A textile addict since early youth and active weaver since 2002, Alice has been a member of Complex Weavers since 2006. Nowadays she weaves on a 32-shaft Louet Megado computer dobby, still discovering the endless possibilities it gives — exploring new structures and variations, playing with colours and materials. After improving her skills in the Fine Threads Study Group, she is currently a member of the Double Weave Study Group.
She first published about Anni Albers in the CW Journal in 2014, in close cooperation with the Joseph and Anni Albers Foundation, and her interest in the topic has never left her.
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Marjie Thompson enjoys being “stuck” in the pre-20th century weaving world. Her focus is the textiles produced both at home and by the professional weavers. Marjie enjoys adapting these weaves to contemporary colors and uses. She is the coordinator of the Complex Weavers “Early Weaving Books and Manuscripts” study group, the “Preserving Our Past” study group, past president of NEWS, a past Dean of the Weavers’ Guild of Boston, past president of Complex Weavers, an active guild member in the Weavers’ Guild of Boston, president of the New Hampshire Weavers’ Guild, and a member of many study groups including Cross Country Weavers.
Her woven pieces have received the HGA award, Handwoven’s Weaving for the Home Award, and Marjie is one of a handful of weavers awarded the “Weaver of Distinction” title from NEWS in both the gallery and fashion shows. She is the co-author of Forgotten Pennsylvania Textiles of the 18th and 19th Centuries, The Huck Pattern Collection, Miniature Patterns for Weaving by Josephine Estes, and the editor of The Gartner Manuscript. Her articles have appeared in Weavers, Handwoven, Complex Weavers Journal, Shuttle, Spindle, & Dyepot, and The Spinning Wheel Sleuth’s Loom Supplement.
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Jannie Taylor has been a handweaver and designer for over 50 years. She teaches advanced weaving classes at the AVL Weaving School, and has taught a variety of workshops and seminars at Convergence over the years. An inspired teacher, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with other weavers in a relaxed, collaborative environment.
Jannie enjoys designing and weaving one-of-a-kind items that bring together color, fiber, and structure. Jannie has twice earned the HGA award for “Outstanding Creativity and Craftsmanship in Weaving” and has also received the Complex Weavers’ Award on two occasions. Her work has appeared in several weaving magazines.
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Marilyn Robert has worked in the field of textile design and fiber art since the 1980s. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Fibers from the University of Oregon. She has been the recipient of grants and awards, including a Japan Foundation Artist Grant in 1997 to travel in Japan for study of traditional indigo-dyed textiles and contemporary fiber art. She is the author of several articles about textiles, and enjoys curatorial work. She taught for thirteen years at Lane Community College as head of the Fibers program, and as an adjunct Fine Arts Professor at the University of Oregon, both in Eugene, Oregon. Marilyn was the co-founder of Eugene Textile Center and currently travels, lecturing and teaching workshops. She teaches surface design techniques, such as dyeing, printing, mechanical manipulations of cloth, as well as handweaving. Marilyn is passionate about dyeing with botanical dyes and continues to teach and to learn more about this subject.
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John Mullarkey is passionate about teaching tablet weaving and exploring new ways to make the art form more contemporary. He is a nationally recognized teacher, valued for the patience, clarity and organization he brings to his classes. After beginning to teach in 2009, John left a software development career to focus on weaving and teaching full time.
John has won many awards, is a frequent contributor to national fiber arts publications, and has authored books (“A Tablet Weaver’s Pattern Book,” “Tablet Weaving: Egyptian Diagonals,” et al.) and videos (“Tablet Weaving Made Easy,” “Double-Faced Tablet Weaving”) about the craft. His work appears in international shows and has been displayed at museums. The popular Schacht Zoom Loom is based on John’s design.
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For nearly half a century, John Marshall has dedicated his life to researching traditional Japanese textiles, focusing on the construction and dye techniques employed, and sharing the wonders of what he has learned. His first love is figurative dyeing, specializing in bingata and natural dyes. His work has been exhibited the Textile Museum in DC and the Embassy of Japan, along with shows sponsored by the US State Department and Kodansha, to name a few.
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