MAVWA AND THE WOOL FESTIVAL REMEMBERED: An Informal History

by Laura L Ninnemann

BEGINNINGS

In 1981, Julia Ripsom of Christian Community Services in Alamosa, CO, along with several like-minded community members, embarked on a mission to provide networking, economic development support services, and educational resources to wool growers and wool users of the upper Rio Grande region and northern New Mexico. When they were officially organized as the Wool Products Association, they held their first members’ meeting in La Jara, CO on January 18, 1983. Although they did not participate as vendors until 1999, Rick and Teri Inman attended that first member meeting.

Stakeholders, including ranchers, fiber artists, retailers, planning consultants, and several other individuals and groups residing in the region, had met monthly beginning in November 1981 to learn about available wool resources and talent, and the challenges facing wool producers and users. Topics included everything from equipment and skill sets to land conditions and sheep breeds currently being raised.

The Association’s goals, as stated in the La Jara meeting agenda, included providing marketing, bookkeeping and other services; increasing production of top-quality local wool; fostering development of independent production programs; operating a wool scouring and carding facility; establishing a small wool-processing mill; and developing continuing education and training programs.

Through the tenacity and dedication of these founding organizers, the Wool Products Association was incorporated in the state of New Mexico as the Mountain and Valley Wool Association in 1983.

At the start, the primary focus was locally produced wool from the upper Rio Grande region and northern New Mexico. Later, MAVWA’s definition of wool expanded to include the fiber of any animal and, in 2001, members voted to expand the region to include all of Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Then, on May 11, 2016, bylaws were adopted and MAVWA was incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit organization.

EARLY YEARS

It was during a 1983 MAVWA meeting and wool workshop in Antonito, CO that the Wool Festival was conceived. This Antonito workshop was, in essence, the first Wool Festival, and Julie Ripsom served as MAVWA’s first President. Upon her departure from the area, Mary Stabolepszy assumed that role and graciously served for several years. Festival managers have included Patricia Quintana, the Robert Donnelly’s, Coralie Silvey Jones, and others.

The inaugural Taos Wool Festival was held in 1984 in Kit Carson Park and remained in that location for 38 years. Booths were located in the small area north of the main building near the entrance with 15 fiber vendors participating. By 1986, booths moved to the large area between the stage and the theatre with 40+ vendor booths. Food vendors have always been a part of the festival with the goal of promoting lamb products and keeping visitors on-site.

In those early days, there was just a handful of people organizing and producing the festival, so they drew upon each other’s talents to accomplish the tasks at hand.

FIBER CRITTER CORNER

In 1985, sheep were added to the festival, providing a hands-on experience to MAVWA’s educational mission. Over the years, other species were added to the Fiber Critter Corner including goats, llamas and alpacas. Sheep shearing was added in 1986, becoming yet another highly anticipated educational event throughout each festival. In the early years, shearing was performed on the park’s central stage. The tradition of sheep shearing continues today in the highly capable hands of Tom Barr, shearer extraordinaire. In past years, angora rabbits also added an interesting facet to the Fiber Critter Corner as their hair can be spun directly from their bodies without creating any discomfort.

FIBER DEMONSTRATIONS

Animal fiber demonstrations were added to the list of activities in 1985 and continue to be a popular visitor activity. They range from basic to advanced fiber-working techniques and concepts to the introduction of new or unique modalities, as well as little-known historical aspects of fiber arts. Many of the demonstrations offer a hands-on experience for visitors and often result in fostering enthusiasm for a new fiber arts technique to continue exploring.

SHOWS AND COMPETITIONS

The fashion show, added in 1985 with ten or so entries and first held in the old theatre, was an annual event until 1999, and highly anticipated by both fiber artists and visitors. Each year, several awards were presented in categories meant to promote and reward artists creating stunning apparel from regional animal fiber and various techniques. In 1999, wearables were combined with home décor items as the Garment and Home Accessories Show and Competition, which are now judged together.

Gradually, more shows and competitions were added and today the list includes the mill and handspun yarn show and competition, the hand-dyed show and competition, the fleece competition and spinning/knitting/crocheting competitions. Combined, they offer a great opportunity for visitors to experience first-hand the high level of excellence and quality that has always been the pride of this festival.

AWARDS IN EXCELLENCE

In 1987, several award categories were established that the MAVWA Board felt deserved not only ribbon awards but something more prestigious. To that end, Gene Christensen, a local silversmith, was recruited to cast silver medallions depicting MAVWA’s logo, which had been adopted earlier and derived from an ancient woodcut. Originally, the awards were rectangular then changed to a round version to look more like a medallion. Today, silver medallion awards are cast for the Wool Festival by Silver Cloud Casting of Albuquerque, NM. The categories deserving of silver medallions have changed over the years but the prestige they represent remains recognized by festival artists and visitors alike.

To formally celebrate and recognize competition winners, the first awards banquet was held in 1987 in the First Presbyterian Church and subsequently moved to larger and varied locations over the years. From 1999-2003, it was held in the main tent located in the park. It moved to the Taos County Agricultural Center in 2004, then to the Sagebrush Inn. Eventually, the ceremony was again held in the main tent with light refreshments served.

MUSIC

Live music has been a crowd favorite and long-standing tradition at the Wool Festival. At the start, MAVWA broadcast recorded music until it was made aware of copyright laws that protect recorded music. Recognizing the importance of music but not wanting to pay royalties, the Board decided to instead allocate a budget and began recruiting local talent. Initially, a trio from Alamosa was the only group performing on and off during the festival as background music. The number of artists increased steadily after that.

Sometimes it was difficult to find artists who were willing to perform for very meager pay. Many of the musicians were local to Taos and would essentially volunteer their talent since the sets were very short, and they loved playing for the crowd that was drawn to the festival. Genre were typically folk, singer-songwriter, old time, and Celtic.

In the late 2000s, music became a much more robust aspect of the festival when Merce Mitchell and Gypsie Frank began organizing the artists, providing sound support, and creating a seating area for visitors to relax and enjoy the musical talent of upwards of a dozen different groups throughout the festival, including Billy Stewart, Dan and Carol Eagle, and Lisa Joyce Deburlo, a long-time fiber arts vendor.

YOUTH FIBER TO FABRIC PROJECT

A part of MAVWA’s mission is to promote and facilitate the rich fiber arts traditions of the region by mentoring the next generation of animal fiber producers and enthusiasts. To that end, 2016 marked the first year for the Youth Fleece to Fabric Project that was conceived and organized by Ellen Sibelius. The project guides youth participants as they harvest then process the raw fiber derived from a fiber-bearing animal through each step to create a finished wearable item. Projects are then juried, and the winning entrant is awarded a spinning wheel.

LIVE AND SILENT AUCTIONS

Auctions have always been a part of the festival and remain a reliable source of financial support. Up until the late 1990s, both silent and live auctions were held. The Silent Auction was assembled and displayed in front of the main stage in Kit Carson Park. As donations were received from vendors, the auction organizer would assemble select items to be included in a live auction on Sunday afternoon. This was always a lively and competitive event that was made even more exciting by the professional auctioneer who was delightfully entertaining. Today, only the Silent Auction is held and includes donations from each festival vendor with a value of $40 or more.

PRE-FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS

Fiber arts workshops were added to the program in 1999 and continue to provide educational opportunities to enthusiastic participants. Workshops are currently held the Thursday and Friday before Wool Festival. The variety and breadth of fiber arts offered speaks to the dedicated and creative artists who love to share their talent and expertise in fostering and preserving both traditional and cutting-edge techniques.

ARTWORK COMPETITION

The artwork competition was added to the festival for the purpose of soliciting designs that could be depicted on the official festival t-shirt as well as promotional items. Members voted each year for their favorite entry and the winner received $200 and a free t-shirt. Unfortunately, recent years have seen few, or no entries and the competition has been temporarily suspended.

THE VOICE OF THE WOOL FESTIVAL

In 1984, Robert Donnelly was employed by the International Wool Secretariat. While on a business trip to Taos to consult with the founders of a new wool mill, he attended the first Taos Wool Festival. That was the start of a long relationship. Robert was asked to announce the first fashion show held in the old theatre building. Upon relocating to Arroyo Hondo, NM in 1988, Robert and his wife joined MAVWA and subsequently became festival managers and introduced live announcing to the event. They constructed a simple announcer’s booth with an amplifier, microphone, and rented speakers. Eventually, the Donnelly’s passed the management baton to Coralie Silvey Jones.

For long-time vendors and visitors to the Wool Festival, Robert’s voice lingers in our heads long after the festival ends. In recent years, he had developed the style of roving announcer conducting impromptu interviews, announcing the various competitions, shows, and events of the day, and promoting the Silent Auction, MAVWA’s primary fund-raising event. Robert passed the announcer’s baton to Mike Clifford in 2019.

THE CHANGING FIBER ARTS LANDSCAPE

Like many traditions that the youth of today may consider old-fashioned and outdated, fiber arts are struggling to maintain relevance in this ever-changing world of electronic media. Understanding that change is inevitable, it is incumbent upon current fiber artists to foster an interest in, and preservation of, what we hold dear.

The other threat to fiber arts is the global market for mass-produced products that compete with hand-created, one-of-a-kind fiber arts. Quite simply, unless artists can continue to identify markets consisting of patrons who appreciate and seek out hand-created fiber arts, it will be difficult to sustain the various traditional and innovative techniques used today.

Through educational opportunities and the festival, MAVWA continues striving to maintain and increase a regional and nationwide interest in fiber arts, and to gather new and young enthusiasts into the fold.

THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA

MAVWA’s web site was first published in 2010 and has been on-line ever since offering a centralized location for informing participants and visitors about upcoming festivals, and sharing information and policies generated by the Board of Directors.

In 2015, MAVWA’s current Facebook page was created by Brian Perkins who continues to maintain that page and the technology interfaces required to produce the festival and inform vendors. Additionally, he serves as webmaster and promotions director. The festival also has a social media presence on Instagram.

A cooperative effort among Board members resulted in the switch to an on-line vendor application beginning in 2016. Updated versions of that form continue to offer a convenient means for vendors to renew memberships, apply to participate, donate their time and creations, and make payments on-line.

The festival went virtual out of necessity in 2020 with the onset of the COVID pandemic. To produce the festival during that challenging year, vendors were given the opportunity to link their virtual shops and web sites to a central page on MAVWA’s web site. Visitors then clicked on the vendor link and were able to browse and shop in the safety of their own homes. The Silent Auction was also conducted that year within a similar format using an on-line auction service.

THE MOVE TO SANTA FE

In 2022, the MAVWA Board made the decision to move the Wool Festival from Taos to Santa Fe. Although on the surface this may have looked like a frivolous act, the issues they faced in continuing to use Kit Carson Park were insurmountable. As the park was transitioning to a major live music venue, the footprint available to accommodate festival vendors was reduced in size significantly over several years. An exhaustive search to find an alternate location close to Taos was not successful. The Board believed moving to a different venue was in the best interests of the talented and hard-working fiber artists at the heart of the festival.

Despite the loss of the festival’s traditional venue, 2022 appears to have made a successful transition to the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds where it will again be held in 2023.

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Several long-time Wool Festival vendors and Board members contributed to this historical timeline. We are grateful for their willingness to share their knowledge of MAVWA’s rich history.