Member Profiles
Profiles allow members to let each other know what aspects of costuming interest them. They also enable members to locate those with similar interests or needed expertise.
To set up a profile or change your current one, send 30-70 words about your costuming interests, a ~100x100 pixel head shot and optionally your costuming related URL to: webmaster@siwcostumers.org. Contact other members through our Google group. Registration is required.
Note: Members showing the magnifier icon have
published articles in The Virtual Costumer. Click the icon to get a clickable list of the articles.
Gunther Berger (Southern California) is an honorary member of Silicon Web. He is the creation of cartoonist Greg Evans, and a continuing character in the Luann comic strip. Gunther became interested in sewing through his mother, and plans to have a career in costume design. Visit the Luann Fan web site: http://luannfan.com/.
Janice Dallas (Southern California) started costuming her brothers and cousins for skits when she was ten or so, and costuming for theater in 1983. By the '90's she was Costume Designer for the Sudbury Savoyards, building operetta costumes for their large (literally and figuratively) casts. When her body "fell apart" in 2000 she retired. She's most interested in Gilbert and Sullivan operetta and other period outfits built by her husband, Ron.
Ron Dallas (Southern California) is interested in Theater Technology and can do just about anything involved. He's helped build vinyl and sized felt armor, made a reproduction "Cat o' Nine Tails", figured out the proportions for a proper cage hoop made from electrician's Fish Tape, and sewn all sorts of period costumes, besides being Set Designer, or Lighting Designer.
Anne Davenport (Florida) has been costuming since 1977, starting out with Star Trek and Star Wars costumes and branching out to more general science fiction and fantasy outfits with an occasional historical attempt. She is most involved with hall costuming at science fiction conventions along with masquerade costumes. Ann is the current Recording Secretary for the ICG.
Megan Gardner (Northern California) Megan’s first costume was a dragonfly that won a 3rd-grade animal-themed costume contest, and she discovered cosplay as a hobby in her early 20s. Megan especially loves costumes with an ambitious element, whether it’s a giant hand-carved foam Midna helmet, Edward Elric’s boots made from scratch including a sole she cast herself, or a companion cube made to the full 40 inch game scale. With Taylor she discovered yard and costume inflatables and that’s been her passion ever since.
Kathe Gust (Northern California) is SiW's Secretary, Web Diva and Assistant Editor for the "Virtual Costumer". She enjoys making clothing for many historical periods, and various sci-fi and fantasy genres, with an emphasis on re-creations. Kathe has been sewing since childhood, and began theatrical costuming at university. When the "Lord of the Rings" movies came out, she decided to turn her spouse into King Theoden, and herself into Eowyn, Arwen, Bilbo, and even Gamling, branching out from there into other times and places. Kathe and Phil were awarded ICG's 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award. Visit her web site: http://celefinniel.net/.
Philip Gust (Northern California) is Editor of SiW's "Virtual Costumer" and a past President of ICG. He enjoys sci-fi and fantasy costuming, and has particular interests in props, special effects, and prosthetic makeup. He also costumes in historical periods, including Regency, Victorian, and early 20th century. Phil is a beginning sewer with a fatal attraction to difficult fabrics. His favorite costume is King Theoden's spectacular battle armor from the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Phil and Kathe were awarded ICG's 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bruce MacDermott (Northern California) is a SiW co-founder and has been Treasurer ever since, He was also ICG Treasurer (2006-2009), and helped found Greater Bay Area Costumers' Guild. He has judged from regional to international levels. Bruce became interested in costumes at an early age, but only began entering Fantasy and Sci-Fi masquerades with his late wife Dana in 1983. He was the mechanical solutions component of the team, leaving the design work to Dana. Bruce and Dana received ICG's 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tara Maginnis (Northern California) is a costume design specialist at Diablo Valley College, however, she is best known for her creation of The Costumer's Manifesto, one of the World Wide Web's largest, and most eclectic, costume sites: thecostumersmanifesto.com/.
Betsy Marks (New York) is a fantasy and theatrical costumer, has been involved in various forms of ICG and SiW leadership since 1987. She has been Vice President of the Silicon Web Costumers' Guild and chapter representative to the ICG Board. In 1997 Betsy chaired Costume-Con 15; she was registrar for Costume-Con 40 (2022) and serves as the once and future Costume-Con Archivist for http://www.Costume-Con.org/. Betsy received the first Costume-Con Founder's Award (2005) and the ICG's 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award. When not costuming, Betsy is a professional digital and graphic designer, among other things. Visit her web site: http://www.hawkeswood.com/.
Johanna Mead (Oregon) Johanna has been sewing since the 1990s, and still feels like she’s just starting out, despite winning awards for her costume craftmanship from such conventions as WorldCon and Gallifrey One. Strongly motivated by a desire that newcomers avoid repeating her mistakes, Johanna enjoys giving panels at SF/F cons and costuming events on topics such as “Just What The Heck is the Difference Between Chiffon and Organza, Anyways?” (part of her “Making a Good Costume GREAT” series) and “Screen Accuracy Is A Myth – How to Cosplay Without Losing Your Mind”. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with one husband, two cats and almost too many books.
Anne Merritt (Northern California) is active in the San Francisco Bay area and also a member of the Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild. She likes to do historical costuming, but admires other members' awesome sci-fi and fantasy costumes. Anne enjoys reading the Virtual Costumer, and decided to join the group. Right now she's very active in the World War I Historical Association, a local historical group. Her most recent project was a suffragette outfit.
Shelley Monson (Northern California) has studied and created historical costumes since 1969. She has worked with Renaissance and Dickens Christmas Fairs, and is Costume Director for the Guild of St. George (the Court) North. She is interested in the fashion of many historical periods, but also dabbles in science fiction costuming. Shelley is a member of the Costume Society of America, the Greater Bay Area Costumers' Guild, dances with the Renaissance troupe Danserie Terpsichore, is a member of the Gaskell Balls committee, and collects 19th century fashion magazines.
Elyzabeth Morgan (Maryland) has been designing and making costumes since the late 1970’s. Favorite genres in the early days included fantasy, science fiction, and historical. What she enjoys the most is creating her own original designs. Back in the day, there were few costume patterns to be found, so she taught herself to draft her own. Although almost no pictures exist of her earliest costumes, she will always have the memories and the joy that costuming brings.
Ed Morlan (Northern California) started costuming without realizing it by sewing his own gear for military trainings and on an occasional movie set where some guys managed to get him to reenactment event in early 2000’s. He hand-makes wood and leather products and forges his own blades and weapons. He’s honed his leather skills and enjoys teaching at various cons to pass on his knowledge. Ed is a reenactor, 13th century longbow archer and dabbles in Roman, Greek, WW2 Navy, Pirate, fantasy, and Sci-Fi and has even entered costume competitions.
Jennifer Mulvey (Northern California) has been a part of the costuming hobby for almost 2 decades. She has spent many years dabbling in all facets of costuming. Jennifer has helped run conventions, been on boards, taught at cons and has entered a few costume competitions. She loves all costumes from historical based to fantasy and Anime. Costuming and Cosplay is a big part of Jennifer’s life and she loves meeting new people and finding out what they love about the hobby also. She takes great pride in making perfectly imperfect creations and would love to know what’s next on your list too!
Carole Parker (Northern California) Carole is an amateur costumer and fabric experimenter with special interests in textiles, dyeing, and wearable art. Carole is a former SiW Secretary, Vice President and ICG Board Representative. She is also a member of The Peninsula Wearable Arts Guild. Visit her web site: http://mrbilll.users.sonic.net/Costuming/costuming.html
Taylor Pope (Northern California) Taylor has loved costumes ever since he was a kid, when every Halloween meant a chance to work together with his dad to make any dream he wanted into reality. His first brush with cosplay was in a spiderman suit his brother made, and he loved interacting with people excited to see a character brought to life. He got deeper into the cosplay world through Megan, and now focuses on inflatables and digital fabrication techniques like laser cutting and 3d printing.
Kevin Roche (Northern California) is a former SiW President, Vice President and ICG chapter representative. Kevin is currently the President of the ICG. Kevin is a sci-fi fantasy costumer with extensive experience entering, judging, and running masquerades. He was the Chair of CostumeCon 26 in 2008 and will chair Worldcon 76. He was awarded ICG's 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award. Visit Kevin's web site: http://www.twistedimage.com/
Jennifer Skwarski (Michigan) has been coming up with costumes for SF conventions since the mid-eighties starting with the second con she ever attended. She is intrigued by different approaches and techniques to making things and how to combine those with science fiction and fantasy costuming. She strives for excellence in her sewing and construction, always wanting to improve her skills and expand her knowledge of making things. She did not start competing until 2012 but is glad she finally jumped into that pool. It has greatly improved her confidence and her ability to stand in front of people as the focus of their attention and not freak out. Jennifer is the current President of the Silicon Web Costumers' Guild
Elaine Swick Sims (Tennessee) was doomed from birth to be a seamstress of some sort. She specializes in quilting, but can be found creating costumes & clothing as well. She has been creating and sewing since a young age, and is in the process of corrupting her son into the costumer's fold as well. Elaine is the Assistant GEL Administrator for the ICG. Check out her web site at http://cattailsquilts.etsy.com.
Jeanine Swick (Massachusetts) is ICG Treasurer and former SiW Secretary. Her grandmothers and mother taught her to make clothes for dolls and school at an early age. In Home-Ec, she made 3 piece suits while others figured out 3 piece patterns. She costumed in high school for theater, and later for her own teens. Her work is "period inspired" rather than historically accurate, incorporating her own creativity. She sells at regional renfaires, cons, SCA, and belly dance events. Visit her Designs by J web site: http://www.woollycat.net/.
Bjo Trimble (Southern California) together with her late husband John, she was a strong presence in Star Trek fandom and the SCA and former owner of Griffin Dyeworks. In 2010 they founded Ancient Earth Pigments showing people of all ages how to make their own historic pigments and inks. Bjo and John were awarded ICG's 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award. Bjo John
Terry Walker (District of Columbia) has been sewing for forty years but didn’t know about historical/sci fi/fantasy costuming until a few years ago. At her first convention she knew she had found her people. Terry and her husband live in Washington, DC.