2025 Holiday Party

Celebrate the holiday season with your fellow artists at our special holiday party!  All members who are in town are invited to attend, along with guests, as we celebrate DAFA's 55th year.

Bring a finger food to share with the group. Drinks will be provided.

We would love everyone to bring one item for Show and Tell. Show us something you made in the past, or something you are working on now. We want to see what all our members are creating!

Sculpting with Fiber: Ancient Techniques, Contemporary Vision, presented by Jeanne Akita

Jeanne Akita pushes the boundaries of traditional wet felting into the realm of contemporary sculpture. Rooted in the meditative, hands-on process of layering and agitating natural fibers—such as Merino wool, Tussah silk, and flax — her work explores the tactile and structural potential of felt as a sculptural medium.

In this presentation, Jeanne shares her transition from developing cohesive wearable art collections for the runway to creating large-scale, textural wall pieces and mixed-media works now exhibited in galleries, curated fine art festivals, and exhibitions across the U.S. She’ll discuss her intuitive approach to surface design, fiber manipulation, and collaboration with wood and metal artists to expand the dimensionality and presence of her work.

With a focus on form, movement, and sustainability, Jeanne’s practice celebrates felt not just as textile, but as a sculptural language - deeply rooted in tradition yet reaching toward the future of fiber art.

Needle-Felting a Greeting Card  mini-workshop, taught by Carol Kovacs and Mary Wilhite

Learn the basics of 2D needle-felting and create a personalized greeting card for Valentine's Day or Easter. We will provide all the materials for your felted creation and a card with envelope for gifting.

Bring your To-Go kit, the $5 supplies fee, and a pair of scissors!

Please bring your To-go Kit for mini-workshops!

Workshop 2:  Dorset Buttons with Jami Roux

Dorset buttons have a long history. They were originally created in Dorset, England, in the 18th century by women using a slice of horn from the Dorset sheep. The slice or ring was covered with a needle worked thread in a spoke pattern.

Making the buttons was a large source of income for women in the area until machines began to make buttons and the cottage industry died out. We will make a basic button, but the possibilities are endless once you have learned the basic technique.

Workshop 3:  Diagonal Pocket Fold Booklet  with Jeanene Evans

In this workshop, you'll learn to fold a diagonal pocket and sew in pages. The outer cover can hold artist trading cards (ATCs), gift cards, or affirmation cards; the pages can be a journal or be fashioned as folded pockets to hold more cards. This workshop is inspired by Hedi Kyle’s “Art of the Fold” book.



Journals as a Canvas for Fiber Arts with artist Renee Turner

What if your journal could hold more than words? In this inspiring session, artist Renee Turner shows how to transform handmade journals into tactile works of art using fabric, thread, and fiber techniques like embroidery, appliqué, and stitched layering.

You’ll explore how fiber adds texture, emotion, and storytelling to every page—and how to balance artistic expression with function. Perfect for fiber artists, journal makers, and anyone craving a more hands-on, soulful creative practice.

Come reimagine the journal as a stitched, touchable story—one only you could tell.

Make a Mini Travel Journal using Kraft-Tex  mini-workshop with Renee Turner

Ready to make a journal that’s strong enough to toss in your backpack and beautiful enough to inspire your next adventure?

In this hands-on mini workshop, you’ll create a rugged, stylish mini travel journal using Kraft-Tex—a washable paper that acts like leather and sews like fabric. Renee will guide you through each step of the process, from folding pages and preparing the cover for you to add embellished details.

Whether you’re new to bookmaking or just want a quick, creative project, you’ll leave with a completed journal and the skills to make more. Perfect for artists, writers, and travelers alike!

Materials Provided: ● Precut Kraft-Tex sheet ● Elastic cord ● Waxed linen thread or embroidery floss ● Bone folder ● Awl or piercing tool ● Bookbinding needle ● Copy paper for inner pages

A Bounty of Books and Beeswax with VET

Acclaimed Texas artist VET began experimenting with discarded books several years ago, as part of her commitment to re-purpose creative materials.  As VET states: 

"So many outdated, unread and used books are stripped and shredded or often dumped into the landfill. I have used [those books] as the base for some sculptures, as well as the centerpiece. I love the smooth feel of paperback books pages and their flexibility. Each page is fragile and rigid at the same time, which challenges my imagination. By folding, cutting and manipulating the pages, the books can be transformed into fantastic sculpted designs.

"I often use found objects that are discarded by nature and humans. I welcome the opportunity to explore all the possibilities of manipulating, altering and embellishing the objects. It is a constant challenge to balance the practical with the aesthetics, when dealing with recycled items. These objects can often dictate, as well as, restrict the path of imaginations."

Annual Silent Auction and Raffle / Christmas in July!

Haven’t you always wanted to own art pieces from your DAFA friends? Or share your art with your fellow members? Well, this is your chance!

DAFA is having a silent auction and raffle of member-created art pieces at the July meeting to raise funds for our programming and outreach efforts. Get your creative juices flowing and make something wonderful to bring. Or rummage through your studio to find a piece or two that's just waiting for a new home.

Members of the CC Young community have been invited to join us as part of their Christmas in July celebration. We can't wait to create a fun and successful event for our CC Young partners!

For more information:  Please contact treasurer@dallasfiberartists.org.

In Fiber with artists Linda Creagh, Christine Guernsey, and Linda Disosway

July's program will explore a wide-ranging variety of fiber techniques used by three exciting contemporary artists.

The Path of the Print with artist Terri Thoman

Where did it all begin? Terri Thoman took us on a fascinating tour through the evolution of printmaking, sharing her passion for the techniques and the stories that make up the incredible history of the print.

Non-Toxic Dry Point Engraving mini-workshop with Terri Thoman

Terri Thoman guided workshop participants through a centuries-old process, given a truly modern twist! 

Reminiscent of the images of Durër and Rembrandt, we explored the simplicity of scratching an image into a surface and printing it onto fine paper.

This unique workshop was created by Ms. Thoman for the famed Swiss manufacturer Caran d’ Ache, to promote the Neo Color II watercolor crayon as an alternative to the toxic inks normally required for intaglio printing. She previously taught this workshop at the Texas Art Educators Association Conference for four years and most recently at the Dallas Museum of Art. The non-toxic process allows any artist to continue the printmaking experience at the kitchen table.

The Welman Project with presenter Lauren Watson

This month's program was presented by Lauren Watson of the Welman Project, a non-profit that assists educators by providing raw materials and tools to create classroom supplies. Professional staff assist in creatively adapting donated items to fill classrooms not landfills. Educators can also receive professional development credit through the workshops provided by The Welman Project.

In 10 years the Welman Project has made a positive and impressive impact on the arts education community. Their warehouse and workshops are open to educational professionals, in all situations, from all over the nation.

Many thanks to Lauren for introducing us to this important resource!

Basquiat on a Bag  mini-workshop with Lauren Watson

In this fun-filled exercise of self-expression, we used upcycled materials to create a Jean-Michel Basquiat-inspired artwork on a paper bag!  All the necessary materials were provided!

Creating a Portrait with Two Fabrics and Some Embellishments with artist Leo Ransom

One of our favorite presenters returned this April with both a new program and a special workshop!

Award-winning quilter Leo Ransom, whose work has garnered national acclaim, is a specialist in portraiture. In his new program, he discussed his silhouette technique that uses only two primary fabrics to create a dynamic, powerful, and impactful portrait of a subject. 

As always, we were thrilled to have him back!

Silhouettes workshop with Leo Ransom

At 1 p.m., following the conclusion of our regular program, Leo Ransom taught a workshop on his portraiture technique.  The fee was $50, payable via PayPal. 

The Evolution of a Fiber Artist with artist Marilyn Henrion

Marilyn Henrion, who is represented in the Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art, creates works of fine art that are included in museum, corporate and private collections worldwide. As a lifelong New Yorker, her aesthetic vision has always been deeply rooted in the urban geometry of her surroundings, from the earlier textile-based geometric abstractions to the more recent mixed media works. Her gaze is wide and other subjects, such as music, poetry, and the natural world, also inform the content of her work.

In our March program, Ms. Henrion traced her evolution as a fiber artist and mother of four through the wild ’50s and ’60s--in the very heart of a historic period in the New York art and literary scene--up to her continuing creative explorations in Texas as she approaches the age of 93.

Mixed-Media Madness:  Three Workshops for $10 per person

In this incredibly popular annual event, attendees took part in three (3) rotating workshops presented our superstar instructors Carol Regan, Lucy Miron, and Carol Kovacs. We got the chance to experiment with new techniques and materials in a fun, informal environment.

Fancy Ribbon Crafts with Lucy Miron

Lucy Miron taught “Fancy Ribbon Crafts” with two patterns, a chick in an egg and fish, both with moveable parts. Lucy is a past Best of Show winner for her felted work “Herding Cats” and her skeleton doll mini workshop in October.

Embroidered Bears with Carol Regan

Carol Regan showed us how to make a simple embroidered bear face for our Community Service project, Children in Crisis. She also brought patterns of the bears to share. See our Community Service page for more information about making these bears. We have finished more than 60 bears to donate to this worthy cause!

Momigami Paper with Carol Kovacs

Carol Kovacs taught participants how to create Momigami paper, a Japanese technique that uses kneading with a starch or oil product to alter the surface and create textured paper. This paper can be used in bookmaking or in creating collages and other fiber arts.