The beginning of our weaving Guild and studio.

Guild History Timeline

November 1937

A meeting was held between representatives of the Federal Art
Project and a group of prominent Salem citizens and newspapermen. Offered under
the Works Progress Administration, the Federal Art Project (FAP) was a unique
partnership between the federal government and local communities, to bring the arts
into public.

Thousands of adults and children were exposed to art and given the opportunity to
develop and expand artistic interests, and a revival of heritage skills such as weaving
was experienced.

June 1938

The Salem Federal Art Center's weaving program trained 20 students in the
first round and hosted a weaving show/exhibition in the Fall of that year. (The first
Annual Sale?)

For the Statesman Journal 9/15/2019 full article written by Kaylyn:
https://www.willametteheritage.org/salem-federal-art-center/

The first Salem weaving guild was formed as an extension of these original weaving classes and was the first weaving guild established in Oregon.

August 1947

A newspaper article refers to the Salem Weavers Guild (which eventually became Salem Handweavers Guild)

1976

Membership directories and newspaper notices mention a second guild, Oregon Wheel and Loom Society (OWLS). This guild was formed to accommodate working members, they met in the evenings.

2001

32 members from SHG and 24 members from OWLS voted to merge the 2 Guilds. 58 names were submitted for approval! Penny Unverzagt was elected the first President of the new guild: Salem Fiberarts Guild (SFG)

2021

SFG incorporated as a non-profit in the State of Oregon and became Salem Fiberarts Guild, Inc.