Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Blair.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Ten years ago, I was the assistant director of Jacoby Arts Center in Alton, Il. We were hosting a Fiber Art Weekend with artists-led workshops. It would be on point if we pulled the community together and decorated the exterior of the building with a Yarn Bomb. People were shocked and delighted when they saw it. It was so colorful and uncanny; no one had seen anything like it. I was “hooked” (that’s a crochet joke). Since then, I’ve facilitated so many yarn bombs I’ve lost count. We call ourselves the Riverbend Yarn Bombers, and we have done yarn bombs on both sides of the river. With or without permission, in galleries, businesses, libraries, art festivals, on the street, and in other countries. Some of our work has inspired projects on a national and international level.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
With the nature of something uncanny, some folks can be resistant. It’s out of the ordinary and often bazaar. And that is a realm that can be entirely out of some folk’s comfort zone. We have a lot more fans than critics. I’ve had work stolen, cut down and one time set on fire. Whenever this happened, I remember what one of my college instructors said after discovering that one of my school projects had been vandalized: “How does it feel to do powerful work.” That was life-altering for me. Understanding that your work has provoked such a reaction in someone is powerful. I don’t take it personally.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
I am most known for my free-form crochet work. I’m known for freeform work and don’t use patterns. I balance myself between my work and facilitating large-scale community yarn bombs; I’ve sent my work to Italy, France, L. A., and many local galleries and festivals. I’m currently rushing to complete a piece to send to Germany. One of My yarn bombing group’s most recent projects was covering a large-scale public fountain. It was our biggest project to date. The fountain had a 90-foot circumference. I’m delighted with how that came together. We get better and better as time goes on. Some of the people on my team are absolute pros and delight to work with.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love St. Louis. To me, it’s the true heart of the Midwest. I used to take my location for granted when I was young. But I was just a kid. Once you grow up, get your driver’s license, and can navigate your opportunities, you realize that STL has much to offer, especially for artists. Visual, music, and performing, STL has it all. So many of our amenities are free, and that accessibility was vital to my youth. My family couldn’t have afforded those opportunities otherwise.
Contact Info:
- Website: blairlairstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blair_lair_studios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vinyl9/
