Jan Schubert is an early childhood educator of 25 years, a candlemaker, puppeteer, author and textile artist. Her interest in handwork and textiles began as a child of seven when she learned to knit.

As a young adult, she explored surface design and fibers, happening upon felting while taking a spinning class. Her love of handwork found a fertile field when she discovered puppetry, thus, giving her a way to combine her artistic impulse with the element of story.

Jan was introduced to felting needles in 2001, a happy occurance which precipitated the creation of many charming creatures and inspired her to illustrate "The Sun Seed," a story she had written, with wool, a medium that she loved. Jan made her first candle at the age of 13, a messy but enthusiastic family endeavor for the holidays.

As an adult, she married a commercial beekeeper and with unlimited beeswax available, became enamored with the various processes of turning the magical substance of beeswax into beautiful gifts of light. She creates her own molds for her candles and uses a variety of decorating techniques for embellishment.

Education:

• 2005 - B.A. ECE Union Institute and University
• 2000 - Graduate of The Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts
• 1986 Waldorf Teaching Certifcate - Rudolf Steiner College

You can email her at: schubert_jan@earthlink.net