TACtile History (continued)

The Fashion Project Designer competition at Tamarac Square, in April 2007, where I was a judge and fabric contributor, led to space negotiations at Tamarac Square. By July ’07 TACtile was incorporated and opened its doors 3 days per week in its present location.  The Textile Goddess provided our link to 100 chairs by September when The Rocky Mountain Weavers’ Guild began holding their monthly meetings here as our first supporting Guild Member. The Bead Society, Lace Guild, Sewing Referral Network, Front Range Contemporary Quilters, and Embroiderers/Needleworkers Guilds followed as premier founding members soon after. Individual memberships and donations started to flow in with encouragement and support. So did multiple volunteers.

Incredibly, Patti May, passionate about grassroots projects and an artist herself, volunteered hundreds (more likely thousands!) of hours to develop and sustain our web site, enabling maximal communication to our audience.

Enthusiastic key volunteers like Wiley Sherer and Shelly deChantal, allowed us to open 5 days a week to host the first Bizarre Textile Bazaar, Member Exhibition, Laura Murray surface design workshops and a unique Show of Hands metro-wide anniversary Hands celebration. These were our first celebrated events, kicking off an aggressive tradition of programs to come. TACtile received Best of Westword in it's first 6 months of operation.