100 Colorado Creatives: The Ladies Fancywork Society

#100: The Ladies Fancywork Society
The Ladies Fancywork Society -- a somewhat anonymous collective of crafty women -- has been delighting Denver for a half-dozen years, working covertly in the dark of night to create yarnbombed installations that sprout out of nowhere in the strangest of places. They've made us laugh and look in wonder as trees grow sweaters and flowers bloom on chain-link fences. As they say in their statement, "They believe in taking ownership of our surroundings, and putting skirts on the world is their way of doing it." It's a whimsical message that anyone can make art, underlined by the feminine...and maybe a little of the feminist.

See also:

- Fancygasm
- The arts in Denver: Ten people to watch in 2013
- Lucky '13: Lauren Seip of Lowbrow Arts and Ladies Fancywork Society
- Fifteen best Denver ART moments in 2011

"Legwarmers" on Jonathan Borofsky's "Dancers."

Their past exploits -- knitting legwarmers for Jonathan Borosky's infamous Dancers in the Denver Performing Arts Complex Sculpture Garden and a ball-and-chain for Lawrence Argent's "I See What You Mean" (the Big Blue Bear) at the Colorado Convention Center, for instance -- behind them, they most recently installed a stealth-knit LFS banner along the road to Denver International Airport, as well as condoned crocheted works inside the airport.

"Slave To The Craft," on Lawrence Argent's "I See What You Mean."

And in 2013, the ladies of LFS are already busy: Their commissioned entryway installation Fancygasm opens for the winter this weekend at MCA Denver; this summer, they'll be represented in another major art museum -- the Denver Art Museum -- as part of its museum-wide textile compendium, Spun.

"Don't Rain On Our Parade," near Denver International Airport.

And even as their official stature rises, these artists haven't lost one bit of the street sense with which they started out. Long may they skulk at night.

We asked the ladies a few questions about art in Denver and where they fit in.

Continue reading for their answers.