Instructors

A North Carolina native, Neal began her journey with color and fiber at an early age. She has over 30 years of professional experience weaving and dyeing silk.

Neal holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Sociology and Psychology from Guilford College, an Associates degree in Professional Crafts/Fiber from Haywood Community College, and a Certificate in Theology from the School of Theology, the University of the South.

Her award winning work can be seen in private collections and at venues across the United States including – as part of a collaboration with Sari Srulovich and Ruth Cox – the Judaic collection of the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC.

Neal is a member of Southern Highland Craft Guild and Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc. She teaches weaving, dyeing and Nuno felting at John C. Campbell Folk School and other regional arts organizations. Recently, Neal has returned to her maternal family roots incorporating embroidery into her handwoven, hand-dyed and nuno-felted pieces. The various techniques and processes Neal employs have become for her as much a spiritual practice as a career.

For more, see:
https://nealtheweaver.com

Barbara Burns is a figurative artist working in the medium of tapestry. Her background in historic costume and textiles fuels Barbara’s interest in the female form and her 3-D work. She has been pushing the boundaries of pulled warp weaving with art corsets and large vessel shapes.

Barbara’s tapestry study includes an 11-year mentorship with world renowned tapestry artists Archie Brennan and Susan Martin – Maffei, study at West Dean College in England.

On both national and international platforms, Burns has exhibited extensively in solo and group shows, received many awards for her tapestries. She has lectured, curated and juried exhibits and written for textile publications. Her work is in several private collections.

Barbara is scheduled to give a tour of her studio on Saturday, October 10, during HGA’s Spinning and Weaving Week. To see her virtual tour, you’ll need to register for the event.

For more, see:
https://www.burns-studio.com/

Debbie is a multimedia artist with a recent concentration in fiber art. She likes to explore the idea of “play” in her work, experimenting with color and shape in a way that brings a sense of wonder to the viewer. In her work, Debbie often waivers between detailed realism and imaginative pieces, bringing a balance to her collection of animals, creatures, and organic forms.

For contacting: whiteoakcreations@verizon.net

For more, see: https://www.debbiepenley.com/

Liz Spear has been working with her hands since 1978 and has been a full-time craftsman in Western North Carolina since 1992. She is primarily a weaver of cloth and a maker of fine garments and accessories, as well as a line of exhibition-worthy coats, incorporating other fiber artists’ cloth and colors. For several years, Liz has also been producing nuno-felt yardage, also made with silk fabrics dyed and/or printed by others; this nuno-felt collage fabric is cut up and combined with the handwoven fabrics for exciting coats and jackets.

Teaching and demonstrating for national craft schools, weaving/fiber guilds and conferences are an important part of her continuing to master her craft. Liz is a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, and Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc. and has taught at Penland and Arrowmont Schools of Craft, John C. Campbell Folk School, and Appalachian Center for Craft.

For more, see:
https://www.lizspearhandwoven.com

Alanna Wilcox is a fiber artist, professional educator, Master Spinner, author, and color specialist with over 20 years of teaching experience. She is passionate about helping fiber artists gain confidence, develop technical skills, and better understand the why behind spinning, dyeing, and color.

She earned the OHS Spinning Certificate with Distinction in 2015 and the Master Spinner Certificate in 2017. She is the author of A New Spin on Color and Color Alchemy: From Digital to Dye, and has developed more than 2,000 precision dye formulas for matching digital images and HEX colors with acid dyes.

Known for making complex concepts approachable, Alanna’s workshops blend practical techniques, structured experimentation, and creative exploration. Her goal is to help students move beyond guesswork, make more intentional decisions, and create results that are both repeatable and uniquely their own.

For more, see:
https://www.alannawilcox.com/

Sarah Gotowka is a practicing textile artist and instructor. She has been weaving since 2005, and has been growing natural dyes since 2010. She received her BFA in Fibers and Material Studies from The Cleveland Institute of Art in 2007, and her MFA in Fibers and Material Practices from Concordia University in Montreal in 2013. Since moving to the Ithaca area she has taught at SUNY Cortland, Cornell University, Ithaca College, The Johnson Museum of Art, Wells College, and Goddard College to name a few. Sarah is a Korean adoptee. Weaving and dyeing have been a powerful healing tool in Sarah’s journey of exploring her roots and connecting to her ancestral knowledge.

For more, see:
https://www/saagoto.com/
https://www.lunafiberstudio.com/

Sydney Sogol is a weaver and dyer whose mission is to create bold color and pattern interactions through original designs. She creates one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces inspired by her years of studying art, ornithology, and marine biology. Each piece pays homage to that creature’s natural beauty and unique story. To achieve this, she hand-paints and dyes unique colorways that mimic the gorgeous colors and balance found in nature. Sogol runs a sustainability-focused studio in North Carolina.

Sogol holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Weaving with a Minor in Biology from Earlham College and a Master of Fine Arts in Textile Design from East Carolina University. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her field, with over ten years of experience teaching weaving and dyeing at various educational levels, including high school, college, guilds, and conferences.

For more, see:
https://www.sydneysogol.com/