Sandy Fisher
Sandy has been weaving for over 35 years. Her passion for textiles began as a young child when she learned to knit. She continued her love of textiles in college graduating with a BA degree in Art, emphasis in Weaving from CSU, Chico. After college she took on an internship with David Gurney Weavers of Turriff, Scotland. Since 1981 to present Sandy has been a professional weaver and owner of Sandy Fisher Woven. She has participated in many national juried shows through American Craft Council and others from 1988-2015. She has been awarded the prestigious Niche award and has been in articles published in both Ply and Handwoven magazines. Her work has been shown in national galleries and private collections throughout the US.
Over the course of her career Sandy has shared her knowledge with others through private and public instruction. She has opened a textile school in her studio, been a consultant and instructor at AVL looms and from 2015 to present Associate Faculty member of Butte Community College teaching Fiber Arts. Currently Sandy is a consultant for Huston Textile Company of Rancho Cordova, CA working on new Climate Beneficial fabric designs through Fibershed. Her work in collaboration with Lani Estil of Lani’s Lana of Cedarville, CA is creating a handwoven line of Climate Beneficial shawls, scarves and blankets.
In 2012 Sandy was looking for a locally sourced fiber other than wool to make a unique fabric that would be called Chico Cloth. She and other community members started experiments in rowing fiber flax in Northern California. In 2016 Chico Flax joined Fibershed’s Producer Program. In 2018 Chico Flax LLC began a reality. Chico Flax is piloting regenerative production and processing systems for flax in our region, bringing a new industry and social enterprise to Northern California in collaboration with local community members, farmers, artisans and institutions. By winter of 2020 marketable yarns blended with wool and cotton will be available
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Durl Van Alstyne
Durl was raised in and around Sebastopol and Santa Rosa areas of Sonoma county, graduating from Santa Rosa High. He pursued a college degree starting at Santa Rosa Community College, obtaining a BA degree in 1971, from CSU, Chico and a standard secondary teaching credential in 1972. Ending more than 30 years of teaching with the Butte County Office of Education his encore career continues with Chico Flax.
