Blair Lair Studios is the midwestern home of international fiber artist Laura Blair. Located in the St. Louis area, Blair’s main focus’s are fiber art, education, and public installations. “I believe that everyone should have access to the arts, regardless of income or background.” This belief has driven her to head community focused projects and public yarn bombing installations for close to a decade.
Her work as the creative director of the Riverbend Yarnbombers has brought collaborative pieces for the enjoyment of many. By bringing work to locations such as the Artica art festival, the Mississippi Earthtones Festival, The Highland arts festival, the Edwardsville art festival, Rock the Hopps festival, the Macoupin Arts Center, Alton Music Festival, the Happy Trails Music Festival, “Small Town, Big World” international festival, Steeleville Arts Council MO, and The St. Louis Artists Guild, Blair has collaborated with the Riverbend Yarnbombers to bring art to the public in order to delight viewers and transform public space.
Her individual work has been featured at the Jacoby Arts Center, the Edwardsville Art Center, The St. Louis Artists Guild, the Duet Gallery in St. Louis, The Soulard Art Market, SIUE gallery and private collection, the Yarn Bombing Festival in Trivento Italy ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8emHfJffaw ), Edwardsville Children’s Museum, Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, Chalabre Festival’s Serenada Festival, and private collections.
Once the Head of Jacoby Arts Center’s Education program, Blair has long been a proponent of Art Education. She has taught at Jacoby Arts Center, The Alton Children’s Home, Goddard School in Edwardsville, Sts. Peter and Paul school in Alton, the Alton YWCA, the Edwardsville Art Center, the Macoupin County Arts Council, Alton Acres Youth Program, Edwardsville YMCA, private lessons, and currently works as a paraprofessional aide at EAWR community high school in Wood River, IL where she often incorporates art education into the curriculum.
Publishing/Media:
TRIVENTO – Yarn Bombing Day 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8emHfJffaw
Chalabre en Sérénade 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l4o1mvqduI
Articles:
https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/party-with-the-piasa-bird-an-oped-on-ouralton-27036.cfm
https://macart.org/?utm_source=riverbender
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/East-Alton-woman-creates-more-than-400-masks-15234086.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Alton-Main-Street-notes-great-2019-14966512.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/8216-Some-guy-8217-shows-up-returns-giant-13286562.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Textile-artists-to-create-second-annual-Yarn-12644350.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/features/article/Help-create-explosion-of-color-downtown-12634118.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/YWCA-of-Alton-s-remodeled-Children-s-Learning-12601027.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Peter-and-Paul-School-announces-cost-changes-12569093.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Peter-and-Paul-School-announces-cost-changes-12634961.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Art-til-you-drop-Center-provides-kids-fun-at-12672293.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Artists-unite-12649211.php