Instructor Spotlight: Lea Kouzios

Lea Kouzios, a former stay-at-home mom turned business owner and veteran, hails from the Midwest, specifically Wisconsin. After joining the army in 2018 as an intelligence analyst, she was stationed in Georgia, where she met her husband. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she began crocheting in her spare time and gradually transformed it into a business as she transitioned out of the army and into stay-at-home mom life. Building a social media following of approximately 80,000 across various platforms boosted her confidence and paved the way for her venture into teaching.

What drew you into teaching? (Was there an event or person in your life that introduced you to it? How long have you been teaching?)

I think I’ve always wanted to be some sort of art teacher deep down, but growing up I was always told that art wasn’t a sustainable job, so that dream always stayed hidden. After creating content and selling my crocheted items at markets I’ve definitely seen an increase in my confidence and with the support and encouragement from Nicole Caracia, I decided that I was ready to dip my toes into the world of teaching! [ Thanks Nicole ;) ]

Tell me about the classes you teach.

Currently I have a Beginning Crochet for Adults, Crochet for Teens/Tweens, and we have an Intro to Amigurumi/Plushie Making class in the works! The intro to crochet classes are meant to teach the absolute basics of crochet from picking up the hook to understanding stitches to completing projects. The amigurumi class is going to teach the basics of making plushies and all the super cute trendy projects that are super popular on social media. I think I’m the most excited for that one considering that’s my specific niche within crochet.

What's your favorite aspect of being an instructor at CAC?

I think my favorite part about being an instructor as CAC is the creative freedom and personality that I get to incorporate into my classes. It’s such a unique opportunity to utilize an amazing artistic space to share those artistic skills. And while the freedom can get a bit overwhelming at times, I think it’s made me a stronger teacher, being able to incorporate everything I wish I knew when I was learning to crochet.

What advice would you give students who may want to pursue a career in the arts or teaching?

My best advice is to take the leap. I spent a lot of my younger teenage years and early adulthood worrying a little too much about what others thought of me. Teaching has unlocked an immense feeling of pride in myself, getting to share something I’m so passionate about with others and watching others pick up that skill from my instruction. It’s a feeling I can’t replace with anything else.

Being super active and putting yourself in front of the camera on social media is going to be a great way to gain confidence in yourself and practice the “stage fright” aspect of teaching. Although you can’t see the faces of the people watching, gaining that confidence is going to make a world of difference. I also always try to keep a mindset where I’m always ready to improve and grow, so always be open to the constructive criticism to better yourself and your instruction!

What else are you working on personally or professionally?

Crochet is a huge part of my life personally and professionally so my lines are always a little blurry. I am working on market prep for a few local art shows in the next 6 months; Ferndale Day, Arbutus Arts Festival and Artscape, come out and say hi! Along with events, I like to focus on my online community by live streaming and making fun videos daily.

To learn more about Lea and her work, check her out on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.