Scene from a past New Mexico Fiber Crawl. Courtesy photo 
Scene from a past New Mexico Fiber Crawl. Courtesy photoEVFAC News:
The Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center (EVFAC) has partnered with local artists, businesses, and cultural centers to open doors for the public to learn and experience the fiber arts for free 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 18-20, in the Second Annual New Mexico Fiber Crawl across northern New Mexico.
The event is open to anyone, and with a free 2018 New Mexico Fiber Crawl Passport participants can tour the many local artists’ studios, retail shops, farms, galleries, and museums including Yarn Store in Nob Hill in Albuquerque, Tansey Contemporary in Santa Fe, Fuller Lodge Art Center in Los Alamos, Jemez Artisans Gallery in Jemez Springs, EVFAC in Española, Mooncat Fiber in Taos, just to name a few.
At each Crawl stop, fiber enthusiasts will get their passports stamped, and will have the chance to learn and experience the rich history and culture of New Mexico’s fiber arts. Participants can meet artists, learn a new skill, view demonstrations, and discover up close where textile materials come from and how they are processed.
Passports can be picked up at any site on the New Mexico Fiber Crawl or downloaded at nmfibercrawl.org for free starting on May 1. The 2018 New Mexico Fiber Craw will officially kick off Friday, May 18, and passport holders can visit all the numerous sites.
The purpose of the New Mexico Fiber Crawl is to give participants a chance to experience a part of New Mexico’s economic and artistic culture, as well as expose local businesses, artists, and cultural centers to new and engaged audiences.
The New Mexico Fiber Crawl was first launched in 2017 by EVFAC and attracted more than 1,109 visitors who toured the three-day event making a total of 2,712 stops. The event was considered a great success drawing the participation of 15 sponsors, 43 sites and 77 fiber artists. The 2018 Fiber Crawl promises to be even more popular extending across more counties in northern New Mexico, and engaging even more fiber artists. In particular, thematic fine art exhibits that will take place at various locations, and will showcase artwork that artists have made specially for that show.
The 2018 Fiber Crawl has been generously supported by New Mexico Arts, New Mexico Department of Tourism, and private donors. EVFAC also collaborates with guilds such as Las Arañas Spinners and Weavers Guild in Albuquerque, Las Tejedoras Fiber Arts Guild in Santa Fe and Tejedoras de las Trampas Fiber Artisans in Peñasco to include northern New Mexico’s most talented fiber artists.
EVFAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that cultivates and support multi-generational participation in local, traditional and contemporary fiber arts. Its three main areas of focus are to build expertise in the fiber arts for adults and youth through education, to increase awareness and participation in the fiber arts and foster economic growth in the fiber arts community through collaborative efforts that respect heritage and promotes a fiber ecosystem that grows, harvests, prepares and creatively uses fibers.
For more information about the 2018 New Mexico Fiber Crawl visit www.nmfibercrawl.org or follow on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NMFiberCrawl ) or Instagram (@nm.fiber.crawl) for live updates.
Businesses and individuals interested in sponsorship and partner opportunities can email events@evfac.org or call 505.747.3577.
Scene from a past New Mexico Fiber Crawl. Courtesy photo
Scene from a past New Mexico Fiber Crawl. Courtesy photo