Rachel Payne of Saga Bookbinding, trained at the North Bennet Street School as a bench trained bookbinder and returned home to be a studio bookbinder in the Twin Cities, MN. She makes and repairs books and boxes,  loves do-it-yourself projects, figuring out puzzles, organizing, being in the classroom, and amateur nature photography. 

Randy Gildersleeve has decades of experience playing, teaching, and recording music in many genres. He currently performs with North Shore Trail (bluegrass/acoustic), Saints of Swing (big band jazz), St. Croix Crossings (classic rock), and the Hosanna Lutheran Forest Lake worship band. As a teacher, Randy gives private lessons in guitar, bass, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, and…

Rosetta “Rosie” Peters is a poet, author, public speaker, storyteller, and activist. She is of Yankton, Crow Creek, and Oglala descent and is excited to be a part of the revitalization of her ancestral language, Dakota. Rosie is the recipient of a 2020 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals grant and a 2021…

Ross Safford is a master baker. He has worked largely with at-risk youth and families, getting food to those in need. He currently works with at-risk youth in schools. He is a huge Boston Red Sox fan and loves to sing.  At MMFS, you can often find him teaching with Bryce Johnson, another community-focused baker.

Sara Wait is the founder of Slow Burn, a boutique beeswax candle company based in St. Paul, MN. With a background in mindfulness and sustainable practices, Sara creates handcrafted, locally sourced candles designed to inspire intentional living and a connection to nature. Her workshops invite participants to slow down, learn a timeless craft, and enjoy…

Stephanie Gard Buss is a mixed-media artist living and working in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. She loves working with both natural and vintage items and creating assemblage is her passion.

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…

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…

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…

Twin Cities-based glass artist, Susan Tracy, uses the beauty of her natural surroundings and Scandinavian heritage as inspiration for her art. She uses color and design to represent nature and often embeds natural elements like real leaves and silver in her glass art. Her holiday art features a modern twist on traditional ornaments and decorations.

When Libby Pomroy joined a folk-art class at her daughters’ Korean Saturday school, she was quickly hooked on hanji, Korea’s unique, strong-fibered paper that lends itself beautifully to intricate paper cutting. She shared the craft with friend Kat Wesley, who found it irresistible. Together, they created the Hanji Crew, a small business that teaches hanji…

“I started my woodcraft journey in 2017, fueled by a desire to learn and create handmade, functional, beautiful objects that I could make for my home. There are so many ways craft and creating has made my life richer. I am grateful to have the opportunity to share what I know, be connected and inspired…

Wayne Manthey is a nationally known drum maker and teacher of drum making.  His approach is spiritual, honoring the animals who provided the hides and the trees who donated the wood. “As I started making drums, I was especially interested in the vibration of rawhide and the sound it makes.  Once I was able to…