feature: Michael Richman

Michael Richman, the artist behind the knit jockstrap/harness/swimwear company KNITTYGRITTYNYC is quite the sexy beast (as you can see for yourself in the above photo). Having known him for several years, I can personally attest that his character and his creations are truly analogous: sexy and rugged from afar, yet soft, playful, and smart up close. We first met when we were both trying our hands as professional crafters in the NYC event production circuit (he is a sharp marksman with a glue gun), but he eventually moved to warmer climes where practicing his most-developed craft has become a bit of an odd endeavor. After all, who wants to knit in the Florida heat?

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Your work in five words or less?
Kitchy costumes for Crafty Queers. I like alliteration.

Queer credentials?
I suppose from an early age I was obsessed with underwear. Less so now but it was initially my gateway into gay sexuality to the point where I would cut up my boring Hanes style underwear in the hopes of transforming them into a sexier more revealing cut only to learn the essentials of elastic. Underwear was the thing I used to feel sexy and desired and clearly as I got older I took that to a whole different level.

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Turn Ons?
There is nothing more spiritual and joyful for me than experiencing the flow state of creation and inspiration working in tandem. It’s euphoric to have a picture in your head that you are then watching come to life before your eyes out of your own hands.

Turn Offs?
My biggest turn off is indifference. I never expect for people to agree but I can become enraged by a person who does not care either way, and has made the choice to not make a choice.

Art Crushes?
It is EXTREMELY challenging to narrow an art crush down to one person so I’m going to go with my most recent Art/Human Crush Michael Birch-Pierce. Not only is this person beautiful inside and out but they are wildly gifted in all the textile arts and thriving in their field. It’s so Inspiring because I’ve always struggled to make my art practice the work that sustains me financially and I’m in awe of anyone who has managed to achieve that.

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Personal Crayon Color?
Contemplative Teal. Teal has always been my comfort color, but the version of it that releases all the endorphins for me is extremely dark yet saturated almost a deep emerald. It feels like a warm cozy blanket when I’m surrounded by it.

Ideal place to display your work?
The best place is really just out in the world on people. My favorite experience of my pieces was at a gay campground Jockstrap party because the pieces themselves became a catalyst for interaction, communication, and touch. You can’t get the experience in a picture. It’s made for the sense of touch as well as the eyes.

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Favorite non-art pastime?
I was a dancer for a long time before I ever started this endeavor with knitting, and it still remains the main other activity that brings me joy. It offers me that same meditative flow state that I’m always trying to get back to.

First memorable art project?
I was merely a performer for so long, regurgitating other people’s materials- be it music, words, movement. I guess it wasn’t until I got into Colorguard and dancing that I felt I had really found my place as a creative. That wasn’t until college. The first dances I choreographed in school were imitations of other people’s dances, but over a period of time I tapped into dance as a way to work through my past emotional trauma, and that was when my creative process coalesced into having purpose.

What’s next?
I’m currently in a bit of a stand-still trying to figure out my next steps. With the world the way it is, I’ve had to reevaluate my priorities. I started KnittyGritty as a means of making money but the logistics have turned me into a human factory, leaving little time to focus on the constant demand for new designs and ideas. I’m not done creating new things but I’m resting here for a bit, to figure out a creative life balance.