December 2023 - Year in Review

Last Class of the Year!

Register here. December is full but you can get on the waitlist, or sign up for January!

Space & Equipment Rental

The Needle Felter and Thumper are up and running thanks to Mark Bond and Bob Davis. Contact Debbie at info@nmfiberartscenter.org to reserve a spot. 

Head over to our Rentals page to check out what’s available for rent, and to make a reservation.

** This summer, we changed out the front door lock. Old keys will no longer work. We added a keyless door lock to the side door. Whenever you reserve space and/or equipment to rent, you will be given a code. The code changes monthly. **

Board Member Search

We’re still looking for new Board Members! Visit our About Us page to learn more about our current board, and contact Kim at director@nmfiberartscenter.org if you’d like to join.

Connect

Check our new Links page. Email Kim at director@nmfiberartscenter.org to add your organization to the list. 

The 11th annual Fall Fiber Fiesta, a true fiesta!

Yet another amazing show & sale. We truly couldn't have done it without the artists and all the fiber enthusiasts shoppers! Thank you all so much for being a part of this huge success.

It started off with a bang this year with a highly attended opening night, catered by the amazing local Santa Fe group ¡Youthworks! Opening night was followed by two busy days of vending over the weekend. The traffic at the sale was nearly non-stop, and the parking lot of the center was full all weekend! There were well over 1000 visitors. In fact, we'd love to have a volunteer counting those in attendance next year, maybe that could be you? 

We had three fantastic demonstrator volunteers again this year. The demonstrators were showing the public traditional fiber arts from New Mexico, including the use of turkey feathers and yucca fibers! Mary Weahkee and her two apprentices were there all weekend. I am very thankful for these demonstrators, though sadly, I personally was too busy to see their work! Hopefully we will have them demonstrate this spring at the center so we can all learn more from this wonderful group of educators. 

I heard from many different artist vendors that it was "the best sale" they've ever done. Thank you for all your participation. The fact that this was our 11th year really does show. People love coming to this sale, knowing that we showcase such beautiful work. I was told by many visitors that it was the best show they go to in Santa Fe all year.

As booth space was full to the brim this year, we will be capping the sale next year. We will not be jurying the show, but having it first come/first serve. Applications will be going out around September 1st, and there will be at least a 2 week notification before the date that they are going out. So just stay connected to the EVFAC/NMFAC newsletter's and you'll get your reminders! 

A big thank you to NM Arts and their generous grant for this show. It helps provide the best show space for fiber artists that I have ever seen. There were 60 artists who benefitted from this show this year. A big thank you from us all. 

It was a pleasure working with everyone again. I look forward to next year!

Take care, and have a wonderful Winter Solstice.

Amanda Speer

EVFAC Education & Media Coordinator 

EDUCATION

In 2023 we had over 25 teachers offer classes in person at EVFAC and several online.

We are always looking for new classes in all things fiber! If you are interested in teaching with us, check out our Class Proposal Form and submit your ideas.

Most of our classes last 2-4 days and take place Thursday-Sunday. This year, we had a special 3 week intensive - the Ariat Chimayo Weaving Apprenticeship. Board Member Maria Jönsson wrote about the program below.

ARIAT PAID CHIMAYO WEAVING APPRENTICESHIP            February 13 - March 3 (weekdays)

EVFAC board member Maria Jönsson interviewed a few of the weavers on Friday the 17th of February.  It was the end of the first week for the weavers and the Rio Grande tapestry work they were doing was phenomenal. 

The company Ariat was generous enough to provide grant money for this apprenticeship in conjunction with the Trujillo family (Irvin, Lisa, and Emily), from Centinela Traditional Arts in Chimayo, NM.  The purpose of this grant was to train new weavers to continue on the tradition of Rio Grande weaving in Northern New Mexico.  There has been a shortage of weavers for quite some time.  Irvin and Lisa Trujillo have been working with Ariat for some years, providing designs for their clothing lines inspired by Rio Grande weaving.  Emily Trujillo was the instructor for the weavers.  EVFAC provided the space and the looms for the apprenticeship.  

The first weaver I spoke to was Angelica Lapahie.  She is originally from Two Gray Hills on the Navajo Reservation.  She comes from a weaving family called the Southwest Weavers.  She was expressing that not many of her generation are weaving and that she wants to carry on the tradition of weaving and was excited about partaking in this apprenticeship to learn how to weave the Rio Grande style of tapestry weaving.

The other weaver I spoke to was Row Sarkela from Taos.  She has friends who have Churro sheep and is interested in shepherding and other community activities which connect people to the land through fiber.  She did a fiber installation in Taos in 2019 and has also taken Colcha embroidery classes.  She wants to connect her interest in fashion via weaving and involve her  community in her future fiber art endeavors.

The other weavers I spoke to were Leticia Gonzales, Karin Martinez, Kim Zitzow, Maya and Sally.  It was great to see their enthusiasm and their wonderful work on EVFAC looms!  

* It should be noted, 10 months since the program’s completion, 3 of the weavers now weave for Centinela, Ortega’s and Trujillos in Chimayo. There are plans in the works for a second round of this internship to run in 2024. 

FROM THE STORE

Our retail space is open weekly Thursday - Saturday from 10am-5pm. We also pack and ship online orders throughout the week through our Shop. All of our merchandise is listed here, except for our consignment items. 

This year, we became the only certified Kromski dealer in New Mexico. Come by and see what we have in stock, or we can order what you need.

Contact Debbie at info@nmfiberartscenter.org

New Mexico FIBERSHED

Last month, EVFAC became a fiscal sponsor for the New Mexico Fibershed. Fibershed is an international network of producers developing regional fiber systems that build soil & protect the health of our biosphere.

With a small seed grant of $4500 to begin, we are planning community meetings in 2024 to see how this money would best be spent, and what kind of projects to begin with.

If you would like get involved, email Kim at director@nmfiberartscenter.org to be updated on all things Fibershed. 

Check out this podcast episode from Weaving Voices (part of Fibershed) about Navajo-Churro sheep and their role in Diné lifeways.

YOUTH EDUCATION

With support from the $10,000 grant from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, we are in the process of developing/bring back youth programming that focus on local textile and fiber processing techniques. We are working on summer programming at EVFAC for summer 2024, and in-school programming for the fall.

Do you have experience teaching children between 2nd and 10th grade? Would you be interested in teaching with us?! 

We are also seeking support from those who work within the school system and have experience running enrichment programs.

Email Kim at director@nmfiberartscenter.org if interested in any of the above!

 ** Please Donate to the Center this holiday season if you are in a financial position to do so. We have great classes for youth and adults, as well as some cultural programming in the works for next year that we can’t wait to share with you! Your donation helps to ensure this programming gets off the ground. **

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ONGOING EXHIBITIONS:

November 17, 2023 - February 12, 2024 - Billie Zangewa: Field of Dreams. Zangewa creates intricate collages composed of hand-stitched fragments of raw silk. Her use of silk as a material speaks to the transformative nature of the work itself. SITE Santa Fe. 

October 6 2023 - April 1, 2024 - Generations of Imagination: What Lies Behind the Vision of Chimayo Weavers. Curated by Emily Trujillo, 8th generation Chimayo weaver. Museum of Spanish Colonial Art. Santa Fe, NM.

July 16th 2023 - June 2, 2024 - Horizons: Weaving Between the Lines with Diné Textiles. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Santa Fe, NM.