Fruit Boots started as a printmaking project in 2020 by Liam Sawyer and continues to evolve today as Liam's interests in mixed media and functional art develop.
Liam has a deep love for functional art and craft and enjoys experimenting with and combining different techniques and mediums. He appreciates the strong craft community that exists in WNC, and especially enjoys watching the current generation of folks living in Appalachia continuing these crafts while pushing them to new limits.
Liam's work often challenges the way we see and perceive things and experiments with blind contour drawings and combining different materials and media. Fruit Boots continues to evolve as a space for Liam to share work, finished and in progress, with anyone who might be interested.
Where did the "Fruit Boots" name come from?
The term was originally coined by skateboarders who were frustrated by the influx of inline skaters. "Fruit boots" and "fruit booters" were derogatory terms used by skateboarders in reference to inline skaters, associating them with the queer community.
As a queer, trans person who has a love for both inline skating and skateboarding, Liam is attempting to reclaim the "Fruit Boots" term by bringing it to a welcoming and creative space.
*photo credit: Liz Wiliams