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Linda L. Davis, President
Sisters, Oregon
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From the smallest guild with only a handful of
members to the larger ones that are more independent, ANWG has something to offer. In addition, ANWG is the public face of the fiber arts within our region – Linda
learned this as Webmaster for the ANWG website for the past four years. As an
example, many of our guilds obtain new members through website links.
Membership growth is vital to keep the fiber arts alive. Guilds provide education
and sharing opportunities that encourage new fiber artists and provide growth for
experienced ones.
Following national trends, ANWG is facing its own demographic and economic
challenges. We need to examine our services and perhaps explore new ways to
provide them to our member guilds to save money and/or avoid dues increases.
Linda has been weaving 34 years and joined the Boise Valley Handweavers in 1975. She has had extensive experience working with local guilds, ANWG and Complex Weavers. Some of her positions include past president of Portland Handweavers Guild (1996); Convergence ’96 Fashion Show Chair (1996); ANWG Communications Chair (2005-2007); ANWG Asst. Webmaster/Webmaster (2003- 2008); Central Oregon Spinners & Weavers ANWG Representative (2004- present); and Complex Weavers Journal Editor (current).
Mary Anna Swinnerton, 1st Vice President
Bend, Oregon
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Mary Anna was intrigued after watching women weaving and spinning on the Mall outside the Smithsonian in the late 60s. A table loom and joining Potomac Craftsmen guild in D.C. started her weaving life. A move to Wisconsin and classes and serving as hospitality chair for Milwaukee Weavers Guild continued the journey. Back to D.C. She rejoined the guild and spinning, teaching beginning weaving and craft fairs were added to her life. 20 years in CA took weaving and spinning in a new direction in a home-based business, reweaving chair seats of all kinds (which also helped to educate 4 children). Spinning morphed into twisting cattail leaves (as few as 2 and as many as 18) to weave rush seats and weaving skills were used to decipher woven patterns using a variety of materials from raffia, paper rush, cane and splint. A move to OR in 1998 brought the journey back to “soft” materials of all kinds.
Joining the Central Oregon Weavers Guild in 1999, she has been Program Chair, President and currently edits the guild newsletter. Attending 2 Convergences—one in the 70s in Pittsburg and again in Denver in 2004 and 3 ANWG conferences—Eugene,Tacoma and Spokane have provided inspiration and continued learning. In COSW she participates in both a monthly spinning group and a new spinning study group as well as a garment study group. Always intrigued with what can be done with all kinds of looms and techniques as well as exploring all kinds of fibers, her fascinating fiber journey continues as involvement with other “fiber folk” in ANWG brings another interesting and exciting dimension.
Alison Addicks, 2nd-Vice President
Rice, Washington
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Craft work inspires and entertains me. Alsion learned to knit,
crochet, quilt, and sew from her mother and grandmothers. She took
up tatting and bobbin lace as a stay-at-home Mom. Her hobby
business outgrew its basement beginnings, and operating The
Lacemaker allowed her to teach and travel for more than fifteen
years.
In retirement, Alison wanted to learn to weave, and spent
nearly ten years in that pursuit, attending classes and conferences,
buying books and fibers. Alison has been making useful things.
Her involvement in the ANWG Board comes from a willingness to
share the fun. She owned a motley assortment of looms over the
years, but for now she weaves on an old AVL, No. 876, a 16 shaft
PDL.
Laura Fry, Secretary
Prince George, B.C.
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Laura Fry chose weaving as a career in 1975. She enrolled in the weaving class at the College of New Caledonia, Prince George, BC and has since taken workshops whenever possible, classes at Banff Centre of Fine Arts and at the Varpapuu Weaving School in Finland. She completed the
Master Weavers certificate sponsored by the Guild of Canadian Weavers and went on to publish Magic in the Water; wet finishing handwovens taking her masters monograph a step further.
Laura has taught throughout the US and Canada, publishing many articles in Heddle, Handwoven, Weavers, WeaveZine, etc. She is currently Librarian for the Prince George Weavers Guild and has held many offices locally, regionally and nationally.
Laura shares her knowledge via the internet with her website, blog, and as administrator for a group on Yahoo (CanWeave) and on the new social networking site, Weavolution.
Linda Ann Smith, Treasurer
Seattle, WA
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Linda learned to weave 36 years ago in the Baltimore area. She moved back
to my home state of Washington after a few years and joined the
Seattle Weavers Guild. Linda was a member of the
steering committee for Convergence 1982 as one of the three
treasurers. She has been treasurer of Seattle Weavers Guild,
Arachne Weavers Guild and of the ANWG conference in
Tacoma in 2005. Linda is in a few study groups and three weaver's
guilds - Olympia Weavers Guild being the third one. Linda joined
Arachne and Olympia after retiring from Boeing in 1994.
Linda owns a four shaft Dorset loom, an eight shaft Baby Macomber and a sixteen-shaft J-Comp loom. Linda can't decide if she am a
structure person or a color person - maybe both. Linda like the
mathematics of weaving but get bored if she doesn't see new things
happening and changing as she weaves.
Daryl Ries, Membership
Great Falls, MT
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Daryl is a retired nurse educator and researcher having earned her doctorate in education. She began weaving 10 years ago but had worked with fiber through knitting and quilting. With her educational background she is very interested in teaching new weaving techniques that she learns and producing written materials to assist new weavers.
She is a member of the Great Falls Spinners and Weavers Guild, the Billings Weavers Guild, the Hand Weavers, Spinners and Dyers of Alberta's Guild, Complex Weavers, the Montana Association of Weavers and Spinners Guilds, HGA, and the Michigan Fiber Festival group. She facilitated an online "Weave Along" for the Montana Association of Weavers and Spinners Guilds in 2008. She has held offices in the local guild in the past including co-chair of the 50th Anniversary Festival.
Her weaving focus is currently on designing and learning new techniques. Her favorite fibers for weaving are alpaca, fine wools, and other fine threads. She and her handspinning husband attend fiber conferences often enjoying the opportunity to meet and experience fiber enthusiasts, artists, and teachers.
Ellie Sheeran, Communications Chair, Newsletter editor
Spokane, Washington
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Ellie learned to knit 50 years ago. Knitting led to spinning, which led to weaving. She loves reading, writing, and overshot.
Denice McMechan, Education
Arrow Lakes, British Columbia
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