2009 Lifetime Achievement Awardee

Pam Godderis

Pam Godderis Dangerfield studied art and early childhood education at the University of Calgary receiving her Bachelor of Education in 1969. After three years as a classroom teacher, both in Calgary and Montreal, she worked as a traveling art teacher for the Calgary Board of Education. She retired from the school board in 1974 to raise her family and develop her work in the fiber arts. Pam’s work as a fiber artist focused on embroidery, quilting and beading and incorporated a number of techniques dependent upon their suitability in expressing her ideas. The domestic sewing machine was her principal tool for drawing and creating texture, allowing a spontaneous flow of rhythm and movement by lowering the feed dogs and removing the presser foot.

Starting in the mid-70”s Pam traveled extensively, lecturing and teaching for organizations such as Alberta Culture, Visual Arts; Alberta Teachers Association (ATA); Embroiderers’ Association of Canada (EAC); Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA); American Needlepoint Guild (ANG); Quilt Canada (CQA); National Academy of Needlearts (NAN); Callaway Garden School of Needlework; school districts; colleges; regional fiber art guilds; recreational boards; commercial enterprises; parent/teacher groups; public and private associations; national and regional church organizations. In addition she was active as judge and juror for a variety of organizations. Working as a freelance teacher allowed her the opportunity to guide her students in understanding that creativity is a process, not a product. Knowing the desire to be creative is universal, her desire in teaching was to stimulate creativity by guiding her students in exploring their own ideas and gaining confidence in their own interpretations.

Pam’s work has been widely exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally and is in private collections worldwide. She authored three books: “Ideas for Inspiration”, Embroiderers’ Edition; “A Day In The Gallery, A Personal Guide to an Exhibition” and “Free Motion Machine Embroidery Workbook”. Her work has been honored in numerous competitions and was recognized by many awards including Alberta Achievement Award, Excellence Category, for Outstanding Achievement in the Fiber Arts by the Government of Alberta; “The Muse’s Kiss” by NAN; “The People’s Choice Award”, Calgary Guild of Needle and Fibre Arts Exhibition; “Director’s Award”, Needle Expressions CAE; and Honorable Mention, EGA Competing Needles Competition.

Pam was a member of the North Shore Needle Arts Chapter of EGA, Vancouver Guild of Fabric Arts, FibreEssence Artists Association, Craft Association of British Columbia, Embroiderers’ Association of Canada, Canadian Quilt Association, Embroiderers’ Guild of America and the Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters. She served in several capacities within these organizations including executive positions and was the author and counselor for four individual correspondence courses for EGA and EAC.