Christine Shoemaker is a certified ANFT Forest Therapy guide from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). She has been a resident of Oakdale for 5 years and grew up in the surrounding area. Christine is the founder of Sky Meets Water Forest Therapy LLC.
Read MoreJanice Hunton
West-African Drumming Ensemble Janice Hunton taught at the Perpich Center for Arts Education for 27 years and lead the African Drumming Ensemble there for 15 years. She studied West-African music at the University of St. Thomas, Hamline University, and has traveled two times to the Dagara Music Center in Ghana.
Read MoreChristen Pentek
Christen (they/them) is a fiber artist creating practical pieces from the earth for over 25 years. Their art includes found and natural elements, nature, and sustainable methods. They work predominantly with wools and fibers made in Minnesota’s fibershed, including wolf; as part of the wolf pack, they’ve had the privilege of working with fiber shed…
Read MoreBeth Mercer
Beth is largely self taught band weaver (using books and online videos) through she has benefited by taking classes from visiting instructors and participating in special interest groups at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. She is a retired database administrator who has a passion for fiber arts including wool processing and spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing…pretty…
Read MoreEric Berglund
Eric teaches our broom-making classes. From Eric: “After forty years in the commercial construction industry, retirement has given me the opportunity to embrace craft. I discovered I have a passion for broom tying and basket weaving. Crafting brings me so much joy, it’s my happy place!”
Read MoreBecky Utecht
Becky raises sheep and makes fiber art, specializing in feltmaking. Using the wool from her flock of sheep, she creates two- and three-dimensional felt art pieces including wall art, garments, accessories, rugs, and vessels. Felting combines her love of animals and nature with her passion for art. She enjoys teaching and sharing the magic of…
Read MoreLiesl Chatman
Liesl Chatman is a spoon carver, kolroser, and teacher. Her kolrosed spoons have been exhibited at the American Swedish Institute and the Vesterheim Museum, and she has taught kolrosing, spoon carving, and given demonstrations at North House Folk School in Grand Marais MN, ASI and Fireweed in Minneapolis, the Spoon Gathering in Milan MN, Greenwoodfest in…
Read MoreCarson Gross
Carson is a wild-food enthusiast and educator. His fascination with fungi began in Western Pennsylvania, when a friend showed him a bright orange chicken-of-the-woods mushroom. He was immediately hooked and set out to learn everything he could about foraging for mushrooms, an obsession that continues to today. Carson joined the Western PA Mushroom Club in…
Read MoreLeah Moss
Leah Moss-Parham is an Ayurvedic Practitioner with an MS in Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine from the Maharishi International University. She is a member of the Maharishi Ayurvedic Association of America and holds a professional Practitioner of Ayurveda Certification from the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, NAMA. She owns her own Ayurvedic practice, Simply Veda LLC located…
Read MoreChiaki O’Brien
Chiaki O’Brien is a SAORI Leaders Committee Certificate recipient. She began SAORI Weaving in 1996 in Japan. She worked as an instructor for the SAORI head office/school in Japan before moving to Minnesota in 2004. She’s been teaching a variety of ages and abilities at schools (including special education classes), at facilities for people with…
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