CONTACT INFORMATION:
Ann Strite-Kurz
3802 Wren Wood Court
Midland, MI 48640
Tel. (989)631-2126
e-mail address: strite.kurz@needleartworks.com

FEES:
Teaching fee: $300 per day plus travel expenses.
Lecture fee: $150 except when combined with an afternoon mini-workshop. The rate then is $300 for both programs.

LECTURE TOPICS AVAILABLE:
1. Slide Presentation on CANVAS APPLIQUE'. This lecture is an in-depth study of all types of canvas appliqué - both traditional and unconventional. Examples of regular appliqué, detached appliqué and reverse appliqué are included along with designs that illustrate other three dimensional effects that are appropriate on canvas. The lecture can be oriented towards technique or toward a more relaxed appreciation of just the beauty and drama of three dimensional canvas embroideries. The second carousel features a variety of finished embroideries, including examples stitched by Master Craftsman candidates and many other designers and teachers who generously shared their work. These are supplemented with samples from my personal work and details from several large civic projects that were executed by individual chapters.

2. Slide Presentation entitled USING COMMON STITCHES IN AN UNCOMMON WAY.
This two-hour lecture is intended to plant creative seeds that will ignite new sparks of originality in one's stitch treatments. Ann discusses her 36-step approach to developing stitch variations from familiar stitches, and each step is illustrated with specific examples that demonstrate the process. The exercises can be useful for both canvas and counted thread embroidery, and even novices can produce innovative stitches and/or patterns using simple manipulations. The first part of the program presents black and white charts that show applications of each step in Ann's menu of ways to vary stitches. The second half of the program features color slides that show finished pieces that incorporate patterns that were derived from this process. This program was first used at the Charlotte Trade Show to introduce a new 50-page pamphlet called Stitch Variations and Mutations to the commercial market. For guilds the program can be expanded to include a hands-on segment for either a half-day or whole-day experience.

EXPANDED RESUME'-FORMAL EDUCATION:
The Madeira School, Greenway, Va. Graduated 1959.
Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, Va. Graduated 1963. B.A. in American Studies.
Minor in Art History.

CREDENTIALS:
Certified in Canvas Embroidery, Levels I and II, by the Valentine Museum, 1982, now the
National Academy of Needlearts program.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Taught decorative bookbinding from 1974-1980 in Connecticut and New York.
Taught canvas classes at the Yarn Palette, Springfield, Va. from 1980-1983.
3 Group Correspondence Courses for Embroiderers' Guild of America (EGA) - Diaper
Patterns, Canvas Borders and Exposed Canvas Patterns.
National Seminars: EGA '82, '85, '86, '89, '90, '95, and '97. '98 2001, '04, and '07.
American Needlepoint Guild '85, '86, '87, '90, '91, '93, '94 and '95.
Callaway Gardens '84, '86 and '94 and 2001.
NAN Assembly '90, '91, and '95. Scheduled for 2009.
Taught for Kreinik, Access Commodities, Rainbow Gallery and Sudberry House at various TNNA Trade Shows.

NOTEWORTHY NEEDLEWORK ACCOMPLISHMENTS :
A founder and president of the Fairfield Co. Chapter of EGA.
Master Craftsman in Canvas Embroidery through the program of the Conn. River Valley Chapter of EGA. Earned in 1980.
Administrator of the CRVC Master Craftsman program, 1984-1986.
Ribbon winner at ANG Exhibits in '83, '85, '88, '96 and 2002 at Callaway Gardens in '89, 90 and '94.
Author of articles for Needle Arts, Needlepointers, Nanthology, Open Chain, Neta and Apprize.
Selected as an exhibitor for "A Celebration of Michigan Needleartists - Bridging the Past with the Future," 1992 and for a similar exhibit at the Plymouth Arts  Center in 2001. Featured Artist at the Healing Arts Gallery of the Mid-Michigan Regional Hospital in November, 2006.
Author of five major books on different styles of canvas patterning. Selected as the Designer for the ANG Stitch of the Month Program for 2004.

EMBROIDERY EDUCATION:
Canvas foundation established with Darlene Reed, ongoing classes from 1974-1978.
Additional canvas classes from at least 25 teachers but several from Shay Pendray and Jane Zimmerman. More recent classes with Debbie Stiehler, Tony Minieri, Barbara Mayo Grass, Elsa Parrish and Kay Stanis.
Ongoing classes in Counted Thread Embroidery with Ilse Altherr. Several classes from Eleanor Bockheim and Mary Fry.
Ongoing classes in Silk and Metal Embroidery with Elsa Cose and Japanese Embroidery with Shuji Tamura. At least 7 classes in Crewel Embroidery with Audrey Francini, ongoing classes with Betsy Leiper in Crewel, and several classes in Surface Embroidery from Lynn Payette.
Color and Design classes with Pat Lambert, Ann Harris, Peg LaFlam, Debbie Deem, Wilcke Smith, Barbara Smith, Wilanna Bristow, Pam Godderis, and Katherine Colwell.
Judging Workshops with Kathleen Mackie and Muriel Baker and 4 Winning Ways sessions at EGA seminars.

AREA OF SPECIALIZATION IN TEACHING:
1. Most projects are mixed media canvas designs that use counted thread techniques with open canvas treatments in an innovative way.
2. Noted for notebooks and pamphlets that deal with stitch refinement, pattern design and other Master Craftsman topics such as Diaper Patterns and Canvas Appliqué.
3. Recognized for unusual open canvas patterning stitch treatments and knowledge of adapting general pattern concepts to unique canvas interpretations. Step-by-step sequences for these open patterns provide unique solutions to either minimize or eliminate
the visibility of the traveling threads in these patterns.
4. Special expertise on unconventional blackwork treatments, and many designs include some exposure to this contemporary style of blackwork. Many unique approaches to the refinement of the double running or reversible technique.