Posts Tagged ‘fiber’

Minni Purl

MinniPurl is a Charleston, West Virginia street artist. Her street name comes from the old television show Grand Ole Opry but is given a twist with the spelling of Pearl to Purl, like the knitting stitch. Born in the Midwest, MinniPurl receives attention for the knitted or crocheted pieces she leaves around town on statues, trees or signs. She is an undercover artist that assembles her work in either the middle of the night, or even during the day, when no one is watching.

Early Life

MinniPurl’s earliest artistic experience was being exposed to her mother knitting booties. Being influenced at a young age brought her into what she likes to do now.

MinniPurl learned how to knit and crochet from friends although, she admits she is “not super skilled at either”.

Inspirations/Admirations/Goals

MinniPurl enjoys being inspired from traveling and reading. She enjoys Fiber Arts and Craft magazines. MinniPurl’s first exposure to graffiti knitting was the group, Knitta Please, out of Houston.               

Goals of hers are to keep having fun and to get more people involved in graffiti knitting.

She enjoys local and artists such as: Debbie Jarvis, Mark Wolfe, and Joe Mullins. She also appreciates national contemporary crafters and artists such as Jenny Hart, Twinkie Chan, Christo and Banksy.

Current/Future Work

There is no such thing as a studio to MinniPurl, she works whether in a car, visiting friends, watching television and sometimes at work. She always carries yarn and loves using yarn that has been used or recycled.

MinniPurl just finished a twenty foot long scarf for the Henry Gassaway David Statue at Davis Park, a piece that fits over the Hale Street sign on the corner of Hale and Lee, and some four leaf clovers to leave around town on St. Patrick’s Day.

MinniPurl also has some work exhibited at Kanawha City Yarn Company, Habitat for Humanity Rain Garden, Charleston Bread, Taylor Books and a tree that is at the bottom of the South Hills Bridge.                          

MinniPurl jokes that a future project of hers would be to cover the South Hills Bridge in a giant sweater.