Yarn Replaces Streaks on Figueroa Street

 

Highland Parkers delight at the sight of the new yarn flowers at this Figueroa bus bench.

 

This month Future Studio Gallery at 5558 N Figueroa Street in Highland Park is hosting a fiber art exhibition titled “Fig Knit-On!” In conjuction with Fig Knit-on there is also the street installation component where the sidewalk furniture (meters, light poles, trash cans, shade trees, a news rack and bus shelter) get “tagged” with various knit designs attached to them.

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Artists for the show gathered this past Saturday morning to “Yarn Bomb” the hell out of the east side of the North 5500 block of Figueroa Street outside Future Studio. A good looking rainbow of color went up. Specially fitted sleves, sweaters flowers, and other soft sculptures decorated the block. Unfortunately, even as the yarn graffiti was going up, it started to come down. Just after a meter sweater was installed on the corner of Roselawn and Figueroa, the meter and the sweater got knocked down by a truck that jumped the curb. As bright and beautiful as the yarn graffiti looked on Saturday, they didn’t last too long. By Monday, about half the works had disappeared. (As I mentioned before, not even rocks are safe around here.)

The good news is there are opportunities for fledgling yarn bombers to learn how to knit and crochet their own pieces with free thematic workshops at Future Studio:

Saturday, October 16, 2010 from noon to 4:00 pm
Beth Elliott will teach “Crocheting without a Hook”
Crochet a sculpture, toy, rug, costume, or cushion in a short time using your arm, hands, and fingers and found and unconventional materials. No prior experience necessary.

Sunday, October 17, 2010 from noon to 4:00 pm
Julie Keehner will teach “Crocheting with Plastic Bags and Crocheting with Beads”
Create a shopping tote using recycled plastic bags and/or learn to crochet with beading wire and beads. Some prior experience helpful, but not necessary.

Saturday, October 23, 2010 from noon to 4:00 pm
David Orozco will teach “Hyperbolic Crochet”
Where yarn meets high math–difficult to describe but easy to learn. Some prior experience helpful, but not necessary.

What a fun and imaginative effort from the fine folks at The Arroyo Arts Collective.  For even MORE photos, check out Saturday’s installation shots from Montecito Heights photographer Martha Benedict, or my Flickr Set from opening night.