Waterford Craft School

Make by hand.

Fiber Arts

Peggy Wertheim

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Traditional Marbling on Specialty Paper, Cotton & Silk

Peggy J. Wertheim, M.A.T. Surface Design Artist and Master Teaching Artist in marbling, silk painting, batik, shibori, and complex dyeing. Her 40+ year career began with textile color exploration and completion of a Master of Arts in Teaching from Miami University. Ms. Wertheim has exhibited at hundreds of juried and invitational shows and galleries simultaneously while offering workshops. This allows her to share her expertise and creativity with her love of teaching. In 2013, she was the only Teaching Artist in the USA selected to attend the prestigious Rauschenberg Foundation Power of Art Conference. She currently devotes herself to teaching workshops, private classes, and creating her Art to Wear and framed artworks.

Cory Ryan

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Pine Needle Basketry

For Cory Ryan, art was always a hobby and her therapy from a stressful IT job. She started with folk art and had a goal to learn something new as the years went by. She learned to make baskets with longleaf pine needles from a friend’s mother, who had learned from her mother! She is pleased to carry on this heritage craft tradition. She teaches a variety of classes, ranging from quilling to pine needle basketry, and is serving her fourth term as President of the Art Guild of Greene in Greene County, VA. Now retired from the corporate world, Cory creates art to display and sell at a local craft shop in Ruckersville, VA.

Jesica Clark

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Willow Woven Garden Structures

Jes Clark (they/them) is owner and operator of Willow Vale Farm in Stanfordville, NY. Jes weaves traditional and contemporary functional pieces and the basket forms created are a result of their conversation with each stick of willow. All of their willow is grown without pesticides using regenerative practices and with loving care.

Jes has been teaching weaving just since 2018 but has taught hundreds of students ranging from absolute beginners to experienced weavers looking to refine their craft. They have taught at the Stowe Basketry Festival, for the Northeast Basketmakers Guild, at the New York Botanical Garden just to name a few, and also privately in one-on-one tutorials. To see Jes’s wares, check out their Instagram page!

Karen Wychock

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Large Laundry Basket & Shaker Cheese Basket

Working over wooden molds, in the method of the Shakers, Karen’s baskets are traditional in shape and materials. She weaves both Shaker reproductions in ash and traditional, utilitarian baskets of reed. Native hardwoods such as ash and oak are used to make the rims and handles, and all of her baskets are lashed using ash. Each basket takes on its own character as it is woven in a quatrefoil. Twill or fancy lace patterns appeal to both eye and touch.

Karen was an art teacher for 22 years in the Neshaminy School District, Langhorne, PA, before becoming a middle school principal for 15 years in both the Neshaminy School District and the Central Bucks School District.

She is a member of the Bucks County Craftsmen’s Guild, the Bucks County Hand Weaver’s Guild and the PA Guild of Craftsmen. She sells her work at various shows and galleries throughout the northeast (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia, and Ohio), and has the earned the distinction of Waterford Landmark Artisan for her commitment to the Waterford Fair and the Waterford Foundation. She is also president of the Penn-Jersey Basket Weavers Guild and teaches both children and adults.

Susan Withnell

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Fiber Arts Craft Camp (Ages 8-10 & Ages 11-13)

Susan is a hand spinner and weaver, operating her fiber arts business, ‘Ewes-Ful Fiber Arts’ for over 20 years. She raises high percentage Wensleydale sheep (known for their excellent spinning fleeces) on her Maryland Farm. She uses these fibers in the hand spun and hand dyed yarns she sells at fiber art and craft shows. Susan has been a juried, demonstrating artisan at the Waterford Fair for over 10 years, earning the distinction of ‘2020 Waterford Artisan of the Year’ for her commitment to the Waterford Foundation and her excellence as a Fair demonstrating artisan.

Susan is also a retired elementary school teacher, who created and led a fiber arts club for her students. She enthusiastically continues to share her knowledge with the public, teaching hand spinning on drop spindles and spinning wheels to adults, and summer Fiber Arts Craft Camps here in Waterford for young people ages 8 – 13. She also has demonstrated hand spinning at the Great Yorkshire Agricultural Show in Harrogate, England. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from this engaging artisan!

Grace Rochford

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Making A Floorcloth From Start to Finish

Grace Rochford originally made floorcloths just for herself, then was inspired to launch her company, Designs By Grace. She’s been making floorcloths for over 15 years, and has the added distinction of being one of our Waterford Landmark Artisans, who are the heart of the Waterford Fair and long-time supporters of the Waterford Foundation. She has taught numerous Waterford Craft School classes, inspiring many of her students to continue making floorcloths on their own. The process is contagious!

Gary Robinson

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Broom Making (for all skill levels)

Born in the west central mountains of Virginia, where he still resides, Gary Robinson learned the art of broom making in 1991 and has been making brooms full time since then. Gary’s brooms appeared in the historical drama Sommersby starring Richard Gere and Jodie Foster and have been purchased by George Washington’s Mount Vernon for use in their portrayal of Colonial life. Over the years, demonstrating and teaching his craft has been one of the most fulfilling parts of his journey.

Gary has been a juried Demonstrating Artisan at the Waterford Fair since 1991. He is a Waterford Landmark Artisan, exemplifying excellence in craft and education, and for his commitment to the Waterford Foundation’s preservation mission. We recorded a conversation with Gary after his 2021 class, which is on our YouTube channel.

Pamela Foster

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Woven Virginia Snowflake, Splint Seat Weaving & Introduction to Handwoven Cane

Pamela Foster has been weaving for over 40 years. She specializes in wicker restoration, but weaves all types of chair seats, including splint, cane, rush, bamboo, rattan, willow, and grasses. She has woven seats for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and restored a wicker sled for the Loudoun Museum. She has also been reproducing Gustav Stickley wicker lampshades for over 25 years, which are sold nationwide. She has been teaching for the Waterford Craft School since its inception in 2016.

Upcoming Events

Pamela’s Upcoming Classes:

There are no upcoming events.