Jessie Loeffler Randall
Physically, where are you right now? Are you at home, on holiday, in the office or elsewhere?
I’m out by the beach in Long Island, in my happiest place, getting a little break from everything.
How does your current environment inform your creative process and what is inspiring you right now?
I’m in the midst of a major kitchen renovation at our place by the beach. It’s been such a creative process, I can’t wait for it to finally come together! I still question whether I’m making the right decisions - It’s hard to know until it’s all in place.
Things that are currently inspiring me are wild rose bushes in bloom, tamegroute pottery that my son is bringing me home from his trip to Marrakech, lots of DIY home projects like painting and sewing cushions. I’ve just reminded my husband to bring my sewing machine back to the beach when he comes this weekend.
For every good idea there are many more we reject. Do you ever salvage ideas that didn’t come to fruition at a later stage or do you just move on?
Oh my goodness yes! We were just digging through a giant bin of old prototypes at the office last week. So many terrible ideas, terrible executions of good ideas, and some hidden gems in there that we will reimagine. Sometimes you need that space to figure out if something really works. When you come back to it later you can see it more clearly.
What have been some personal milestones that you have achieved outside the expectation or perceived expectation of others?
Giving birth to twins (!), having three wonderful children who are interesting, unique people, being married 20 years (we just celebrated our anniversary!), getting to have a career where I can explore my creativity, being in a writing group for nearly 10 years now, being able to travel to so many inspiring places!
What have been some of your most profound personal challenges and have they ever informed your creative process or interrupted it?
I think creativity and creative practices have helped me get through some of my most challenging times. I often rely on craft practices as meditative practices to help me cope with stress. Things like knitting, sewing, and cross stitching are all activities that take me out of the “here and now” and fuel my creativity and keep me calm.
If you analysed the most important factors in your success, what would say these have been?
Never giving up (even when I probably should have), grit, sticking to my gut instincts, luck and an ability to tolerate boredom and stress. Glamorous right? Ha!
What are your personal and creative rituals, if any?
I’m not great about doing things consistently, sadly. Other than my Diet Coke habit which I am not proud of! But these are some things that help keep me balanced and in a good place: long, hot baths at night, naps with my dogs, having a craft project going and playing tennis obsessively.
Where do you go to find creative refuge?
I just went on an inspo trip to Copenhagen and Stockholm with 3 of my friends. It was so special. I love to travel - I always get so inspired. Everything around me - tiles, type, interiors, ways of being. For example, in our hotel in Copenhagen they had lit candles in the middle of the day. It blew my mind. It never occurred to me to do that, and it is such a lovely idea.
I also have a craft club with some of my friends. Everyone takes turns sharing a skill with the group - natural dyeing, basket weaving, etc. It’s a wonderful creative space with no pressure, amongst women I love and admire.
The Wave Chair on display at the Loeffler Randall x Temple Studio NY collection launch earlier this year
If you could go back in time and begin again without knowing what you do now, would you?
I would love to go back to when my kids were little just to squeeze and cuddle those cuties. That was my most favorite time of my life. But otherwise, no, I wouldn’t go back.
What piece of wisdom currently resonates with you and how does it inform your approach to life right now?
I get overwhelmed with all the hatred in my country, especially the attacks on trans youth who are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We are somehow in a place where politicians have mobilized people against children trying to live their authentic lives instead of working to stop real threats to our society like guns. The lack of education, the lack of empathy, the lack of curiosity; it really gets me down. This quote from RuPaul resonated with me.
“All the darkness in the world right now, you can look at it. Don’t stare. It will make you crazy…the secret is to create environments where you can create magic, create joy.”
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