TAOS FOLK is a month-long popup store that goes up at the Stables Gallery the day after Thanksgiving and comes down Christmas Eve.
Here we go. Do you hear that? That low rumbling sound? What some call the “Taos Hum” may actually be the sound of hundreds of artists and craftspeople hurriedly sewing, grinding, sanding, cooking, soaking, dying, painting, and shaping. Now is the season when all our hard work could be rewarded when consumers choose to buy handmade. We don’t do it for the money (most of us make just enough to keep doing it), we do it because we love it. And we hope that others love it, too.
When a whole mess of TAOS FOLK artists gathered for a pre-show meeting, many of us were discussing how we would be heading back into the studio right afterward — I briefly considered forming a support group to help us all get through the production rush, as stress levels were high. Most of us still had many hours to put in, and when we finally all got to the Stables Gallery a few weeks later to set up shop, it was again a mad dash to finish displays, tags, pricing, and arranging it all “just so” in hopes of luring people into buying our products. There was camaraderie and lots of friendly greetings among friends, but most of us were intent on getting things ready.
There were artists pouring in and out of the entrance, carrying containers full of product carefully wrapped in packing material. At the booths, they were hanging and stacking and re-arranging. When I had arrived first thing that morning, the place felt like it was waiting: display stands sat empty, but within two hours the gallery had come alive with color – art was everywhere and soon people were filing back out the door with their empty containers, ready for the show’s debut in just a few days. You could almost hear a collective sigh of relief.
In existence since 2008, the TAOS FOLK shop is an opportunity for people to purchase the best of Taos craftspeople’s work all in one place. The show is carefully curated, with the organizer, Cathleen Lambridis, approving what products will go in the show and overseeing the look of the space, right down to rustic wooden displays and design of the information tags attached to each item. And the variety of work to be found is staggering — soaps, candles, fibers, jewelry, ceramics, books, woodwork, glasswork, and too much more to mention — you’ll just have to see it for yourself. Do yourself a favor and make TAOS FOLK one of your go-to shopping destinations this holiday season. We’ve been working hard to create beautiful and unusual gifts so you can find something for yourself or someone special. It’s a win-win!
Preview the work available at www.taosfolk.com and attend the opening reception on Friday, November 25th, 5-7pm. After that, the show will be open every day at the Stables Gallery, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, from 11am-5pm.
Taos folk is one of the best opportunities to shop local in taos this season.
Photos taken by Mel A. James