World Domination! (or at the very least ‘Street level Shenanigans’)

Before becoming obsessed with the quirky world of yarnbombing, most members
of the group had dabbled in other kinds of crafts and hobbies.

Some sketched, other painted, a few even made their own clothes.

So when I came across Keri Smith‘s book called ‘The Guerilla Art Kit‘ I knew it would
have something for each of us.

After realizing how much of the world was going unnoticed as people tried to block out
the overwhelming advertising and mass media surrounding people on a  daily
basis, Keri compiled a series of activities geared at getting you to take a long
hard stare in the spaces you inhabit.

The activities range across material types and skill levels but before even opening the cover
I decided that I was going to make allllllll of them.

I’m currently experiencing an art-high and actually took a pause in writing
this incredibly short blog in order to jot down some
of my own ideas that have a knitted twist.

Now that the school term is winding down for a lot of people, and we’re supposedly
going to get some warm sun in this city any day now, there should be lots of
opportunities to really get out there and enjoy those public
spaces that – ya know are supposed to be for the public.

Bawdy Works

Brains! Brains! BRAAAIIIINSSS!
(is what everyone was wishing I had more of this past week)

Whoa! One simple little cold has really set me back.
Here’s a fun health fact!
Did you know the makers of Neocitran are under investigation for not passing inspections?
Know when I found that out? While plowing through a box and trying to buy some more
at the good ol’ local pharmaceutical supply store. GREAT TIMING!

But I digress.
If being sick has taught me anything, it’s never touch anything on the subway. EVER!
And also, that friends are wonderful people who send you wonderful things like this little skeleton.

To keep me from freaking out about all the potential toxins I had ingested on my
misguided journey back to Healthy-Immune-System Land, a friend told me about Shanell Papp.

Back in 2005 she created the above pictured crochet skeleton as part of an examination
of her own health and mortality. The 6 month long Frankenstein project has since toured
around the country quite a few times, including a stop at Toronto’s 2009 City of Craft.
Hurray T.Dot! *clap clap clap*

Now she’s putting together a book project, but is looking for some funding.
If you feel like contributing to the publishing industry, or just curious to see
what kind of “something eyeball shaped” crochet reward you’ll be sent,
you should check out her Indiegogo a nownow.

And remember to always wash those hands folks!

Exhibitions of the Non-Knitting Kind

This weekend marks the beginning of March Break, and nothing says slacking off
from school more than taking away an hour of our precious free time!?!

Boo science, boooooo!

Not that this really affects University students. We had our “reading” week ages ago.
Supposedly, this was so we could collect our scattered brains in
prep for the madness that is end of term projects.

For those newbie readers who are unfamiliar with what the Bissell Bombers
work on between our knitted public installations, we’re all trying to
be hella professional museum curators, programmers, grant writers, etc.

This month quite a few grads will be  showing off our biggest assignments as
part of an exhibitions class. Projects range from displays of whimsical dreamscapes at the
Gladstone Hotel, innovative instruments from the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy, explorations
of how Inuit language reflects historical and contemporary Inuit culture and identity, and many more!

For a full list of shows, you can check out the official poster, or visit their site.
You can also see what past students have done by visiting the U of T’s “Display Case”. 

Now this tired little grad student is off to enjoy some sunshine before
back to editing her panel text and tombstone labels.
Toodles!

Gettin’ Graphic

“empty space”, 2013

When the Bissell Bomber’s started this blog last year,
it came out of a simple way to collect all the little tid bits we had been slowly
accumulating while researching a pretty bizarre hobby.

One thing led to another and we moved away from just writing about it, to actually doing it.
From random interest spurring exploration, to igniting a creative drive.

Now, I don’t think I’m alone when I say that as kids we quickly labeled ourselves and others.
Fitting everyone into neat little categories to give our lives some structure and organization.
To simplify things we created the jocks, the drama queens, the nerds, the dweebs, and the art kids.
We figured out which group we quasi fit into and that became our identity,
something meant to be permanent and give others around us an easy way to
define us and orient themselves accordingly.

How many times have you caught yourself thinking, “Well I can’t do this thing, I’m not that person”.
I can’t play basketball, I’m not athletic.
I can’t draw a picture, I’m not artistic.
Excuses, excuses.

Before the Bissell Bombers I can definitely attest to thinking I would never be a knitter.
Yarn was for old ladies who doiley-fied everything and had too many cats.
And not to get all preachy (too late!) but I just think it is buckets full of amazing
when people leap out of their comfortable yet confining identity role and into
something completely unexpected. Like for example… 650 WIDE.

This dude has been on the corporate path to suits and condos for the majority of his
life sprinkled with dashes of MVP awards and sports trophies. I don’t believe he has ever
uttered the phrase, “Let’s go check out this art museum” once and yet suddenly
he’s putting aside  his ties and cheque books in order to tap into something
completely outside his old world view by playing with pictures.

His site is pretty new, and as such reveals his early experiments and first steps
into graphic design, but those first steps are brave and inspiring and could lead to something amazing!

Maybe it’s been all the SoulPancake I’ve been watching recently, but I’m
getting giddy mini goosebumps and warm fuzzies thinking about how wonderful it is
when people continue to push themselves and really test out who they are.

Congrats and good luck to 650 WIDE on your new endeavour!
Now include a subscribe feature on your site…

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!
Despite a bad case of the flu during one of the most
romantic times of the year, I still wanted to shower
you all with some hugs and kisses.

But since I can already feel the collective cringe, maybe I’ll just
send you guys a Bissell Bomber Valentines card…

Forgive some of my bad/ non-rhyming prose.
Cold meds are FUN!

Behind the Seams: AGO 1st Thursday!

 WHAHOOOO!!!!! We did it guys!

The Art Gallery of Ontario has officially been yarn bombed!

*fist pumps entire installation crew

We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to
this amazing experience. From all the wonderful people who sent
us along yarn, lent us a car to transport everything to the gallery,
and handed over their time to do some super fast last minute darning.

A special shout out also goes to some of the OCAD students who invited us to join the
evenings festivities in the first place. Simone was the perfect host, checking
in to see if we needed anything, escorting our team members around,
and offering to help unload installation equipment even though our
surprisingly light bundles of hexagons looked like they weight tonnes.
And our main contact, Jon, definitely deserves a pat on the back after
all the changes that were made throughout the prep process and for
working out a few kinks. Some of you might recall that originally we were
set to install on the Walker Court stairs, and were moved to the snake ramp at
the main  lobby doors. In the end  there was one last adjustment and the Gallery
Italia space turned out to be a terrific way to bring the street art movement into
the gallery while watching Toronto’s latest snow storm unfold.

The Bissell Bombers also wanted to give a shoutout to AGO security and assorted staff.
We know we must have looked a little odd with our multicoloured rib
wrappings, but your curiosity about the project kept us motivated and
your sense of humour made the 4-hour install fly-by.

And since the event was for one night only and the show sold out incredibly fast,
we wanted to post a few photos for those who couldn’t make it out.
So enjoy our Behind the Seams shots as we prepared for the big night

Measure twice, darn once.

All set to go as we wait for the ladder to come up from the ‘AGO’ sign up front.

Teamwork, a little ingenuity and a lot of temporary zip ties.

Putting the last finishing touches on the flower garland as the LEDs are activated!

 

Forget being “Facebook Official”, you know you’ve made it when you’re given your own interpretive text panel and program

The big reveal!
Our secret identities are exposed as two
Bissell Bombers pose with their biggest collaborative piece to date.

To hear more about the project and some of  the other installation pieces
that were on display that night, be sure to check out Christopher Jones article for TO Live with Culture.
And you can make your own dance party by visiting A Tribe Called Reds amazing play list.

Project Shoutout: One More Sleep!

Two months,
Dozens of posts,
HUNDREDS of hexagons,
One.More.Sleep

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

As we put the finishing touches on our pre-installation-
totally-organized-and-ready-to-go yarnbomb for the AGO’s 1st Thursday event
we wanted to post one last photo glut to thank all those donors who
snuck in at the last second with their knit  works.

And to get you in the mood for the Thursday par-tay, the AGO and OCAD students
have organized An Evening With A Tribe Called Red TONIGHT!
Details are on the Facebook page, and who knows… maybe if you
come  you’ll catch a glimpse of the Bissell Bombers and a
few other artists that will be featured on Thursday…
Just sayin’

So before we start posting things like, how we’re going to cover the AGO
(and a new location we’re being given) and the shenanigans we’re bound to get into
during the event, it’s time to take one last look at your individual handy work
before it becomes a fabulous collective of community crocheted craziness!