Summer Newsletter

Fall Fiber Fiesta, in-person at
the Scottish Rite Temple

We are planning to once again hold the Fall Fiber Fiesta in person this year at the Scottish Rite Temple in Santa Fe. Unless COVID raises its ugly head and sends us all back into lockdown, the dates will be November 19th, 20th, and 21st. Applications will be due September 30th, here is a link to the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate ALL members who want to participate. However space is limited, so apply in a timely fashion to ensure your spot.

Each artist will have their own display and must be present for the duration of the event. We apologize, but we are unable to offer the 'open display' category this year.

Also, similar to last years in-store and online event, we will be offering to accept 10 items per artist to have on display at the center and online. Items are to be brought in on Saturday October 16th by 5pm. This aspect of the Fall Fiber Fiesta will be up from the beginning of November until December 23rd and is open to all active members. There will be an online form to enter all the details of your 10 pieces. This will help so much with the large workload of data entry that was required last year. Look for an email soon containing more information and links to the online registration and inventory forms.
Artists who wish to participate in both the in-person show at the Scottish Rites Temple AND the in-store/online show must leave their 10 items at the center. It would be too confusing to have artists pick up those items just for that weekend then bring them back. Keep that in mind when bringing in your items!

If anyone would like to help organize any of these events please get in touch. We will be seeking someone who is not displaying at the Scottish Rite Temple to be there during that weekend as artist support and general problem resolver. We also will need some people to act as cashiers on the three days of the event. These positions can be paid positions. email warpboard@yahoo.com if you are interested.

NMEVFAC Welcomes Maria Jonnson to the Board of Directors
Our members recently elected Maria to the Board of EVNMFAC at our annual meeting. We are excited to have her as she brings enthusiasm and new ideas to help keep the Center rolling. Thanks for joining us Maria!

The Theater and Costume collection of
the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple

By Dain Daller

Kings in ornate robes, Knights in mail and capes, Egyptian Pharaohs and Gods, Priests in elaborate vestments. These are some of the characters that wear the stunning costume collection of The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple.

The handpainted backdrops are lowered, props arranged, costumed actors assembled and the curtain is raised. The audience is transported to exotic locales from times long ago. Twice a year, the members of the Scottish Rite don these beautiful garments to portray characters in many different plays to illustrate moral and philosophical lessons of the degrees of Freemasonry.

Setting for the first scene of the 4th degree.

The Scottish Rite Temple was built in 1911, it is an iconic Moorish revival-style building in downtown Santa Fe. An important part of the building is the large theater that is highly decorated with designs based on the Alhambra. Many of their costumes, along with the handpainted theater backdrops date back to that same era. They are high quality and have been cared for and repaired over the years, such that most are still used today. Companies such as the C.E. Ward Company, and the M.C. Lilley Company out of Ohio offered catalogs of historically accurate costumes and accessories for all the characters in degree productions.

The dressing room and costume storage room.

A 1914 flyer from M.C. Lilley read "Just remember that PRICE is soon forgotten, while QUALITY (be it high or low) is with you as long as the costume lasts."

Velvets, silks, and other beautiful cloths were tailored and embellished with ornate embroidery and applique. And their quality has been proven, as many are now over 100 years old.

The Scottish Rite Temple can be thought of as a college of Masonry. A separate organization from the Masons, it is considered an appendant body. Members of the Masonic Lodge receive more training and education at the Scottish Rite. These theater productions are key in passing on the knowledge and education to new members. In the mid-nineteenth century the Scottish Rite legislated that five of the 32 degrees were required to be dramatic theater presentations. These were referred to as the Indispensable, or Obligatory, Degrees. In 1892, fourteen more degrees were added, followed later by nine more. Masons were eager to stage remaining degrees as well. These theater productions became a main feature of Scottish Rite regional reunions and events. Members from different lodges in the region would come together as a dramatic team to stage degrees; nurturing camraderie and fellowship with other Masons.

Setting for the first scene of the 14th degree

Setting for the sixth scene of the 18th degree

In all, there are 72 painted backdrops in the theater. Commissioned from Sosman & Landis in Chicago, they range from cathedrals, Egyptian tombs, ancient ruins, forests to Hell and Calvary. They are made in a nineteenth century Victorian American theater format.

Three elements compose each scene: backdrops, cut drops and leg drops. As you can see in this photo, the background hangs at the back with the cutdrops and leg drops creating the illusion of depth to the stage. In addition, perspective in the paintings added incredible depth to some of the scenes.

Most painting for theater is temporary, used for a productions run, then discarded or repainted for the next one. The Scottish Rite Masons, however, have kept all of these scene paintings from the early twentieth century. They are a historical record of important aesthetics and practices of American scenic art and stage design. EVFAC now has a beatiful coffee-table book in our library about the Scottish Rite Temples history and theater. Give it a look next time you are at the center!

The Scottish Rite Masons have preserved their building over the decades and now share their building with the community, allowing others to rent parts of it for their own events. The banquet hall can be used for weddings, dinners, and is where we have held our own Fall Fiber Fiesta. The theater is available for theater productions and many film companies have used it for scenes. An industrial kitchen, once the largest in New Mexico, and a courtyard is also available for the public to use. Once up for sale, due to declining membership and rising maintenance costs, The Scottish Rite Masons have gone to great lengths to keep and preserve this historical building. Allowing the public to use the unique building and grounds help finance the upkeep of an extraordinary architectural monument in the heart of Santa Fe. Visit their website https://www.santafescottishrite.org for more information on booking your next big event at The Scottish Rite Temple!

Taos Wool Festival/Churro Week

EVFAC will be participating in the Taos Wool Festival on October 2nd-3rd, and will be sponsoring Churro week to follow. So far we are planning on offering prepping fleece, (scouring, picking and carding) and spinning Monday, October 4th and Wednesday the 6th. A dyeing workshop will be offered Wednesday as well. Then Thursday - Saturday will be Rio Grande weaving with Emily Trujillo and felting with Dain Daller and hopefully another teacher. We have a few lamb dinners planned at Los Luceros and a final event at Los Luceros with sheep shearing, booths, info. We have contacted the Navajo Lifeway office in Shiprock but they have yet to respond.

We also are planning a few presentations, a panel discussion and a couple of tours. We have a page on the website and will be updating as we get confirmation from our various partners.
Go to https://www.nmfiberartscenter.org/churroweek for complete schedule and to sign up!

For both these events we have, of course, needs for volunteers.

We would particularly like spinning teachers for Churro week and for the Wool fest people to help with booth set up and breakdown and booth tenders .

If you would like to help with either or both of these events please contact Leigh @ operations@evfac.org.

Help Us Finish the Dye Kitchen!
We would like to finish the dye kitchen and there’s still work to do to make it a safe and productive place to create. We recently had to replace the hot water heater and upgraded to a larger 40 gallon size and ran gas service to the workspace for a more effective way to cook the dye pots. Here’s what is still needed:
Install adequate ventilation system
Install a gas range to accommodate larger dye pots
We are looking for $4000 to finish this project.

Donate to EVFAC!

Class: DYE EXTRAVAGANZA!

Workshop Info

Students will dye wool with local plants including marigolds, chamisa and cota. Imported plant dyes such as indigo, madder root, cochineal, brazilwood and logwood will complete the color range. Students will create a recipe file and leave with between 3 and 5 pounds of wool and an understanding of the dye process from start to finish.

I only have about 20 skeins left of 3 shades of gray and 3 shades white of 3 ply Briggs and Little Atlantic weight to sell at $5/skein (pre buy them by emailing me or bring your own wool in 4 oz skeins. I am retiring from dyeing and taking a hiatus from weaving, while I move on to?? Anyway, this will be my last dye workshop and at the end of the weekend, I’ll be selling for very little $ ALL of my dye equipment (pots, dyes, etc.)

I also have about 600 skeins left of gorgeous hand dyed wool of ALL colors left to sell- A one of a kind collection. See WOOL FOR SALE AD from the last newsletter.

Materials to Bring

· Heavy rubber gloves, sack lunches, waterproof marker

· Also please save and bring dry or fresh plant materials such as: onion skins (red and yellow), marigolds, sunflowers, chamisa, etc., if you have any.

Large dye pots, and outside burners (electric), if you have any.

An aside: I have 2 airbnb rooms that can be rented overnight for $50 each by contacting me directly or booking through the Airbnb site Peaceful Country Paradise in Chimayo (more expensive.)

Classified ads.

Classified ads that you see here will also be posted on the EVFAC Website. If you are a member, classified ads are free, otherwise they cost $15. Please send ads to media@evfac.org

Robin Reider’s collection of hand dyed wool for sale. Over 1,000 skeins – ALL different shades and colors. Plant dyes and Chemical dyes.

Briggs and Little Woolen Mills

1 Skein = 4 OZ, 113 G, 135 YARDS

3 ply Atlantic $8 per skein

$150 per 5 lbs – 20 skeins

$280 per 10 lbs - 40 Skeins

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MwFzD1DCHXW6cTxR9

robinreider64@gmail.com 505-351-4474 by appointment

FOR SALE

MACOMBER WEAVING LOOM 36” WIDE
GREAT CONDITION
$1200.00

4 HARNESS JACK LOOM
EXPANDS TO 8

APRONS FOR FRONT AND REAR BEAMS

3 REEDS AVAILABLE / LOTS OF HEDDLES

HAND CRAFTED BENCH INCLUDED

CONTACT:
NANCY LANE SANTA FE

Nancyelane41@gmail.com

505-501-4055

FOR SALE: 2-harness counterbalance rug loom with 38” weaving width. This loom is made by Kessenich. It is the ‘Emma’ model and is marketed and sold only by Great Northern Weaving in Michigan.

The loom is red oak and is in excellent condition. It has wonderful flat steel heddles that glide across the frames. It is good for making rag or wool rugs. Though it folds to go through doorways, it is still quite sturdy. Great Northern’s web site has photos and additional information regarding the loom. Asking price is $650.00. It comes with an extra reed. Also included if desired is a self-standing warp creel in matching red oak. (This creel was purchased separately from the loom and can be viewed on the Kessenich web site, not Great Northern Weaving.) Loom is located in Santa Clara, near Silver City.
Please call (575)537-2686 and leave a voicemail.

For Sale

For Sale: 8 inch Mirrex Lani Loom. I’ve had this loom for about 3 years and I haven’t done anything with it. I bought a “no warp ends” kit and a shedding device package for the loom and paid about $300 for everything. It was knocked off my work table when new and one wooden clip was cracked and glued together the attached photo shows the repair on the right hand side clip. It works fine with the repair and replacement clips are available from Mirrix. The loom is like new; except for that repair. $270 with free shipping.

Shedding device package:

Four Coils: 8, 12, 14, 18 Dents

Shedding device and handle two wooden clips, warping bar and written instructions.

No warp ends package:

Bars, cord and S-hooks

Contact Diana Kirkpatrick if interested. diana@dianakirkpatrick.com

FOR SALE: 54” Glimakra Standard 4H countermarche loom. Comes with 10 treadles, counterbalance pulleys, extra heddles and texsolv cord, 8d and 6d reeds, shaft holders, lease sticks, warp separators and other equipment. $995. Sturdy handmade 27”H x 42”L bench with shelf, works well with loom $85. Located in Albuquerque. I can help to disassemble but the buyer must transport.

Please contact: Diane Beck
dianebeck2012@gmail.com or 505-660-5198.

Members are the backbone of our organization. Please become a member and receive member discounts for store purchases and discounts on classes and events. Or make a donation to our non-profit to help support our work. We couldn’t do it without you!

WISH LIST
6 foot folding plastic or lightweight tables for displays, events, workspace
Wooden display racks for retail space for larger rugs and weavings

Thank you to all the Volunteers!

Apologies if your name is not listed! Please remember to fill out the volunteer log online!

Maria Jonsson - Leigh Alexander - Eileen Tomaro - Dain Daller - Karen Rose - Amanda Speer - Zandra Hall

Thank you to all the donors!

Apologies if your name is not listed! Please remember to fill out the donations form online!

Celeste Nossiter - Carolyn Dunlap - Susan Meredith - Karen Perce - David Bronstein - Wendy Katzman - Crow Johnson Evans - Carol Seed - Carol Burling - Marti Edmondson - Barbara Mertian

EVFAC+NMFAC
325 PASEO DE ONATE
ESPANOLA, NM 87532
505-747-3577