Member Directory
Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi Members
Search our Member Directory by name or medium (Metal, Ceramics, Glass, Mixed Media, Wood, Fiber). Or, scroll down the page to browse our Members.
About Us
We are makers on a mission to preserve and promote, educate and encourage, the highest standard of excellence in regional crafts.
The work of our Members reflects a high degree of competence, professional standards, and artistry in their medium and category. Eligibility is determined by a jury review process which takes place twice each year.
Rhonda Blasingame
Rhonda Blasingame
Jackson, MS
Fiber / Quilts
Guild member since 2007
Although Rhonda’s work utilizes traditional quilting skills, her quilts are nothing like the ones she made with her grandmother. Contrast, color, design, and subject are all used to create an overall ‘feel’ to each piece. You may see burlap or velvet with the traditional cotton, and embellishments like beading, found objects, or fibers are all used to enhance the design and add another layer of movement and texture. All her work incorporates her deep love for the South and the ‘pass-along’ tradition of quilting.
Denise Brown
Denise Brown
New Albany, MS
Fiber / Spinning
Guild member since 1996
The rhythm of the spinning wheel and the development of a growing yarn provide Denise with endless hours of meditation, conversation, learning, and a connection to an ancient craft. Working with fiber gives her wonderful opportunities to teach about ancient culture, history, farming, care of animals, as well as the environment. She finds that the act of spinning, whether by wheel or spindle, provides a communication channel between past and present, moderating the complexities of a technological age with the simplicity of an earlier era. Working with the fiber eases the frustrations and distractions of day-to-day stresses and the results in a product that reflects the best nature offers.
Judy Busby and Emily Wolfe Jems Luxe Fibers
Judy Busby and Emily Wolfe Jems Luxe Fibers
Vicksburg, MS
Fiber: Yarn
Guild member since 2019
Gina Castle
Gina Castle
Slidell, LA
Fiber / Fiber
Guild member since 1993
Gina finds real excitement in batik with the magic of color. Batik, the Traditional process is the separating of color with wax to resist the over dye of the next color. When a new color is introduced to a piece of silk, the entire feel of the design changes. Some of the works change eight to twelve times before the work is deemed complete. Gina does a lot of custom work for interior decorators and specialty shops. The thrill for her is in seeing the finished work mounted and hanging in lobbies of condo complexes, offices, and restaurants.
Katie Clark
Katie Clark
Madison, MS
Fiber / Crochet Accessories
Guild member since 2013
Like so many before her, Katie learned to crochet from her mother. She learned the basics stitches, then continued to learn from books, diagrams, and experimentation, with a deep appreciation for the rich tradition in crochet. Katie is inspired by the variety of techniques crochet offers with the simplicity of only a few stitches, and she continues to be inspired to try something new with every book she picks up. With new discoveries come more ideas about how to fuse them with other techniques. Katie strives pass the appreciation for tradition and the innovative possibilities of crochet on to other people in hopes that they will recognize the artistic value of crochet, from the choice of pattern- traditional or inventive- to the choice of colors and fiber textures.
Michelle Cleveland
Michelle Cleveland
Jackson, MS
Paper / Sculpture
Guild member since 2011
Michelle’s art incorporates upcycled and repurposed items as well as fibers such as kudzu, bamboo, thistle, and coconut collected from nature. Whether foraging for natural plant fiber or hunting for unconventional items to repurpose, she enjoys every step of the process of converting raw materials to finished art. Her lamps, paper sculpture, and paper paintings are influenced by organic, contemporary, and steampunk styles.
Ann Daniel
Ann Daniel
Clinton, MS
Paper / Sculpture
Guild member since 2003
Ann enjoys the tactile experience of creating artwork from handmade paper. She hopes to share her joy in the paper-making process with the onlooker and push the creative edge of what can be made with paper. Ann’s goal is to look at everyday items and see something that can be created into a piece of art. As her artwork has evolved, she finds herself drawn more to recycling or ‘repurposing’ old cloth. She says of her work, “Combining old and new in unexpected ways gives my work a sense of history and relevance to today’s world.”
Barbara Dearman
Barbara Dearman
Jackson, MS
Beads / Beadwork: Guild member since 2003
Fiber / Knitting: Guild member since 2010
The multi-talented Barbara spent many years in the retail area as owner of Celita’s Yarn Shop and currently spends countless hours as a teacher of knitting, crochet, and all types of needlework. She also excels in beaded knitting, which led her to the art of beaded jewelry. Most of her jewelry is geometric in design, drawing from her experience in canvas embroidery. All of her pieces, whether jewelry or fiber, are one-of-a-kind.
Marilyn Diehl Basket Cottage
Marilyn Diehl Basket Cottage
Mt. Olive, MS
Fiber: Baskets
Guild member since 2008
Marilyn learned how to make baskets from her nephew, Roger. In 2002, she bought and moved his basket shop to its current location in Mt. Olive, Mississippi. Her baskets are made from natural rattan reed and the handles are made from hickory. She uses natural products such as pecan and black walnut shells for her dyes. Her baskets have been featured in Southern Living, Our South magazine, and Oak Street magazine. Marilyn has baskets to people from all over the world- including Italy and Germany.
Judy Foster
Judy Foster
Madison, MS
Fiber / Weaving
Guild member since 1983
Judy is a winner of the Handweavers Guild of America state Judge’s Award, the Cotton Clouds 100% Cotton Award, and the Silver Shuttle Award of Merit. All of the steps in the process of creating her handwoven evening jackets and other articles are done by Judy, prototype design work, yard selection, warping and dressing the loom, weaving the cloth, finishing the cloth, construction and finishing the jackets. Her works can be seen in several churches in the Jackson area and in private collections in more than a dozen states.
Thomas "Tag" Gamblin
Thomas "Tag" Gamblin
Madison, MS
Fiber
Caning
Guild member since 2008
Tag learned caning as a continuation of his hobby of doing minor woodwork and furniture repair. He taught himself through consultation with local craftsmen, reading, studying, using audio- visual aids, and trial and error learning techniques. He finds satisfaction in having developed a hobby/craft which is in demand and is useful to people who need these types of repairs and replacements. He also likes to help other individuals who want to learn the various techniques of caning. He takes great pleasure in a successfully completed project. In his spare time, Tag also volunteers here at the Craft Center to greet our visitors from other states and countries and help them enjoy their induction to Mississippi craftsmen.
Marva Lee Goodman
Marva Lee Goodman
Brandon, MS
Fiber: Spinning, Knitting, Sewing
Guild member since 1996
Marva's unique creations have been shown at the Municipal Art Gallery and the Nunnery Galleries in Jackson, Art Works in Laurel, the Attic Gallery in Vicksburg, the Senatobia Art Gallery, the Corinth Art Gallery, and the Handweavers Guild of America Convergence in Atlanta. Marva also teaches classes in spinning and knitting for the Craftsmen Guild and for local schools and organizations.
Sarah Rose Govero
Sarah Rose Govero
Clinton, MS
Fiber
Categories: Crochet, Knitting
Member since 2023
Sarah began crocheting at the age of 10. Having so many nieces and nephews led her to her current interest in crocheting baby items. Because of this, she has become more skilled and advanced over the years. Sarah’s main focus of crochet is towards things that can be worn such as scarves or hats but also, she loves making plushie animals such as narwhals or cows.
Patti Henson
Patti Henson
Jackson, MS
Fiber
Fabric Design
Guild member since 1976
Patti is both a graphic artist and a fiber artist. She wrote and illustrated a children's book, "My Friend, the Forester," for the Mississippi Forestry Commission. She has designed the covers of more than a dozen books published by the University Press of Mississippi and illustrated several others. She has won several major awards, including the Crystal Award of Excellence from the International Association of Business Communicators. Her work has been featured in several publications. She teaches classes for the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi and the Mississippi Museum of Art. She has been craftsman-in-residence at the Mississippi Craft, artist-in-residence at Paul Johnson State Park in Hattiesburg and Roosevelt State Park in Morton.