Anne Dilker, Lakeville, PA 

 Anne came to jewelry design via pottery. “Clay has been a part of my life for nearly as long as I can remember.  My parents introduced me to slip casting at an early age, along with leather tooling, fabric arts, and copper enameling.  After exploring many different mediums over the years, and finding myself always returning to clay, I decided to open Moss Hollow Pottery as a full-time studio in 1996. 

 I started making beads in 2005 and was forced into jewelry design to provide examples of my beads in use.  It was a natural fit to start working with fiber and Mizuki (Japanese paper cords).  My beads have big holes, necessary to accommodate the firing rods, and the bulk provided by fiber as a stringing material works very well. 

 The next logical step in this progression is to pass along what I’ve learned about working with non-traditional stringing materials.  I’ve taught many different classes across the country (craft, music & dance, and academic) to a wide variety of age groups.  My goal is to make learning interesting and fun.  Most of my students take these classes as a form of recreation or to pursue a hobby; therefore, it’s important to present the instruction in a non-threatening manner.