Meet the Makers
Note: Makers are added to this list periodically. It is not complete.
Marsha Stone
Marsha Stone was the driving force behind the San Juan Ridge Tapestry Project in 2005. Her vision to contribute to the local community led her to initiate this endeavor. Together with Mary Moore, the Embroidery Designer and Supervisor, and artist Jennifer Crosby, Marsha has guided the project. Creating a welcoming and nurturing space aligned with Ridge values of kindness and respect is of utmost importance to her. People have shared that the tapestry room provides an escape from daily worries. Witnessing the blank linen blossom with vibrant hues and images of the community brought Marsha immense satisfaction.
Mary Moore
Mary Moore, a Southern California native, relocated to San Juan Ridge in 2002 near her son’s home. A former librarian and brief teacher, she now dedicates her time to fostering numerous dogs, quilting, and reading. Mary’s knowledge of art and color theory aids her embroidery work. In 2005, she and Marsha Stone began the tapestry project, with the first piece taking four years. Her favorite pieces include the hill landscapes in “The Land Then and Now” and “Don’t Mine Our Water.” In October, Mary will embark on a trunk show tour to showcase her quilts and tapestries in far-flung places.
Jennifer Rain Crosby
In 2005, Marsha Stone asked Jennifer if she wanted to help make her dream real of tapestries filling the local cultural center and Jennifer accepted the challenge. Over the next thirteen years she worked closely with Marsha and Mary designing and illustrating all of twelve of the tapestries. Yet she did not embroider on any of the tapestries themselves. Not one stitch. Jennifer explained why, “This is a threshold I did not cross, because to cross it would be a breaking of trust. True collaboration requires a kind of radical trust; trust in a shared idea, trust in each other’s skill and capacity to bring an idea into form. Marsha entrusted me with illustrating her vision for each tapestry. I entrusted every stitcher in their interpretation of my lines with their threads.”
Susan Moser
Susan Moser, a native of Southern California, enjoyed reading and beach activities during her upbringing. Now residing on the San Juan Ridge, she continues her passion for reading and enjoys taking walks. Susan enjoyed the tapestry project as it attracted fascinating individuals. As the Secretary of the Blind Shady Road Association, Susan actively organizes meetings and coordinates tasks like weeding, brush removal, and road leveling. Her favorite embroidery piece is a chicken tumbling through the “Great Disruption” section of “The Land Then and Now.” Ultimately, Susan treasured the comradeship fostered by the tapestry project.
Ms. M
Known as “Ms. M”, this modest stitcher has extensive experience in handwork and design, starting from her childhood when, on rainy school days, she learned French embroidery. She also studied watercolor and oil pastels and pursued a career in graphic design. Additionally, she has spun wool and knitted sweaters. She has also dedicated years to studying Bharata Natyam, a traditional Indian temple dance. Now retired, she cherishes the opportunity to stitch alongside individuals she wouldn’t have met otherwise. “The Blue Cradle” tapestry holds sentimental value as her youngest child slept in the cradle.
Holly Cheatham
Holly Cheatham moved to the San Juan Ridge in the first decade of the 2000s. Previously, she had visited the Ridge regularly for 12 years. She worked as a nurse and as a paramedic. She now enjoys reading and needlework of many kinds. She is also an avid photographer and painter. Her artistic intuition was a huge help in finding the color and balance in the embroideries, though she says it is harder to “get what you want” when stitching tapestries versus painting. She played the key role in creating the beading on all the tapestries.
Barbara McQuiddy
Barbara McQuiddy, a multi-talented artist, joined the tapestry stitching community after retiring from a long career teaching blind children. Her Mediterranean-style home showcases her expertise in pigmenting lime plaster walls, tile making, metal railing preparation, and decorative fountain design, Barbara’s favorite tapestry project was the challenge of stitching a large rock in “The River” tapestry. We appreciated her keen eye for improving materials, such as sharpening needles, and addressing discomfort caused by frame height or fabric tension. She took responsibility for correcting unclear drawings or pattern tracings within the tapestry.
Ed Sheffner
Ed Sheffner, a former manager of earth science research at NASA, found a focus for his appreciation of textiles and stitchery in the tapestry project. Invited by Marsha Stone to join the stitchers in 2013, he has participated ever since. The camaraderie of the stitchers is strong, and Ed is happy to be on the team, catching up on neighborhood news during weekly stitching in the back room at the North San Juan Community Library. He also enjoys gardening, cooking, Tai Chi and African drumming, and is involved in the community as a member of Ring of Bone, the local Zen Buddhist Sangha, and the Montezuma Ridge West Firewise Community, working to mitigate wildfire hazard
Jane Price Hill
Jane Price Hill, originally from San Francisco, now considers herself a Ridge person after residing in North San Juan for 15 years. Her journey with The Tapestry Project began when she saw the early ones showcased at the Sierra Storytelling Festival. A voice invited her to join the embroidery team, she eagerly accepted. She has received numerous compliments for her depiction of a bank safe in “Don’t Mine Our Water,” the heavy shading posed a delightful challenge. Jane finds solace in nature, especially the local Yuba River. She loves working in her garden and practices aikido.
Becky Burton
Becky Burton, Becky was a delightful addition to the stitching group; with her silver hair, big brown eyes, husky laugh and dry humor. As she says, she gets lost in the embroidery, enjoying the outcome, appreciating that the results look nice and hoping that other folks like her work. The portion of the “Arts and Artisans” tapestry that gave her the most pleasure to stitch was the representation of her good friend Nici von Kreidt.
Judy Nielsen
Judy Nielsen grew up in the San Fernando Valley where, as a young adult, she had two art related businesses. With a love of fiber (and anthropology), she earned a BA in Art at CSU, Northridge. A desire to live in a rural community with a lively art and culture mix led her to Nevada County in 1989, settling first in Chicago Park before moving to Nevada City. She joined the tapestry stitchers in 2018 four days after retiring from twenty-nine years working for the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools (NCSOS). In her last years at NCSOS she was the Nevada County Arts Lead, implementing community arts programs into Nevada County schools. Among her contributions to the art scene in Nevada County is twenty years, and counting, as a Hot Trash artist/designer. In addition, she serves on committees with KVMR, InConcert Sierra, and her local Fire Wise association. She is also a Haute Trash board member. But she especially enjoys stitching on the tapestries as a time to both create with others and immerse herself in the meditation of stitching.
Dorthy Wilson
Dorothy Wilson is a fairly recent newcomer to Nevada County. She and her husband Jeffery found the charms of Nevada County compelling and moved to Grass Valley in 2019 after a long life as resort owners in the Feather River Canyon in Plumas County. In 2021, Dorothy heard Marsha Stone, in an interview on KVMR, describe the tapestry project and invite stitchers to join in its creation. Dorothy followed up on the invitation. At that time, the “Artists and Artisans” tapestry was in the works, and Dorothy felt welcomed by the group immediately. The community of North San Juan seemed wonderfully avant-garde.
Dorothy learned embroidery and cross-stitch early in life from her grandmother, and plain sewing was a minor skill, but it was only after her kids graduated that she took up the needle again to create a number of self-designed cross-stitch artworks. Several of her works were entered in county fairs, and in the California State Fair, with a couple of them winning ribbons. Finding the tapestry group was a dream come true for so many reasons, not least being the chance to learn more about stitchery from experts. The historic value of the San Juan Ridge Tapestry Project was so profound, she simply had to accept the chance to be part of it.
Robbie Sellery
Robbie Sellery glides into the tapestry room with sparkling blue eyes and a happy smile and laugh. She has led an adventurous life, swimming with turtles in Hawaii, twice walking into the Grand Canyon down the Phantom Ranch trail and luxuriating in the vivid greens of Ireland. Her sweetie revealed to me that she used to play volleyball at Venice Beach. But for her, having children and grandchildren is the best experience of all.
Recently her 3 year old granddaughter asked her to make a red nightgown that perfectly matched the one she had seen in a book. And, of course, Robbie did it to the delight of her granddaughter.
We were all amazed with Robbie’s interpretation of a large ponderosa pine tree in the Fire Department tapestry.
William Crosby
William Crosby retired from cabinetwork in 2014 & finally got to join in stitching tapestries. I started on the “ Blue Cradle”. Marsha liked the detail of my people & asked me to do more. I did the 1st 800+ hours on the “ Artists “ tapestry ( 169 artists ) & I made a 18” x 10’ quilt frame to do it at home. I also stitched the Milky Way in the sky of #12 – “ The Forrest ” I loved supporting the Ridge Tapestry Project .