We recently connected with Laura Plouzek and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I discovered I had a proclivity for painting during my sophomore year in college when I moved away from home, and for the first time since I was 14, didn’t have a job. This idle time allowed me to wander through some artistic pursuits and I fell in love with painting. I switched my major to fine arts my junior year, without ever having taken a single art class. I spent several years post college teaching high school art (my dream job!).

I found myself with another chunk of unexpected idle time when I was newly married to a sailor, who just found out he was being stationed across the country. I left my dream job and moved with him from California to Florida. As I searched for a job, I kept myself busy with artistic projects, one of which was converting all of my vintage necktie collection into bow ties. The sailor that I married only wore bow ties. This seemingly tiny activity developed into my full time job.

I never pursued it, but it found me when I slowed down enough to let myself play. It found me when I made room for creativity. I still have to factor in some idle time during my week, because that’s where the magic happens for me.

Laura, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hey! I’m Laura and I make all kinds of crazy bow ties. We’re talking bow ties that look like crayons, or cats, or scissors! Bow ties made from billiard felt or leather jackets, or your Grandma’s quilt or Grandpa’s kilt! Most of my bow ties are made from second hand materials and alllll of them are self tie. I made standard men’s bow ties for years and years before thinking that perhaps I should make some ties for ladies or humans like me- and now that’s mostly what I do. I make a new rad and ridiculous tie each month. It’s a crazy pace to design and craft a new tie each month, because each one is a puzzle. I do everything in house, so you’ll find me screen printing, hand embroidering, quilting, air brushing, hand beading, hand cranking chain stitch, and of course, lots of cutting and sewing, to make them. Acquiring new skills and tools is part of the fun.

My hope is that my bows make humans feel more like themselves when they wear them, and goodness, just bring some joy to this world. Bows are fun! They bring smiles! They’re tiny things, but what we wear can empower us. I’m constantly told (in my personal and professional life) “oh, that looks amazing on you, but I could never pull that off” and I feel it’s part of my mission here on earth to spread the news that You don’t need permission to dress in that wild thing. That if you’re wearing the rad outfit, YOU’RE PULLING OFF the rad outfit. I’m a shy person who dresses LOUD and I’m gathering other rad humans to the cause.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’m programmed to be practical and productive. Every action should have a purpose. Every moment in a day should be scheduled and build the foundation for what comes next. These things have served me well and made me successful in other endeavors. They are universally respected attributes. But, MAN, if they don’t burn out a creative person.

This business of mine was built in the cracks between times that I was productive. I’m constantly pulling myself away from what’s practical, because that’s where I find the magic. I try to schedule in idle time into my day, because if I don’t I’ll work work work and new ideas don’t come to be when I’m in work mode. I still struggle with this- a never ending list of to-do’s, when there also need to what if’s!

I’m still in the middle of this, as we all are, but I’m unlearning that practical and productive are safe. I’m leaning into play and exploration and rest being not a means to an end, but maybe the purpose? I’ll keep you posted. =)

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Attention is currency! It’s easier than ever to share what you love, what you’ve made, what you’ve purchased, who inspires you. Your attention and your enthusiasm are just as important as your dollars, so share your love!

But also, shop small, shop local, shop less. The less mass manufactured plastic garbage you buy, the more you have to invest in hand crafted, long lasting items that will serve you longer and mean more to you. Original art brings a kind of magic and energy into your home that the stuff from a box box store doesn’t. And, your neighbor down the street is probably mine an expert at making soap or wall hangings and making that connection is going to mean way more to you than anything that Amazon can deliver in a day.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.xoelle.com
• Instagram: www.instragram.com/xoelle