About the Presenters
MaryAnne Lupinetti started sewing at the age of 10 and was a garment sewer for many years. Through those years she picked up crochet, knitting, embroidery, quilting and collage. She likes to tell a story and is inspired by the extensive and the boundless beauty of nature. She engages on a personal journey of surface design, a process where each stitch and embellishment help contribute to the development of a story. MaryAnne’s fiber art is an expression of creativity and a way of communicating her thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It’s also about exploring ideas that she can illustrate and then share with others as no two are alike. Her intuitive approach allows her to freely stitch without reservation and likes to watch her work emerge and unveil itself. MaryAnne uses natural fibers and likes to build up texture layer by layer using a variety of fabrics, threads, ribbons, cheesecloth and/or yarns. To complete her story, beads and sequins are sometimes added.
Keira Meyer also started creating at a young age. She has used her creativity in many ways over the years including knitting, gardening, cooking, painting, and cross stitch. She started beading about 5 years ago using a loom and now bead weaving and bead embroidery are her primary techniques. In addition to traditional jewelry, Keira sews beads on found objects. She works with stones, glass, & polymer clay and says that “each has their own feel.” She enjoys incorporating different materials and techniques. Keira has seen the power of creativity change with her mood and states that “Previously loved items share their stories and become part of new ones.”