CROCHET

With the recent revival of 1970s style came a renewed interest in crochet. The medium of crochet, though previously relegated to rocking chairs and sick beds, has become mainstream once again.

For recent art history, crochet holds importance in the field of women's work--something explored and utilized by Feminist artists in the 1970s and beyond.

Personally, I can't see colorful crochet without thinking of Olek. A New York-based artist currently in residence in the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Olek is famous for her crocheted everything--cars, bicycles, trees, buildings, people.

Olek painstakingly crochets each loop of her work to create stunningly beautiful sculptures and installations throughout the city and beyond.

Her gorgeous works infuse life and color into what could be a dingy backdrop and creates a illicits a sense of community between viewers.

On Christmas Eve 2010, Olek gifted a crocheted "winter coat" to the Wall Street Bull. Watch the YouTube video of how she did it.

When I met Olek (above) last year, I was struck by the way her personality really reflected her work--colorful, outgoing, and endearingly demanding, she truly lives through her crocheted masterpieces.

A loop after a loop. Hour after hour my madness becomes crochet. Life and art are inseparable. --Olek

I discovered this assauntingly-bright crocheted poncho at a recent Goodwill excursion. The colors are so intense, I decided to keep it simple with a black ensemble on its debut. Maybe next time I wear it I'll go for a head-to-toe crochet look and make Olek really proud.

I'm wearing a vintage handmade crocheted poncho, A.B.S. lace dress, Dolce Vita suede over-the-knee boots, and a Rebecca Minkoff bag.

[Olek images from illusion.scene360.com, flickr.com, downtowntraveler.com, sarahlondon.files.wordpress.com, and thirdstreaming.com, respectively.]