Into the darkness they rush, fully loaded with bundles of fabric, yarn of all colors, and limitless imagination. Under the night’s cover, the yarn-bombers make their mark at parks and train stations, on trees and fences, before retreating in silence to plan their next strike.

Last semester, guided by Syracuse University art teacher and amateur yarn-bomber Mary Giehl, SU students raided the Quad with a variety of fiber projects, moving out at midnight to hang their latest creations. This was part of Giehl’s effort to familiarize them with “guerrilla art” and bring an unexpected twist to her course.

Earlier this fall, Giehl partnered with colleague Anne Cofer to bring some 30 art students to Forman Park, a small area near the Crowne Plaza Hotel and just a few blocks downhill from Crouse Hospital. After three weeks of development, the students installed projects for their introductory fibers course, wrapping trees and benches with symbolic knits and structures.

Unlike other rogue activities that Giehl has spearheaded, this project was a bit different. Titled “Elements of Syracuse,” this was done in broad daylight and had to receive the approval of the city’s Public Art Commission, an 11-member group formally organized in 2007.

Too, these weren’t random creations thrown up before the red and blue lights came on. Students have based their works on the history of Syracuse. At the moment, some trees are helping to herd pigs and sheep in knitted form – an acknowledgment of the park’s former role as a roaming ground for neighborhood livestock. Snow is also a recurring theme, especially since so many students are new to Syracuse winters. “Nature Snowflake,” shrouds a tree in red and green fabric to “contrast the white winter in Syracuse,” according to the attached description. Another piece showcases a lone figure hemmed in by a web of snowflakes on one of the park’s benches.

Typical introductory fiber courses are weekly studio sessions that consist of almost five hours of hands-on work. This labor usually goes toward creating a body of work students present at the end of the semester for their grade. Afterward, this is frequently discarded.

Giehl sees an opportunity to bring new life to the course by moving from disposable pieces to public art. For many of her students, this was their first chance to create a piece for the community’s enjoyment. “It gave them something to make that had a purpose and a place,” Giehl says. “There’s a lot of significance to the work.”

After more than a month in the elements, some of the installations show signs of fatigue. A few have been reduced to wire and tattered fabric, which Giehl has reclaimed for her next brainchild. For the most part, however, the artwork endures and will remain up until mid-December. If you haven’t ventured out to Forman recently, grab a warm cup o’ Joe at a local stop and try to melt the heart of the unnamed benchwarmer!