Her story plays out like a hollywood film… strong, independent thinking young girl grows up in suppressive socialist Poland only to find herself rebelling agains everything around her. She eventually scraps together enough money and guts to buy a one way ticket to New York City where she arrives with hardly more than a few dollars in her pocket and a "Failure is not an option" attitude. A handful of really smart decisions and a few years later Olek is one of the most sought after Urban Contemporary artists in the hi-end gallery circuit and without a doubt the coolest thing to happen to the crochet world in… well… ever.

As a young girl in Poland, Olek learned how to crochet in school (the process of creating fabric from yarn using a crochet hook). This skill came back to her as an adult in her work as a costume designer/maker and then again as she left the world of costumes to pursue an independent career in the fine arts. Her street interventions and "transformations" have caught the attention of the street art community while her impressive and provocative gallery installations keep her in high demand with collectors and gallerists.

The only thing more bold and colorful that her work is her personality and it was an extreme pleasure to sit down with Olek for this interview on VantagePoint.