Warped Weaver's Studio

Artist Biography

I started working with and selling fiber related products at a very young age. My first step into this field was 40 years ago when I wove pot holders on a small frame loom and sold them door to door in my neighborhood.

In 1994 I traded a kiln for a loom and started producing rugs. Once I found weaving I was “hooked” and went on to further my skills by learning how to weave on triangle looms, producing wonderful shawls. After a few years of producing rugs and shawls I had built up enough stock to start selling. I sold my products for 2 years in a friendly fresh market in down town Tampa. It was sitting in this market every Saturday that I found I had a knack for teaching. Every week I would have a number of students sitting in my booth learning how to weave and creating wonderful hand made fiber projects.

After two years in Tampa I made the decision to make Fiber Arts my full time business. I returned to my native state of Michigan. Finding a wonderful, welcoming community in Battle Creek.

I have taught at Community Inclusive Recreation Art Studio, Battle Creek Art Center, various fiber guilds and gatherings and in my own home studio. My studio in Battle Creek has 6 floor looms, 2 table looms, many frame looms and now my new PVC looms for teaching. I have two rooms in my home dedicated to just fiber, my living room only has 2 available chairs, TV, Video rack and the rest is looms and loom benches. If you want to come to visit you may have to sit on a loom bench, but, that is not all bad because at any given time there are rugs to be woven.

This year (2008) I am embarking on a new journey. I am creating three new product lines. The first is, cutting and selling rug weaving strips out of reclaimed materials. This is a collaborative project with Goodwill Industries. The Second is a mixed skill PVC Loom and the third is mixed skill Fiber Arts Craft Kit. These projects will be a collaborative effort with Goodwill Industries. Combining my skills in Fiber Arts, with Goodwill’s workforce and reclaimed materials, has proven to be a wonderful collaboration. With the help from the Arts in Industry Grant I recieved I will be able to make my dream come true.

As of 2009 I am working on a collaborative with the CIR, ETC Arts studio. We are working on a quilting studio. The participants in this studio will gain basic quilting skills but more important they will also gain the business skills needed to start their own Arts related business. At the end of 2 years the participants should be able to start their own business if they would like to. While in the studio the students will be forming their own production company and sharing in the profits.

Five years ago I made the decision scale my life back and live stress free. It has been tough but, I am having the time of my life.

The Warped Weaver's Studio

Is a great place to hang out, either on line or at the studio. There are always new products being added. Rugs to Weave. Kits to play with.