Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low near 50F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low near 50F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Yarn bombing is the practice of bringing crochet or knitted artwork into urban environments. This art can be seen in the Telluride Arts District, near South Fir Street and West Pacific Avenue. (Photo by Eva Thomas/Telluride Daily Planet)
Yarn bombing is the practice of bringing crochet or knitted artwork into urban environments. This art can be seen in the Telluride Arts District, near South Fir Street and West Pacific Avenue. (Photo by Eva Thomas/Telluride Daily Planet)
Near the blocks of South Fir Street and West Pacific Avenue, light posts and railings have been wrapped in colorful yarn. The bright strings bring life to average industrial objects, like the steel rails leading down to the Silver Jack parking garage. While this artwork might be unfamiliar to some, the practice is nationally recognized as "yarn bombing."
Textile artist Magda Sayeg is considered to be the founder of yarn bombing.
"Yarn bombing is when you take knitted or crocheted material out into the urban environment, graffiti style, or more specifically without permission and unsanctioned," said Sayeg in a 2016 Ted Talk.
Sayeg started small by wrapping stop signs and posts in yarn in her hometown. In 2012, she transformed a bus in Mexico City into a crocheted masterpiece.
The art form has since become larger than Sayeg. Despite the Daily Planet's best efforts, the yarn bomber, or bombers, in Telluride wish to remain a mystery.
The yarn pieces appeared while the HAHA! experience at the Ah Haa School was being installed in July, according to Malarie Clark, Ah Haa’s director of marketing and communication for.
It is not known if the artist is an individual or if there are multiple yarn bombers. Some Ah Haa staff reported catching a glimpse of people on bicycles late at night around the time when the magical installations appeared.
"Ah Haa was wildly excited to see that a member of our arts community was creating public art during the HAHA! It's all about creating joy and community through art, and that felt like a full circle moment on the eve of our new arts event," Clark said.
As of Wednesday, the art on the lampposts still looks bright and not too worn by weather. It can be suspected that the yarn bombers have updated and added to their work over the past month.
Jennifer Ball, who owns Between the Covers and High Alpine bookstore and coffee shop with her husband Brad, was inspired by the yarn and took the opportunity to highlight one of the books they carry in the bookstore's craft section. "Yarn Bombing: the Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti" is a guidebook dedicated to the art. Ball thought featuring the book might inspire others to take up crocheting or knitting. For Ball, seeing the art throughout town makes her "happy."
"It's creative and a little nutty. Seeing it is a fun little surprise, like seeing a flower grow out of the sidewalk," Ball said.
Compared to graffiti, yarn bombing does not permanently damage trees or structures that it uses as canvases. The yarn can be easily removed if needed. It is unclear if the artists received permission to yarn bomb, so it is understandable that they wish to remain anonymous.
In her Ted Talk, Sayeg explained that yarn bombing started as something fun, and the more she did it, the stronger people's reactions were to her work.
"I realized something. We all live in this fast-paced digital world, but we still crave and desire something that's relatable. I think we've all become desensitized by the overdeveloped cities that we live in, billboards and advertisements and giant parking lots. We don't even complain about that stuff anymore. So, when you stumble upon a ‘stop’ sign pole that's wrapped in knitting, and it seems so out of place, and then gradually you find a connection to it," said Sayeg in her talk.
Telluride is surrounded by beauty, and the mountains are artwork in themselves, with the addition of yarn art it brings the uniqueness of the landscape and the creative community into the streets. With the town constantly changing and with a steady flow of visitors walking through the area, the yarn art in the Arts District is a welcome addition for Clark.
"I even got a little emotional seeing that the weird, wacky and artful spirit can still thrive in Telluride," Clark added.
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