This next craftivism interview is with Nina Elliott! To find out more about her work, check out @rock_vandal on Instagram and rockvandals.com.

1. What does craftivism mean to you?

Craftivism was a really exciting discovery for me. It allowed me to connect with my community socially and politically and to offer something unique and beautiful for everyone in the town. I find that it encourages patience, reflection and personal action and these are desirable attributes to me. 

 

 

2. Why yarnbombing?

I first read about yarnbombing online and didn’t understand the why. But when I saw one in real life my perspective shifted. I felt as if I had noticed something special amidst the hustle and bustle, a little expression of joy that beamed regardless of whether it was noticed or not.  I love the idea of being able to surprise and delight people while also encouraging present moment awareness and in my mind, yarnbombing facilitates this beautifully. 

 

3. What compelled you to do your first yarnbomb? What was surprising about the process? 

I was living in Twillingate, a really tiny, isolated town off the NE coast of Newfoundland with a long winter ahead and time on my hands. The fact that yarnbombs are temporary and easily removed made trying it out seem relatively risk free. I yarnbombed a tree on my route to work and felt a surge of joy each time I passed it. I didn’t tell anyone, but somehow people suspected that I was the Yarnbomber. Regardless, I denied involvement and kept on knitting, ultimately orchestrating a bit of a small town mystery-this added quite a lot to the fun to the whole process!  

The most surprising part was definitely how receptive and supportive the community was. This is something that continues to blow my mind the further down this path I venture, and it extends to the townsfolk, the crafting community at large and the virtual community as well. It seems everyone can love a Yarnbomb!

 

4. Tell us about Old Manolis and the Sea. How did it start? How did it grow? 

It all began with a friend asking me to join a committee to raise public concern over a sunken ship off the coast. The ship, the Manolis L., sank 30 years prior with over 500 tonnes of oil onboard and the Canadian government had made no effort to remove it, despite oiled birds washing ashore. There was quite a lot of concern about the issue locally and provincially and the community was rallying.

Old Manolis and the Sea began as an idea to knit black starfish for the main thoroughfare in town, with the starfish representing the potential environmental impact of an oil spill. This evolved to include a community Knit and Yoga event, creation of a zine by an artist in New Brunswick and woolly donations from crafters from as far away as Ontario. In the end, I was able to make three installations, one in Twillingate, one in St. John’s, the provincial capital and another in Ottawa, the national capital! 

While the ship still remains in place, there is some progress to report as the government has taken the very first step towards recovery by initiating a full assessment of the wreck just this summer. Hopefully, it won’t take another 30 years for the next step to be completed.

5. What’s up next? What’s your dream craftivism project? 

This is a tough question! Right now I’m backpacking through SE Asia, yarnbombing each country I visit and I’ve got a few more stops before heading home. I see craftivism as a means to respond to community issues so will have to wait to see what inspiration comes from returning to the stability of life at home. Travelling has given great opportunity to open my eyes to global environment issues, to talk with people from all over the world and to subsequently see Canada with refreshed eyes; but I’ll probably need the solitude of a Twillingate winter to really conceptualize something and start to get crafty!