About
Jessie Hemmons is Philadelphia’s yarnbomber. She stealthily slips colorfully knitted pieces onto unsuspecting targets in the urban environment. With an inherent love for street art and a talent for knitting, combining these two passions was an inevitable evolution. She believes in inspiring individuals in urban neighborhoods by bringing attention to areas of their environment that would otherwise go unnoticed. With a background in mental health care, Jessie’s work focuses on identity and emotional presence. She works in public to promote the idea that people have the power and ability to be assertive as well as positive, and that the loudest voice does not have to be the most hostile. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Juxtapoz.com, Wooster Collective, and Philadelphia’s Public Radio station, WHYY.
ishknitsPublic Fiber Artist
215.353.8536
www.ishknits.com
ishknits@gmail.com
Solo Exhibitions ( * Upcoming)
2012* An Education in Yarnbombing, Art in City Hall Gallery, FiberPhiladelphia 2012, March-April, Philadelphia, PA
Selected Group Exhibitions ( * Upcoming)
2012* In Stitches, Long Beach Island Foundation, May-June, Loveladies, NJ
2012* Flashflood, Little Berlin Gallery, March, Philadelphia
2012 Connectivity, Target Gallery, The Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA
2011 Design Philadelphia, Pop up Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Windmill, Parking Day, Philadelphia, PA
2011 LEAP, Mural Arts Program, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Experiential, Environmental, Educational, The Old School Studios, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Umbrella, Dutch Umbrella Project, HAHA Magazine, Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Opening Exhibition, Jolie Laide Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Commissioned work ( * Upcoming)
2011 Grow, Dress For Success Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Bench, Big Picture, Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Flagpoles, 543 Building, Urban Outfitters Inc., Philadelphia, PA
2010 Tree, Design Philadelphia, Minima Furniture Showroom, Philadelphia, PA
Public Exhibitions
2011 Boards, Front & Norris Sts, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Tree, Hillcrest Neighborhood, San Diego, CA
2011 Rocky, Philadelphia Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Stairs, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Washington, DC
2011 MFL, Market-Frankford Elevated Subway, SEPTA, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Tree, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Organic Bicycle, 12th & Market Sts, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Flowers, 16th & Locust Sts, Philadelphia, PA
Lectures ( * Upcoming)
2012* Yarnbombing with ishknits, Philadephia Art Alliance, April 5, Philadelphia, PA
Press
2012 Slingluff Gallery, The Pinecone Gentlemen, An Interview with Yarnbomber Jessie Hemmons
2012 Philadelphia City Paper, Photo of the Week, December 20, 2011
2012 May 5 & 6, TRESPASS One-A-Day Calender, curated by Wooster Collective
2011 The New York Times, Graffiti’s Cozy, Feminine Side
2011 NewsWorks.org, WHYY, Gritty in Pink: ‘Yarnbomber’ outfits iconic Rocky statue
2011 Juxtapoz Magazine, Yarn Bombing with Ishknits in Philadelphia
2011 Flying Kite Media, The Social Knitwork: Philly’s yarn bomber in talks with Mural Arts
2011 Wooster Collective Online, Yarn Bombing Philadelphia’s Blue Line
2011 Philadelphia Metro, April 4, Pg. 2
2011 NPR Fresh Air Tumblr Blog, Ishknits Yarn Bomber Strikes Philadelphia Train
2011 Newsweek Tumblr Blog, Ishknits Yarn Bomber Strikes Philadelphia Train
2010 Americans for the Arts Action Fund, Knitters attempt to beautify cities one stop sign at a time
2010 Philadelphia Inquirer, Front Page, Philadelphia’s anti-graffiti knit work, March 25, 2010
2010 Crochet Guevara, Multiple Blog Posts, Crochetguevara.com
2010 Philadelphia Weekly, Style Blog, Epic Yarn Bomb
2010 Philebrity.com Blog Post, Yarn Bomber caught in Northern Libs, Yarn Bombers Now Putting Pink Fuzzy Things In Trees And Getting Kind Of Bossy About You Looking At Them
2010 Philthy.com Blog, Yarn Bombing
2010 Phrequency.com Blog, New Yarn Bomb in Old City
2010 Two.One.Five Magazine, Speakeasy: Slipstitch
2010 WHYY, Arts and Culture with Peter Crimmins, Radio Segment, Knitting ‘graffiti’ hits Philadelphia, Philadelphia light poles get all cozied up
2009 Philadelphia Weekly, Style Blog, Yarn Bomb Philly
Awards and Grants
2011 Public Art Preconference Artist Track, Public Art Preconference, Americans for the Arts, San Diego, CA
Education
2011 Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA
Masters of Science, Clinical and Counseling Psychology with Concentration in Child and Adolescent Therapy
2008 Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelors of Arts, Psychology
Employment
Clinical Research Coordinator, Neuropsychiatry Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadephia, PA