Ever wonder what happened to that girl with pink hair who used to live in Harry Smith’s old room? She’s alive and well, thank god. And, if you’re in the market for somebody to airbrush your underwear, give her a call.
What do you do?
Sometimes I play cowbell sometimes I don’t. Most of the time I do airbrushed graffiti clothing for kids. Right now I sell my kids line at Barneys NY. I also do kids events where I go and airbrush on –site, like birthday parties or special events. Kind of like performance art. I also just wrote a kids book. Basically, I’m just a tall kid! I also maintain my website www.blairwear.com, and do anything fun that’s thrown my way.
(Photo: Rita Barros' book)
When did you live in the Chelsea?
I lived at the Chelsea from 1997-2001
Why did you decide to move into the Chelsea? There were 3 things I knew the second I was born.. 1- I would have pink hair, 2- I would wear fake eyelashes, and 3 my name was BlairWear. So the first moment I moved to New York City when I was 17 I knew I HAD to live there. It was like secret ingredient to my cake. There was something almost like a mysterious voice calling me there. Kind of like that Wendy’s commercial.
How did you score your apartment?
At first I moved in with a roommate, then eventually moving into my own studio. Stanley was like my surrogate dad, he always helped me out.
Do you think there is a creative energy in the Chelsea?
UMM, do politicians lie? TOTALLY! The energy at the hotel is indescribable. If you could bottle it and sell it, you would either be a millionaire or find yourself in a class action civil suit.
Did living in the Chelsea affect your creative development?
Obviously the environment was a catalyst for creating no doubt. The art on the walls, the characters that would come in and out of the hotel, the crazy things people would say . I think in my case I had such a small studio that I was forced to look at everything I painted or did. I had no space to store anything so everything I painted whilst at the hotel became my décor. In return it was like my eyes became binoculars so I had to stare at anything I created until I scrutinized it to death.
What other people at the Chelsea or elsewhere have influenced your development?
David Remfry is a good friend who lives at the hotel and he always inspires me. He is one of those true true talented artists. On top of that my mom and my grandmother to boot.
Who is the most famous person you've ever ridden with in the elevator?
Hmmm, Maybe Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke.
What's the best/worst thing that ever happened to you at the Chelsea?
There were so many, let me think. Got it!
It was very early in the morning and the fire alarm went off. At that time I was on the front of the building and they were doing renovations at the hotel so there was scaffolding all along the front.
I looked out the terrace and there were like 5 (well they had to be) tourists in pajamas with their suitcases standing on the scaffolding probably thinking, “dam we sure got our moneys worth but now I want to go home”. I didn’t take the fire alarms too seriously but then they came through evacuating everyone at the same time I smelled smoke, I got my ass in gear.
Part 2- So at 7am in the morning,,,, everyone was standing in the lobby of the hotel in their pajamas, teddies, negligee, and what not. It was one of those candid New York moments where you say,, WHERE’S MY CAMERA!
Has anyone famous lived in your room?
No one but me. {Harry Smith was a noted underground filmmaker and obsessive collector of cultural ephemera. He also compiled the Anthology of American Folk Music.}
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