About Maine Fiberarts
Maine Fiberarts is a statewide arts nonprofit formed to support Maine fiber and to foster its special work in basketry, beadwork, clothing design, crochet, embroidery, felting, knitting, lacework, needlework, paper, quilting, rugs, sewing, spinning, surface design, and weaving. By creating awareness of these arts and activities, we support the State’s economy, enrich our cultural life, and broaden the resources available.
Our goals are to create greater opportunities for artists to exhibit work, to apprentice, to mentor, to teach crafts to children, to find school residencies, to sell fleeces and fiber products, to find guilds and study groups, to learn about events, and to become better connected.
In the News
Recent stories about Maine Fiberarts.
Our Services
Visitors Center
Maine Fiberarts first opened its Visitors Center at 13 Main Street in Topsham in 2003. In the Spring of 2007, extensive renovations to our 1840's historical building expanded space for networking and exhibitions. At our Center, we offer fiber art exhibitions; slides and digital images of work by Maine artists; a reference library of magazines, books, and catalogs from art and craft sources throughout the U.S.; a bulletin board of events, notices and sale equipment; and our permanent display of members’ printed materials—brochures, postcards, business cards and announcements. On the first Friday of each month, an ever-changing group of makers gathers to do handwork and to share ideas. All are welcome. Come visit!
Hours: Maine Fiberarts is open weekdays, 10-4. Please call ahead to be certain we are not away at a meeting.
Information Exchange
Maine Fiberarts maintains a database, currently at 3400 and growing, which profiles makers, teachers, shepherds, suppliers, curators, state agencies, art organizations, manufacturers, guilds, and farms. We use the database in networking and in making referrals, and to answer queries from people who want to take a workshop, find a speaker, discover a guild, get directions to a farm, or learn about exhibits and events. Listing on the database is free of charge for Maine fiber producers, makers, and businesses. To be included, request our database survey form.
Maine Fiberarts Newsletter
Our periodic newsletter of fiber-related information keeps members up-to-date on resources, opportunities, workshops, exhibitions, news, and calendar listings. Contributions of news and views are welcome. See sample issue.
Slide & Digital Image Libraries
Slides and digital images of fiber art and farms are available at our Center for viewing by curators,collectors, gallery owners, magazine editors, interior decorators, fashion show coordinators, and the public.
Membership
Join Maine Fiberarts! Expand your connections, whether that is widening circulation of your artwork images and brochures, knowledge about your services, or simply keeping abreast of what’s current in Maine fiber.
Traveling Exhibit: This is Maine Fiber!
This display, for festivals and events, includes our Image Library, inspirational books from our Resource Libraries, our electronic database, member brochures, exhibits of fiber work, and live demonstrations.
With Thanks to Our Sponsors
Maine Fiberarts services and programs are made possible by these generous and valued supporters:
- Anonymous Donors
- Maine Office of Tourism, Maine Tourism Marketing Partnership Program
- Phoebe Haas Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation—Greater Piscataqua Region
- H. King & Jean Cummings Charitable Fund
- Otto Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation—Greater Piscataqua Region
- National Endowment for the Arts
- Maine Community Foundation, Maine Expansion Arts Fund
- Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources
- National Endowment for the Arts, Challenge America Program
- Tour Map participants
- Alfred M. Senter Fund
- Artists' Resource Trust
- Great Works Internet, Inc.
- Maine Fiberarts members