KILLALOE – Jude Crossland worked at the Water Tower Lodge in Barry’s Bay for more than a decade as a recreational therapist. It was one of the many transitions she made in her career as a textile/mixed media artist, along with her partner, art glass blower Ed Roman. The award winning couple operated an arts studio between Brudenell and Rockingham for almost thirty years. They founded the Madawaska Valley Studio Tours. Crossland’s parents, ran a dairy farm in Newmarket, Ontario. She met Roman at Sheridan College, Mississauga in the early seventies. Roman was in the art glass blowing program and she was in the weaving program. A year ahead of Roman, Crossland took a position at Canadore College in North Bay, teaching weaving and textiles to recreation leadership students. Crossland laughs when she explains, the course played into the idea at the time that the working week would decrease and everyone would have hours of leisure to fill. While she was at Canadore, Crossland won a travel bursary which allowed her to study doll forms in the US, England and Wales. She was especially interested in the ancient doll forms exhibited in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Some of Crossland’s dolls are woven on a frame loom, after which they are stuffed and stitched. Crossland has also crocheted more folksy dolls. For more pick up a copy of the March 14, paper.