Taos Ski Valley’s Confluence

Highlighting regional goods. When two rivers merge, it is called a confluence.

By Will Hooper 

The vision of creating a cultural “confluence” is the goal of one of the most recent businesses to take up residence at Taos Ski Valley, adjacent to the newly-built Blake Residences.

Confluence Artisan Goods provides local artisan-crafted goods to those hoping to bring home a piece of the Southwest. The store highlights “a diverse collection of New Mexican and vintage European curios,” said Taos Ski Valley’s Marketing Director Tania McCormack.  McCormack said the name is based on the idea that items and styles from multiple cultures have come together throughout history, and in this instance, are for sale in one location.

The meaning behind the name also has local significance. “Taos Ski Valley’s combination of cultures makes the area stand out from other resort destinations. To the store, it means representing all those cultures in carefully curated pieces to gift or add to your own home,” McCormack said.

Confluence focuses on women’s fashion, fine art, pottery, home decor and more. The store highlights a combination of work by local artists and national brands like Pendleton Woolen Mills. “The wares are specifically curated to highlight the recognizable Southwestern fashion, home goods and more,” she said. Owned and operated by Taos Ski Valley, Inc. and managed by Jeff Sherwood, the company was opened as an opportunity “to highlight many of the talented artists of this area and provide a welcoming shopping experience in our new Lower Plaza,” McCormack said.

She said the store doesn’t have a focus on sourcing any particular one type of clothing item or homegood. Instead, they stick to a philosophy of buying “unique, desirable, local [items] when possible, [as well as] exceptional quality items.” The store features wares by regional artists like Logan Wannamaker, Geoffry Gorman, Allen Wilkison, Kat Schilke, JoAnn Jack, Tiffany Gremillion and Pam Dietrich.

“Guests, staff and community are strolling in and falling in love with the store commenting on how warm, inviting and beautiful the shop is,” she said. Guests are also asking about how they can view more of an artist’s work, McCormack added. Confluence hopes for continued growth, and aims to provide a sense of local culture that “will continue to live in people’s homes as a special way to remember the area and the persons who made them.”