Instructor Bios

Marilyn Robert

Owner and Instructor

Marilyn Robert has worked in the field of fiber art for the past twenty years. Her work is exhibited internationally. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Fibers, and has been the recipient of study grants and awards, including a Japan Foundation Grant for research on traditional indigo-dyed textiles and contemporary fiber art. She has taught at the University of Oregon and Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, and travels to teach workshops. In 2001, she organized a textile tour to Turkey. She teaches both surface design techniques, such as dyeing, printing, felting, mechanical and chemical manipulations of cloth, as well as handweaving. Marilyn is a co-owner of Eugene Textile Center.

Suzie Liles

Owner and Instructor

Suzie Liles has taught weaving for 23 years. Suzie is very enthusiastic and loves to share her knowledge. She has taught workshops and seminars for adults and children in the United States and Canada. Suzie has a MFA in Fibers from the University of Oregon. She is a member of the Handweavers Guild of America, Surface Design Association, and Spinning and Weaving Association. She is very active in the fiber arts community; she was the chair of the 2001 Northwest Weaving conference assistant chair for the 2007 Surface design conference, Coordinator for the joint symposium Studio Arts Quilt Associates and Surface Design Association April 2008. She is now chairing the 2011 Northwest Weavers Conference. In March of 2008 Suzie Liles and Marilyn Robert opened the Eugene Textile Center in Eugene, Oregon.

Jason Pollen

Instructor

Jason Pollen, Professor and Chair of the Fiber department at the Kansas City Art Institute and President Emeritus of the Surface Design Association He has taught at the Royal College of Art in London, Parsons School of Design, and Pratt Institute in NYC. In 2006 he was named Fellow by the American Crafts Council.
Pollen regularly exhibits his dyed, stitched and printed textile artworks internationally and has designed for the fashion and home textiles industries.

Janis Thompson

Instructor

A whirlwind of artistic energy ... Janis is always learning and sharing various media ... mostly fibers, spinning, dyeing, knitting, felting, wire twisting, bead craft and RAKU. Janis is the owner of dyelots fiber studio in Eugene, an instructor at the Eugene Textile Center and the Educational Talks and Demonstrations chairperson for the BSG. She teaches, demonstrates and vends at many shows around the Northwest.

Mary Hettmansperge

Instructor

Mary Hettmansperger is a fiber/jewelry artist exhibiting/teaching jewelry, basketry, surface design and quilting. She has taught in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and in the US Arrowmont, Bead and Button, Convergence, National conferences, guilds and similar venues. Mary’s artwork is represented at SOFA–Chicago by the Katie Gingrass gallery. She has authored and illustrated 3 books on jewelry. The 1st two, Fabulous Woven jewelry and Wrap, Stitch, fold and Rivet, are both published by Lark/Sterling. The third Jewelry book on mixed metals will also be released from Lark – spring 2010. Her work can also be found in, 500 Baskets, Fiber Arts Design Book 7, Fabulous Found object jewelry, Teapots – makers/collectors, Beading with Crystals, and others. Television segments include; the PBS programs, Beads Baubles and jewels and Quilting Art, along with published work in numerous magazines.