Introducing New Weaving Teacher: Rebecca Shelly
After a long search, we are pleased to introduce our new weaving teacher, Rebecca Shelly. Rebecca comes to AVL after having taught weaving and other fine arts topics at our local colleges.
Rebecca's Bio:
Rebecca Shelly is a fiber artist whose work is driven by a passion for exploring pattern, color, and texture across a wide variety of looms. Her artistic foundation began in painting and drawing, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the Maine College of Art in 2004. This deep appreciation for color has remained a constant influence throughout her creative career.
In 2009, Rebecca earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Arts from Portland State University in Oregon. During this time, her creative interests expanded into sewing and garment construction, which eventually led her to quilting. After relocating to Chico, California, she discovered weaving and spinning, igniting an intense passion for fiber arts.
Rebecca has extensive teaching experience at the university level, having taught Drawing, Painting, and Two-Dimensional Design at California State University, Chico. For many years she also taught at Butte College where she taught Basic Drawing, Fiber Arts, Art Appreciation and Gallery Production. It was through teaching Fiber Arts at Butte College that she recognized the central role fiber work played in her own artistic journey.
Inspired to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with others, Rebecca founded Weft and Willow Fiber Arts Studio, where she taught classes in weaving, spinning, sewing, natural dyeing, embroidery, and other fiber arts disciplines. Although she recently closed the studio after purchasing her first home, she looks forward to building a dedicated fiber arts studio on her property in the future.
Rebecca's collaboration with AVL allows her to continue sharing her passion for fiber arts with a broader community. Drawing on more than a decade of university-level teaching experience, she enjoys creating engaging and interactive online learning experiences through Zoom classes.
Having woven on a wide range of looms (9 brands in total!) Rebecca finds the most joy using her AVL Loom. She particularly values AVL looms for providing exceptional complexity and versatility through WeavePoint with simplicity of actions with weaving.
Rebecca is honored to serve as an AVL instructor and approaches the role with dedication and care. As a member of a younger generation of weavers, she is especially excited to help inspire and support the next generation of fiber artists as they begin their own weaving journeys.