We recently connected with Sally Louise Polk and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sally Louise thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I am the child of a mixed media artist and an engineer, both of which are also musicians. It was a house hold of tinkerers and makers who loved to sing. I like to tell people that while I am a sewer, metal worker, fiber artist etc– most of all I am just an artist. Anything I want to make or men, I can usually find a way to do it.

My mother is a metal worker most of all and I have been doing craft fairs alongside her since I was maybe 12 or 13? The first time I sold jewelry with my mom, I was in the fourth grade. She was showing some of her paintings, painted onto napkins that belonged to my grandmother who passed. The show was called “mother knows best” and I had little wooden bead necklaces that I had painted on display in the corner.

As a queer maker, leaning into my identify has felt like a life long pursuit. I grew up in the closet, but as a super tall fat kid I wasn’t able to hide very well. When I was younger I used to rail against being like my mom, but a year and a half ago I decided to stop my job as a full time nanny and focus solely on art and now find myself at a jewelry bench making and vending at art markets just like her.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a fat artist with a rich creative community. My work stems from the DIY world where I like to reuse things and build community with other people through the things I make.

I would go to art markets and my friends would create things I couldn’t wear because their sizing was so small. It made me feel so isolated from my friends and other makers. The most common women’s pant size in the US is an 18 (a small 2x) but few would even carry up to that size. Folks were hosting events that say they were for celebrating queer and trans people but I was realizing that only meant the thin ones.

I began making a point of challenging my friends and community members to push themselves to be more inclusive. Fussy Louise is a jewelry designer but also a fat activist and a consultant. I’ve taught some workshops on how to extend your sizing and be fat inclusive, not just fat tolerant. I’ve also been developing a monthly workshop for fat and plus size people ONLY alongside my friend Robyn (Blue Bangs) called Sew Inclusive at the Made Institute, an independent fashion school here in Philly. Teaching folks how to take clothes into their own hands, since even the big companies make them wrong.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Find a way to make posting on instagram enjoyable. Following a formula that other people have created for their own presence online might help, but what folks want to see is authenticity. And you are less likely to burn out if you find ways to express yourself and share your thoughts and work online in a way that is enjoyable to you or feels true to you.

I make millions of typos, I make stupid jokes, I talk about feeling depressed. My Aunt Sadie is an amazing musician who has been playing and touring most of her life. When i asked her for tips on being on stage. she said that the audience just wants to know you. If you are shy and hate bantering on the mic, go ahead and be shy and avoid the microphone. Be yourself whole heartedly.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Making the world a better place place for artists means making the world an affordable place for working class and poor people. The challenges of capitalism are what keep people from having the time, space and resources they deserve to be able to express themselves creatively. When I was a nanny, I was too exhausted to express myself in my free time. I didn’t make enough to afford a studio space or an apartment large enough to hold all of the “art supplies.” I was drained on my days off and would spend my time recouping.

I believe that all people are creative people and that art belongs to all of us.   

Contact Info:

• Website: fussylouise.com
• Instagram: fussylouisejewelry
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FussyLouise/
• Other: @SewInclusive for the plus size sewing group @Thunderthighs_music for my music (on instagram)

Image Credits
Sarah Wicked (@sarah.wicked) on the two professional photos of folks wearing jewelry