active 2 years, 2 months ago

Base

Name

Sam Remer

Type of Artist

Spins Flags

Region

Texas

My History

How would you describe yourself as a flagger?

I’m a beginner and experimenting and finding…

the flags are finding me!


What is it about flagging that you enjoy the most?

How it connects me with all the other people around me.

And the little sweet spot I find inside me when I’m doing it by myself, for myself.


How long have you been flagging? How did you get started?

Back in 2000 I got a poorly made set of flags and tried and tried, but couldn’t get them to fly. I was ready to give up.

Then I met Phillip and got a set of his flags, "BlueGrass", and learned how flags are supposed to fly. I used them for the first time at Flagging in the Park in Dallas, and loved it.

I became a flagger!


What was your first flagging experience?

One fine day in Palm Springs I was having such a good time I wanted to try flagging. I went into a store, which had only one set left. I paid way too much for them and took them outside.

There was a **georgous** man outside flagging. I showed him my set, and the look on his face made it clear I’d made a poor choice. "You just bought these, *now*?" he said, with a look of incredulity on his face.

But he didn’t embarress me for my little tattered rags. I wanted to go return them, but he stopped me and said, "no, those are your first set. we can make them work."

And he wrapped his arms around me and guided me through the motions. Ahh, heaven…

It was a good lesson. He taught me a few moves. But what I *learned* was that there is a bond between people who flag.

And that was the lesson I needed.


What was one of your best flagging experiences?

One Sunday morning I went to visit my nieces, who weren’t interested in spending time with me (they are one and three years old, so that’s not too surprising).

I brought some flags because I knew they’d be fascinated, and it would give us something to do together.

We spent the next three hours together, flagging in the back yard. They brought me a cookie and a hot dog.

Now they’ve tried making their own sets, cutting up some pieces of cloth into squares.

And they want me to come visit them again!


Who has inspired or taught you?

Phillip.

Do you make your own sets? Can you describe what kind you make?

Yes, I’ve made four sets. All silks, made at Phillip’s workshops.

I tried making a set at home just using some fabric, but I didn’t have a sewing machine. I discovered that iron-on stitch witchery works for awhile, but eventually the flags fly apart in a most spectacular fashion.

Dangerous too, if there’s anyone in the room!


Where do you often like to flag?

Well, the problem is there’s never a ceiling high enough to flag, unless you go to a club!

I go to Club One in Dallas. Sunday nights the flaggers get there early, and they flood the place with blacklights. They leave the blacklights on until the flaggers quit.

AND the non-flaggers are tolerant, because there’s plenty of room.


What advice do you give to beginning flaggers?

Get a good set of flags.


What nice/unusual comment has anyone said to you while flagging?

I was flagging in Toronto at the Docks. There were something like 5, 000 people, but only two people flagging. Myself and one other guy, way in the back so we wouldn’t hit anyone.

A straight couple walked by me. I didn’t think they’d even noticed me, but the woman came up to me and said, "thank you". It made my day.


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