Blair
Meet Blair - the Maker behind Blair Witch Crafts
Blair (they/she) is a multi-medium crafter and artist. They have been studying music, sewing, and crochet since they were young, and expanded into stone wrapping and polymer clay in the past decade. They started Blair Witch Crafts in 2017, originally named “By OperaHippy”. They currently reside in Long Beach with their partner, Bryant, and their cat, Embyr.
Read their story below
What inspired you to start your creative enterprise? How did you get into crafting?
My family is full of crafters. My Grandma Blair taught me how to sew from a little lesson book when I was about 12 years old. By the time I was in high school I was hand quilting queen-size quilts, and making costumes. In high school I made a period-accurate Tudor gown. My Aunt is also a sewist and quilter. My Grandma Webb had a room in her house with walls covered in yarn, she collected it like any good crafter with 1000 ideas in their head.
I taught myself to knit and crochet through the School of YouTube. My expansion into jewelry making and stone wrapping was a part of my natural creative curiosity. I’ve dabbled in welding, glasswork and wood construction as well as my everyday crafts.
I love exploring new mediums as an artist, even if just for a day. There is great benefit to being a creative person, but trying a medium you know next-to-nothing about. That’s why I am so compelled to try different mediums so often.
What does your workspace look like? Are you hyper-organized, a little messy? What have you been reading and watching lately? Name something you would change in your daily schedule to make space for more creative endeavors.
I live, work and create in a 550 square foot studio apartment with my partner and my cat. I used to be a lot messier, but living small with two people when one of them has as many crafts as me will either make you go crazy or get organized. However, my natural workflow is still a bit of organized chaos. When I’m working on stuff, the place gets messy. Everything is out in a (seemingly) weird configuration, and I probably have six other chores or tasks happening at the same time. I usually have NPR playing. Occasionally, I’ll switch it up and watch online videos of other crafters (in other mediums) while I’m working. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of ADHD podcasts.
The limitations of time and the need for stable income are probably big issues for most artists in the Maker community. I hope to be able to reduce my commitments to other jobs and focus more on creative ventures in the future, but for now I gratefully accept the life I lead!
How does your work march us to a better future?
I don’t know that the things I make are going to change the world, by any means. I’m just a person with some niche skills and perspectives trying to be useful to my local community. I hope people feel the warmth of the creations I make-- the personal touch of handmade items. I hope the jewelry and clothing I make helps them feel empowered and comfortable. I hope people see options in the Maker’s community as a way to support a more personal and localized economy.
What are you favorite local sites to visit?
I’m vegan, so pre-pandemic time, my perfect day would surely involve going to one of my favorite vegan restaurants, such as Seabirds or Cafe Gratitude. Yum! Whenever possible, I enjoy spending time at LACMA and visiting bookstores and hanging out in cafes around Los Angeles and Orange County.
I have a day job, 2 side hustles, and a small business as a Maker. It’s a rough balance, but I’ve been making it work for years. I’m living for the city--what can I say?
If you could move to any other place in this or any universe where would you go?
I’d love to travel the world in Howl’s Moving Castle. Howl’s Castle is the ultimate dream of the bougie nomad--all the space, and the ability to move from place to place quickly. I’d need Howl’s powers too though, so modifications and cleaning were easier. Also, we’d have Calcifer as a road pal, and he’s hilarious. Alternatively, I’d visit almost anywhere in the (Doctor) WhoVerse as long as I got to travel there in the TARDIS.
