Class Instructors

Mary Brown took her first basket weaving class in 1994 in a small basket shop. Lessons lasted a year, but she kept weaving at the shop until it closed a decade later. The napkin basket she made in that first lesson still sits on her kitchen table. She attended her first basket weaving convention in 2004, with four of her weaving friends, and never looked back. That was the first of many conventions she has attended all over the country. She began teaching in 2000 and has taught in Texas and the Oklahoma and Missouri state conventions. Mary loves experimenting with shape, color and non-traditional weaving materials. Twining is her favorite weaving technique and loves doing braided borders on her baskets. She still enjoys teaching and is looking forward to attending more weaving conventions after a two year break.

Blaine Davis, has been weaving for over 40 years. He grew up in Maine, Idaho, and Wisconsin, but has lived in Houston for almost 50 years. He is also a printmaker and currently has his work shown at Archway Gallery here in Houston.

 

He does both basic cloth production and tapestry weaving.  His tapestries usually involve a lot of color, the more the better. When teaching beginners he concentrates on getting the students to know how to warp the loom, make basic shapes, and understand some of the more advanced techniques.  Blaine teaches the Introduction to Tapestry
class for CHH.

Connie Childs Elliott, a native Minnesotan, learned to spin and weave in the 1970’s in Austin, TX. Her subsequent move to Southern California in 1980 initiated a 15-year stint as a professionals pinner, weaver, dyer, teacher, and demonstrator, during which time she worked at Knott’s Berry Farm and the Denwar Craft Studio.

Now back in Texas, Connie lives with her husband in the Heights area of Houston. She demonstrates for the Heritage Society and various living history venues in the area, keeps 3 looms going, spins on a variety of devices and dyes on the back porch when she can. She belongs to HGA, CHT and CHH guilds.

Connie is the guild’s Spin Doctor, she teaches classes in spinning and indigo dyeing.

Tracy Kaestner has been weaving for over 40 years and teaching weaving since 2002. Tracy also enjoys dyeing and has been sewing since she was 8. She enjoys introducing weaving to students and getting them hooked! Tracy teaches Floor loom classes and Sewing with Handwoven fabrics. Tracy is the Guild House Director and schedules the classes for CHH.

Tracy Kaestner

Molly Koehn is an artist and designer based in Houston, TX. She received an MFA with an emphasis in fibers from Arizona State University (2017), and her work continues to carry on the delicate, expressive qualities of her background and BFA in drawing from Fort Hays State University (2013). Melding a practice of drawing, weaving, and sculptural installation, Molly’s work examines idealizations of nature. 

Molly teaches Eco-Printing and Eco-Printing Next Steps. 

In the past, Lynn Williams’ work has incorporated handweaving and spinning, but her current focus is on the making and use of silk fusion. She has taught workshops for guilds in Texas and Houston, and also at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft where she was an artist in residence. Lynn teaches  our Learn to Spin classes.

Lynn Williams