MEET THE FACULTY

Rachel Atkinson is an EGA certified teacher in canvas who has taught needlework for more than 30 years at local, regional and national levels. She has written four individual and group correspondence courses and has chaired a number of Education Department committees

Linda Chirby is a contemporary artist with her focus on beadwork as her medium. She specializes in peyote, brick, and open weave techniques. She has taught beadwork at national and regional EGA seminars, for various EGA chapters, art centers and private organizations. Her work has appeared in the magazine Needlepoint Now. She has authored and published a book called Fringe Out Your Beaded Projects.

Dawn Donnelly has been involved in some form of needlework for more than 25 years. She enjoys designing and stitching in various methods, mediums, threads and techniques and is always looking for a new way to explore the art. Dawn is a member of both ANG and EGA.

Susan Goodman has taught needlework throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, EGA regional and national seminars, and ANG. Her original embroidery pieces have been exhibited in four national EGA Biennial Exhibits. Susan’s current specialty is creative embroidery design with an emphasis on transfer methods and use of computer photographs.

Dorothy L. Johnson is a designer, teacher, author and lecturer who has been involved in the arts for over 40 years. Her award-winning work, both needlework and painting, has been displayed throughout the U.S. She began her career in Los Angeles in commercial art and design. Dorothy is an EGA and NAN Certified Judge as well as a member of Fiber Forum.

Carole Lake, from Austin, Texas, is an EGA-certified canvas work teacher. She specializes in manipulating common and uncommon threads and stitches to create textured effects on painted canvas, with a special interest in the effect and symbolism of color. Carole has been teaching needlework classes for over twenty years. A native Texan and graduate of Rice University, her enthusiasm for the needle arts has translated into a strong desire to exchange ideas, explore techniques, and share the love of stitching.

Dorothy Lesher, an internationally known designer and teacher, holds teaching certification in canvas from NAN, a master craftsman in canvas from EGA and was awarded a scholarship for the Honors program of NAN. She has served on faculty for EGA, ANG and EAC National Seminars, Callaway Gardens School of Needlearts, the National Academy of Needlearts Assembly, and various regional seminars and individual guilds and chapters of the USA and Canada.

Elsa Parrish is an international teacher, author, artist, lecturer and designer. She has earned Certification I and II through Valentine Museum (N.A.N.), a Senior Master Teacher Credential with ANG and a Certified Graduate Teacher with EGA. She has been on the faculty of national, regional and private seminars as well as numerous other guilds across this country and Canada for the past 21 years. She has served as Chairman of the Master Teacher’s Program for American Needlepoint Guild and on many other national committees.

Lynn Payette is an award winning needle artist who received her art education from professional artist parents. She teaches crewel, mixed media, Brazilian, stumpwork, silk and metal, shisha, crazy quilting, and counted thread to children and adults. Lynn has taught for EGA chapters, regional, and national seminars. She has designed for Janlynn Corp and Ibex Designs and has been published in Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Stitchery, Threads, and Needle Arts, among other magazines.

Sharon Powell is an EGA Master Craftsman in Counted Thread. She has taught workshops at the region and chapter levels and has completed the EGA individual Correspondence Course in Design. She holds degrees from the University of Kansas and retired after 33 years in Food Quality Control Management to establish herself as a needlework teacher.

Sandra Maag Reddell is a certified Senior Master Teacher through ANG and is a certified Master Craftsman in Canvas through EGA. Sandra has taught canvas work, surface stitchery and multi-media since 1981, teaching for ANG and EGA chapters and regions across the country, and at ANG national seminars. She is very interested in research on the role of women in the West, particularly in Texas of those of the Civil War years. Her current topic of research is German women immigrants to the U.S.

Marnie Ritter has taught for over 30 years for national seminars of ANG, EGA, Callaway Gardens as well and Guilds national and international. Her forte is to continuously discover new and innovative techniques that combine many facets of needle art. Marnie is certified in Surface Stitchery from The Council of Embroiderers. She has been a juried member of Fiber Forum, as well as serving as president of the Colorado EGA chapter.

Michele Roberts specializes in historical research, techniques, and gold work. Embroidering since early childhood, she has done ecclesiastical commissions and continues to study in Europe. Michele holds Senior Master Teacher certification from ANG and earned the level of Distinction when she completed her Royal School of Needlework Certification in embroidery techniques. She has taught at many National seminars, including ANG, EGA, NAN, and Callaway Gardens and written correspondence courses for ANG and EGA. Her work has been featured in Needlepointers, Needlepoint Now and Needle Arts.

Dakota Rogers has taught for the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada, EGA and the Needlepoint Guild, Inc. on both a regional and national level since 1994. She has written several correspondence courses for EGA and ANG. Dakota completed her Teacher Prep Level in counted thread techniques from NAN and her articles and designs have appeared in Embroidery Canada, Needle Arts and Needlepointers magazines.

Nina Lee Soltwedel is an EGA Certified Teacher from Boulder, CO. Her primary technique is canvas embroidery, with an emphasis on the Needlearts of North American Indians. She has taught at chapters and seminars across the U.S.A. and Canada, and was on the faculties for the 1998 and 2001 EGA National seminars. She has served as EGA’s Embroidery Editor of Needle Arts, and as Administrator of Educational Advancement. She is currently the chairman of the Education Catalog. Nina has been an active member of EGA since 1975.

Joan Thomasson is an ANG Master Teacher and owner of Stitchn’ Stuff, Inc., wholesale needlepoint design firm. She has taught nationally for EGA, ANG, NAN, and Callaway. Her magazine credits include Needlepoint Now, Needle Arts, Needlepointers, Needlepoint Plus, and Neiman Marcus’ Horchow Collection.

Carolyn Standing Webb is an EGA member and has been a needlework designer and teacher for over 20 years, teaching on the local, regional and national levels. Several pieces of her work have been published in magazines, and she has won a number of prizes for her needlework. She has her Master Craftsman in counted thread and is currently the Chairman of that program.

Jane Zimmerman is EGA certified in Silk and Metal Thread and during the past 30 years has taught at many seminars for EGA, ANG, Callaway Gardens, NSCAE, NETA, Valentine Assembly, NAN and The Embroiderers’ Association of Canada. She is the author of 22 self-published books, the newest one The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery.