Faculty (
* denotes a Minnesotan!)
JoAnn Belling
www.joannbelling.com
JoAnn has enjoyed the sewing machine since she began producing her own
clothes at age 12. She has taught a variety of classes in the United
States and Japan. Her finest work has been reproduced in national publications.
JoAnn has received Best of Show and other ribbons on her quilts at the
Iowa State Fair and other competitions. A total of 7 quilts have hung
at Paducah as well as other national quilt shows. Concepts of color and
composition which JoAnn uses in her photographic art are applied to the
designing of quilts, borders and quilt back art.
Wendy Butler Berns
www.wendybutlerberns.com
Wendy is a published, award-winning quilt artist who discovered her passion
for quilting in 1993. Since 1997, she has taught and lectured about the
art of quilting at many conferences, guilds and retreats across the country.
Her work appears regularly in juried shows and galleries as well as in
private collections both nationally and internationally. Wendy’s
original art quilts are noted for their bold use of color, unusual fabrics
and combinations of several unconventional techniques.
Barbara Broshous
http://2bara.com
Barbara has been a committed quilter for over 20 years and has been an
NQA-certified quilt judge for the most recent of these. She has produced
a number of award-winning quilts, pursued her dream of becoming a nationally
certified quilt show judge, and -- most recently -- to design 3-D applique
patterns. She enjoys teaching her techniques to others through lectures
and workshops all across the country and around the world. Her work has
been in several quilting magazines.
Susan Cleveland*
www.piecesbewithyou.com
Serious fun and lots of information is included in every workshop. Susan’s
techniques are in easy-to-follow steps allowing everyone to achieve fabulous
results. Her quilts have been winning international-level competitions
since 1997 where judges comment on her fine workmanship and appreciate
her original style. She bases her designs on traditional patterns then
adds specialty threads, prairie points, piping, and great binding techniques.
Susan has appeared on several TV and internet shows and is the inventor
of the Groovin’ Piping Trimming Tool.
Kate Eelkema*
keelkema@comcast.net
Kate Eelkema, an elementary school media specialist, lives in St.Paul.
She enjoys combining her background in education with her love of quilting
to help others create their own works of art. A National Quilt Association
Certified Judge, she judges quilt shows, teaches quiltmaking workshops,
gives lectures about various aspects of quilting and always has quilts
hanging on the walls of her library.
Lynne Erbach
lynne@interbach.com
Lynne, a National Quilting Association Certified Judge, has been involved
in quiltmaking and needlework for more than 17 years and has been judging
for 10 years at local, regional and national shows. Lynne has taught
numerous courses in quilt making techniques and design.
She was the NQA Certified Judge Program Coordinator from 2006-2008. As
a teacher Lynne encourages quiltmakers to learn new techniques, while
always appreciating the past.
Daphne Greig
www.daphnegreig.com
Daphne Greig lives and works in North Saanich, British Columbia. She
has taught extensively. She has co-authored four quilting books, designed
over 100 published patterns, and regularly writes articles for quilting
magazines. Daphne teaches internationally and online at Quilt University.com.
Her work has been exhibited in Canada and the United States.
Dianne S. Hire
alternatives@gwi.net
Dianne S. Hire of Northport, Maine, is known primarily as a quiltmaker,
lecturer, instructor, and author who speaks the language of vibrant color.
Dianne’s innovative designs have been awarded all over the USA
and exhibited internationally; her works appear in major publications
and corporate collections. Students describe Dianne’s classes as
uniquely fun and exciting as she encourages creative freedom bordering
on fabric mayhem.
Sandi Irish*
www.irishchain.com
Sandi has been quilting for 20 years, teaching, working in quilt shops,
designing quilts and doing commissioned works. She has always preferred
creating her own designs and adapting traditional quilts to fit her style.
In 2003 she started Irish Chain Pattern Company. All her patterns are
rotary cut and machine pieced. They are easy enough for beginners yet
give more advanced quilters a chance to sharpen piecing skills, play
with color and just have fun.
Lyric Kinard
www.lyrickinard.com
Lyric Kinard is an artist with a serious addiction to fabric. Her award-winning
wall quilts and wearable works of art are a product of her need and passion
to create order and beauty while living a chaotic life as the mother
of young children. She often says that her art is the only thing she
does that is not undone by the end of the day. She loves to share her
joy in the process of transforming plain fabric into a work of art.
Susan Purney Mark
www.patchworkstudio.com
Since taking her first quilting class over 20 years ago, quilting has
been a very important part of Susan’s life. Her studies have included
intensive design courses, as well as quilting techniques, history, fibre
and dyeing workshops. Susan and her business partner have formed Patchworks
Studio, a quilt pattern company. She has coauthored four books. Susan
has taught classes at all levels and students have described her classes
as informative, fun and inspiring.
Kathy McNeil
www.kathymcneilquilts.com
Kathy McNeil, a quilt artist, teacher, judge and designer is passionate
about the health benefits of creativity. A registered nurse for 35 years,
events from her life inspire her pictorial quilted paintings. Kathy loves
traveling and teaching nationally about the creative process. She exhibits
widely in international competition and has won many awards. Her quilts
are frequently featured in museums, magazines, calendars and the AQS
web site. Many of her quilts are in private collections.
Minnesota Quilt Project (MQP)
www.mnquilt.org
MQP is a standing committee of Minnesota Quilters, Inc. The mission of
MQP is to identify and document quilts both privately and publicly held,
that have a Minnesota connection. MQP published Minnesota Quilts, Creating
Connections our Past, which is available at major bookstores, quilt stores
and on-line.
Anita Shackelford
www.thimbleworks.com
Anita is an internationally recognized teacher and lecturer who loves
combining appliqué and fine hand quilting to create new quilts
in 19th century style. Her work and antique quilts from her collection
have been featured in several gallery and museum exhibits. Her quilts
have been exhibited in many shows. Books and quilting tools are marketed
under her own business name, Thimble Works. She is a quilt judge, certified
by NQA.
George Siciliano
www.georgesiciliano.com
George is a former United States Marine. In September of 1997 he took
up quilting. (his wife’s passion). He decided to specialize in
variations of the ‘log cabin’ block because he saw the endless
design possibilities. He currently has over 150 different variations
of this block on his computer data base. He has won numerous competitions.
Virginia Siciliano has been quilting for over 20 years. She enjoys taking
traditional patterns and using them in unique ways. She has a wonderful
color sense and finds that each quilt she makes challenges this sense.
She is part of the fast dying breed of quilters who feel that hand quilting
is the most exciting and fulfilling part of the quilting process. She
is nationally recognized for her beautiful hand quilting.
Cindy Thury Smith*
www.quiltsbycts.com
Cindy Thury Smith has been making quilts for over 40 years. She began
teaching while in college in the pre-rotary cutter days. In addition
to designing and writing, she enjoys making crazy quilts (using novelty
fabrics) and sane quilts using dozens of fabrics (the better to slash
your stash). She teaches around the U.S. and at Quilt University.
Tricia Spitzmueller*
Tricia has taught in the US and abroad for the last 20 years. Her colorful,
award winning quilts and dolls have shown at more than 90 venues. She
is the recipient of the prestigious 2007 Jewel Pearce Patterson Scholarship
awarded to one teacher internationally. Tricia is known for her classes
on creativity and delights in teaching and supporting students as they
explore their “inner landscape.”
Susan Stein*
www.colorfulquilts.com
Susan started quilting in 1977. She has been president and show chair
for Minnesota Quilters, and was Minnesota Quilter of the Year in 2003.
Susan has written several books. She has taught locally and nationally.
She co-owned a quilt shop from 1980-85 and Colorful Quilts and Textiles
since 1995 and delights in getting other people obsessed with her passion
for quilting and surface design.
Carol Schwankl*
Carol is a long-time member of Minnesota Quilters. She has won several
awards for her quilts, including many for her machine quilting work.
Larkin Jean Van Horn
www.larkinart.com
Larkin Van Horn is a mixed-media textile artist working in the areas
of art quilts, beadwork, wearable art, and liturgical art. Larkin wants
her work to have as much interest for the fingertips as for the drama.
Hence, the decision to work with fabric, fiber, beads, and found objects.
She is also drawn to the alchemy and serendipity of dyeing and painting
her own fabrics and yarns to create her “paintbox” of unique
materials.
Barb Vlack
www.barbvlack.com
Barb has become internationally known for her work using her computer
for designing her quilts. The Electric Quilt Company has published books
written by Barb to supplement their manuals. She is currently writing
a tips and tricks book to accompany EQ6. Barb has taught nationally.
She labels her style of quilt designing as “innovative traditional,” because
she loves to take traditional patterns and make them look new and different.
EQ helps her do this.
Cathy Wierzbicki
www.timetoquilt.com
Cathy Wierzbicki has been quilting for over 10 years. She has written
several books, designed numerous patterns and created time-saving acrylic
tools and rulers. Cathy lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys sharing
her quilting knowledge through workshops, retreats and quilting cruises.
