Teacher Bios

 

Cherilyn Braun-Fontana  - Dexter, MI

Cherilyn teaches at her studio in Dexter, MI (www.basketweaving.biz), and for local and state basketry groups.  2007 was her first year teaching at the Stowe Basketry Festival in Vermont.  She is the President and Co-founder of the Ann Arbor Area Weavers’ Guild and was invited to teach basket weaving techniques for a special Fiber Arts Series at Washtenaw Community College.  A winner of several awards, Cherilyn gets great satisfaction from sharing her knowledge of basket weaving with others.

 

Jo Campbell-Amsler  - Monticello, IA

Jo has been using willow in her basketry work for the past twenty-five years and specializes in using rib-style techniques.  She works from her studio in Monticello, IA, teaching her craft and selling her pieces throughout the United States.  While most of her baskets are functional, she is non-traditional in her approach to using found objects from nature in her work and likes to push the willow to form some sculptural aspects,  often creating" one-of-a-kind" baskets.

 

Jill Choate  -  Trapper Creek, AK

Jill made her way to Alaska in 1984, where she divides her day between mushing her sled dogs and creating some exceptional basketry.  Jill’s work has been exhibited in several national exhibitions. Her basketry has been included in the book "Baskets a Book for Makers and Collectors" and awarded best in round reed construction for her submission "Hornocopia" in the Northeast Basketmakers and Guilford Handcraft Center exhibit entitled "Baskets 2002: New Perspectives on an Ancient Tradition".  She has been the Keynote speaker at the Indiana Basketmakers Convention and regularly tours the Lower-48 states during the summer months.

   

JoAnn Kelly Catsos - Ashley Falls, MA

JoAnn Kelly Catsos is a black ash splint basketmaker and teacher from MA.  She and her husband Steve process the splint and make all of the molds, handles and rims needed for the baskets.  Weaving for 24 years, JoAnn teaches and exhibits nationally.  Her award-winning baskets are in private and public collections and many publications, including “500 Baskets”.  JoAnn is a recipient of the Certificate of Excellence in Basketmaking from the Handweavers Guild of America.

 

Julie Kleinrath - Lebanon, OH

Julie began weaving in 1990 when she enrolled in a basket class.  Instantly loving the comradery, she began taking every class she could find, reading all the books about baskets in the library and experimenting like crazy.  Julie began teaching around the country in 1995 and has formed her company Woven Designs to sell her unique bases and patterns.  Julie and her farther  have designed over 40 bases together.  Julie’s cousin Debi and Debi’s husband Paul make most of the wood tie ons, and Julie’s sister Amy cuts many of the kits.  Behind the scenes is Julie’s husband Art who is the webmaster for Julie’s website as well as chief hauler and booth watcher at the conferences.

 

Nancy Matthews - Clarksville, TN

A professional educator for over 35 years, Nancy’s passion is teaching.  Her sister taught her to weave baskets, but she was not hooked until she made her first rib basket.  She enjoys dying her own reed, weaving all types of rib baskets and designing new variations.  For her, the best part is watching students enjoy learning new techniques and creating baskets that make them happy.

 

Pam Talsky - Waterford, WI

It started with a pine needle basket in June of 1994.  Pam has since traveled to Thailand with the Royalwood tour and has made 9 trips to Alaska since 1998, to learn Pine Needle Basketry and Native Haida weaving.  She also goes to harvest and prepare her own western red and Alaskan yellow cedar barks and Sitka spruce root.  Pam won the AMB Best Coiled for General Membership in 2003, the Teachers awards for both Coiled and Naturals in 2004, for Coiled in 2005, and for both Coiled and Art Piece in 2006.  In 2001 she donated 3 weeks and over 200 hours of time to weave a family of willow Tepees for the Ronald McDonald house, which are still used by the kids today.

 

Marilyn Wald - Riga, MI

Owner of XYZ Basket Works, Marilyn has bee weaving since 1988.  Marilyn began teaching in 1989 with two students.  XYZ Basket Works was formed in 1992.  At this time, Marilyn began teaching at conventions, guilds and workshops around the US and Canada.  Marilyn has been featured in Basket Bits Magazine and Just Patterns.  The students make teaching basketry special for her.  It is rewarding seeing the look of a beginner as she or he completes their basket.