Gina Gallina is a Northwest Arkansas-based crochet artist.  Gallina crochets useful objects like hats, sweaters, mittens, nose warmers, doilies, blankets and potholders, to the more obscure items like bacon scarves with fried egg hand warmers.  Her crochet “bombing” of trees, chairs, and buildings have brought more attention to fiber artists over the past decade.  Gallina crocheted large contemporary pieces like a six-foot strawberry currently on view at Experience Fayetteville and a giant pineapple commissioned by a hotel.  These colossal creations, along with the detail of crocheted ball gowns and costumes, like Mary Antoinette and Queen Bee have gained the now Fayetteville-based artist notoriety in the world of fiber artists.  Gallina has done commissioned work in Las Vegas, Chicago, and New York City, to name a few.

Gallina credits her Italian grandmother for teaching her to crochet at age eight.  “I have crocheted my entire life. I love when people say my work makes them happy,” said Gallina.  Gallina takes yarn art to a fine art level, creating whimsical, colorful, and vibrant worlds inspired by her dreams, her imagination, her fears, and her particular way of viewing the world.  Her work evokes an emotional response and invites interaction.  

My Italian grandmother taught me to crochet practical items like hats, gloves, and scarves when I was eight years old. She crocheted bibs and hats for kids, and that’s how I learned. It was a craft of work, a fiber creation filling a need. I enjoyed both the process and the end result, and now describe myself as a crochet addict.As I grew as an artist, I learned that with some time, most anything can be built with just one hook, connecting one single stitch to another single stitch, creating something that is bigger than life. I still crochet practical items now, but also strive for the ultra-imaginative, the exaggerated, and the move beyond useful in my creations. Crochet allows me to process and connect to reality.