For the past twenty years Diane Arthur has worked in many mediums.  For ten of those years she was a ceramicist, then became fascinated with the world of handbound books and made her way from ceramics to mixed media collages and sculpture.  In the last couple years, her interest in texture drew her to the patterns and textures in contemporary fabrics and fibers that are now available as yarns.

"As a young girl my grandmother taught me how to sew and to knit and crochet, as well as teaching me the basics of embroidery, tatting, quilting, and needlepoint. Through most of my memory she had some handwork project in her lap until a stroke left her unable to do the delicate work she had always done. My mother now has the honor of completing works left undone at the time of her mother's passing, and we both use and cherish many of the objects that were completed. Within the fullness of this circle, it is now my honor to continue the 'gift of the hand' taught to me by both of these very special women, and my pleasure to be able to share them with you."

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Douglas Atchley works full time in his studio in Weaverville, NC where he specializes in surface design on natural fibers. He is a member of the Piedmont Craftsmen Guild, Carolina Designer Craftsmen, and the Southern Highland Craft Guild since 1998. He participates in the two annual SHCG Craft shows in Asheville , NC in July and October, in Piedmont Craftsmen Show in Winston-Salem in November and the Carolina Designer Craftsmen Show in November.

He particularly enjoys the qualities of silks which drape beautifully, possess fluidity and durability, and uniquely accept intense colors from dyes. He uses both matte and reflective silk surfaces in his creations. Frequent techniques are hand painting and an unusual Nineteenth Century Japanese dyeing technique called arashi shibori (pole wrapping).

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Christine Matusiak was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia. While earning a BFA in Sculpture from the University of the Arts, she worked in a variety of mediums from wood to steel to hand-woven.  After graduation, she saved up for a loom and continued to study weaving on her own and at workshops.  Three years ago, the North Carolina Arboretum invited Christine to pick plants that had traditionally been used for dying, like purple basil and madder.  She was hooked, and spent that summer looking for plants recommended in natural dye books and experimenting with different mordants which fix the color to the fiber, and can produce different colors with the same plants.

"I am attracted to the process, which can be an endless science experiment, and as unpredictable as I want."

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Studio artist Mimi Schleicher specializes in the art of Marbling, a classical surface design technique discovered over 500 years ago in Turkey.  Internationally recognized, Mimi established Hand-Marbled Paper and Fabric in 1978 and has co-authored "Marbling Paper and Fabric" and "Marbled Designs" as well as an instructional video, "Experience the Magic of Marbling".

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Laura Sims, a full-time studio artist, is recognized for her unique prints on silk and paper and has work owned by individuals throughout the world. Her bold, organic designs enhance her individually dyed silk scarves and ties to create interplay of lush colors and rich textures. Her commitment to beauty and quality insure that each piece is made with care. Laura has operated Indigo Stone since 1986 and is a founding member of Ariel Gallery Contemporary Craft Cooperative in Asheville, North Carolina. She is also a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and has authored "Marbling: Easy and Elegant Projects for Paper and Fabric".

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