2027 Teacher Bios
Mary Annunziato - Maryland
Mary, from Havre de Grace, Maryland, is mother of 3 and a grandmother. She started making wool trees in 2012 and thought everyone should be able to enjoy a pine tree in their home. After teaching trees for a few years, someone asked "what else do you make?" which began her designing - lavender, wreaths, carrots, sunflowers and more. Mary still enjoys basket making, painting and hand stitching which she attributes her ability to create the wool projects.
Susan Baxter - New York
Back in the 80s, when I was a student at Clarkson, I expressed a desire to take an underwater basketweaving class instead of Electromagnetic Fields and Waves. I still had to take the Electromagnetics class, but I received a basketweaving kit after graduation. Best gift ever as it kept my hands busy, and my brain engaged. Fast forward 30 years to my exploration of acrylic paint pouring and a love of creating SheleeArt acrylic blooms. The pairing of bloom bases with round reed opened up a whole new world of possibilities. In an ironic twist of fate, after enjoying the ease of slotted bases, I discovered I was all thumbs when creating a woven base. I decided that a jig to hold spokes would be ideal and my son volunteered his CAD/CAM abilities and his 3-D printer. After more than a few duds, we now have 5 different jigs. It has been another way to embed new technology with time-honored weaving techniques for a fresh approach to basket creation. My weaving journey now includes my husband Eric and we feel blessed to have the opportunity to explore new places, meet new people and engage with an amazing and inspiring community of fellow weavers.
Trisha Brown – Massachusetts
Trisha is a Nantucket basket weaver and instructor from Massachusetts. She grew up in the front showroom of DELS, her family's Nantucket basket supply business. Trisha wove her first basket at the age of 7 and hasn't stopped! She started teaching in 2005 after graduating high school. Although she went to college for Elementary Education and Sociology she enjoyed teaching baskets too much and wanted to continue with the family business. Now having two children of her own, she does not have as much time for traveling classes as she'd like but enjoys teaching locally and at the shop. In the meantime, she enjoys watching her son play baseball and being there for her daughter as she pursues her goals in college.
Sandy Bulgrin – Wisconsin
I’ve been teaching basket weaving for over 38 years, and it all began when I volunteered to be the basketry 4-H leader - even though I had never made a basket before! To prepare, I started taking classes at our local museum, and that experience sparked a lifelong passion for weaving. From teaching 4-H kids, I soon expanded to offering classes for adults, participating in art shows, and selling through consignment shops. Over time, I began teaching at continuing education programs, park districts, and museums, sharing a wide variety of weaving styles and materials. My journey eventually led me to working with gourds, which opened even more teaching opportunities at state gourd shows and national basketry events. I also co-owned Basket Bits Magazine with my cousin, and in 2008, after a friend jokingly asked why there wasn’t a basket cruise, we launched one - the first of its kind! Today, I continue to teach 4-H basketry and travel across the country to teach workshops at basket conventions, gourd shows and retreat events. Teaching remains one of my greatest joys, and I love helping students discover the creativity and satisfaction that comes with weaving.
JoAnn Kelly Catsos – New York
JoAnn Kelly Catsos is an award-winning traditional black ash splint basketmaker and teacher living in upstate New York.
Her work is influenced by traditional Shaker and native New England utilitarian basket styles. The clean forms have remained, but over the course of her 40 year career her baskets have evolved into smaller, more finely woven intricately patterned vessels. To obtain the symmetry she desires, each basket is woven over a wooden form, or mold, that is removed once the weaving is completed.
JoAnn and family members process the logs into splint and make the wooden molds, handles, and rims needed for each basket.
JoAnn exhibits nationally and teaches basketry workshops at art and craft schools, conferences, and for private groups. Her baskets have been featured in a number of books and magazines, and graced the cover of The Crafts Report magazine in October 2012. She is the recipient of the Certificate of Excellence in Basketmaking: level I from the Handweavers Guild of America. Her baskets are in private and public collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Jelena Clay - Hawaii
Jelena clay is a mixed media artist mainly using gourds and fiber to create her art. She is the daughter of Serbian immigrants and was raised in Saratoga, California. At 20 years old she relocated to the islands and has called Hilo home since then. Since moving to the islands, she has had a fascination with the complicated techniques that Hawaiians use. The Hawaiian culture is deeply rooted in nature which is her primary influence, and her work is a culmination of her island experiences and knowledge. Jelena also owns banyan gallery, located at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Hawaii island.
Jenny Elzy – North Carolina
I have been involved in the art of basketry for over 30 years. I’ve taken classes from so many excellent teachers. I have taken my knowledge, experience and joy of basketry into my teaching for 20 + years. I like sharing new and different weaving techniques. Now that life has afforded me the time and opportunity, I enjoy passing on and sharing the things I've learned. Over the years I've been fortunate enough to win numerous awards for my baskets. I have taught at WTWKY, Guilders’ Weave, Country Weavers, NCBA, Basket Cruise, Port City, CWBG and for some local guilds.
Pam Hermann (fka-Talsky) - Wisconsin
Pam started with a pine needle basket in June of 1994. She has taught all over the US and India. She has traveled the world to learn new techniques. Her love of learning, travel, working with amazing weavers and sharing her knowledge is what drives her. She has been blessed to learn from some amazing instructors, most notably Jeannie McFarland, Pine Needles and Delores Churchill, Haida Weaving expert.
She has won numerous awards around the country including 2 Viewer’s Choice Awards – in 2010 at the AMB convention and in 2019 at the NBG convention.
She completed three baskets for the Hoard Museum of Fort Atkinson, which are permanently displayed in their Mystery of the Mounds Exhibit, opened April 2009.
Her work has been featured and on the cover of the Wisconsin People & Ideas Magazine. Vol56/NO 4 2010, the National Basketry Organization’s Quarterly Review Summer 2015 as well as in Fiber Art Now in 2015. And exhibited at the Phillip Dickel Museum in Amana, Iowa as well as the National Basketry Organization’s ‘All Things Considered’.
Pam is cutting back on traveling to teach and will be re-opening her studio for classes. She will only be doing 3-4 select events a year.
Peggy McCarson - Florida
I love colors, embellishments, and different weaves. After weaving for over 30 years and teaching for 25 years, I am still learning from taking classes and teaching students. Even in a class with a pattern, the final basket can be different depending on the skills, likes, and methods of the weaver. I have plenty of tricks to help make weaving a basket easy.
Marilyn Parr - Michigan
When Marilyn was introduced to basket weaving about 40 years ago, little did she know the journey it would take her on! She started out as a student, attending the conventions organized by the Associations of Michigan Basketmakers. Ten years ago, she was approached by the Crossroad Weaving Guild in Okemos, Michigan to present and teach a couple of her designs that she made for a local quilt shop. From the encouragement that is received, and adventure has begun! She really enjoys working with wood bases and designing unique leather handles for her baskets. This has also brought her in touch with local Amish gentlemen that take her ideas from paper into reality! She feels that it is an honor to be able to spend time with other basket weavers and hopes to share her experiences and knowledge that she has gathered with others
Eric Jon Taylor – Tennessee
Eric lives in middle Tennessee and has been involved in traditional basket making for over 30 years. His love for working with wood and the Black Ash tree inspired him to experiment further in the art. He started creating his own contemporary designs that combined the elements of Shaker and Nantucket baskets. He has won several awards and has been featured in multiple publications. One of his baskets was shown in The Cole Ware Collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.