Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie Welborn . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Natalie, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I started papercutting back in 2008. I was doing it off and on as a hobby. I got really good at it. People started to tell me I should do something with what I was doing. I tossed the idea around but I was so busy with everything else I just kept doing it as a hobby. Then several big life events happened. I left a really toxic work environment that was becoming increasingly worse. I jumped into a really demanding job. I was excited about it and I wanted to do a great job and learn everything. I was burning the last bit of candle at both ends. I was struggling. That’s when I kind of really crashed. I also figured out that I was not just ADHD but also Autistic. It hit me like a train or a ton of bricks. Suddenly I was re-evaluating my entire life. I was exhausted. I took a temp job working from home and it was a good fit but it finally ended. I started selling my pieces in between all of this because I had the pieces and it was something I could do. It was and is something I like doing. After the last job ended going through the whole process all over again just was very unappealing. My husband and I were in a place where I could step back and take a break from the cooperate grind. It’s been wonderful. I make my art and sell it. The days I need rest I take them. I don’t have to force myself to interact with people when I just don’t have the “spoons” to do so. When interacting with people face to face -with out the “spoons” people think your rude or a bit(h. That’s not it; I just sometimes don’t have the energy to be social. People know of Autism but not what it really is especially in women and girls. I was a apart if this group too that’s why it took me so long to figure it out. It’s still so heavily stigmatized so it’s just easier for me to work for myself. I can do my work when I can. I get a lot done but I do it when it works for me. I’m happier I’m healthier. I also love what I’m doing. I’m able to grow at my own pace too. Papercutting isn’t seen alot in the United States so I’m filling that niche. I get one of two reactions what is it? Or people are excited to see someone doing it. It’s also a skill that not everyone can do though. I guess you can say I started it as a job because it’s what I could do.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
(Ope answered some of this a bit on the previous page)
I create what calls to me. So I do a lot of nature, animal pieces, folklore, and fantasy. I can also do silhouettes. I have signs and I advertise that I do them but I haven’t had anyone interested yet. I’m making a sample one today. Hoping that it will get me some more commissions to do that. I’m interested in do more commissions. I work off of photographs most of the time. People really seem to love these. I also create jewelry I’m really proud of my jewelry pieces. It’s not easy to cut paper that small.
I do my best to make things at a reasonable price but this work does take a long time so prices reflect that. I’m doing my best o balance my price points but also pay myself something. Everything I do is by hand. I do it because I enjoy it and I think it’s beautiful. There’s something really special about art that’s created by the human hand. I think with all the technology we have we’ve lost some of that. I don’t even own a papercutting machine and I don’t plan on getting one. I do sell prints and stickers of my work though. It’s a way I can get paid a reasonable amount for a piece, keep my pieces affordable and accessible to everyone. I remember being a teen and wanting pieces of art but not being able to afford it. It’s not a good feeling. I don’t want to do that to anyone. Some of my pieces have taken me hundreds of hours. If I charge $200 dollars for a piece I’m getting a dollar an hour. That’s not sustainable for me, and not everyone can buy a $200 piece of art.
I never want anyone to feel pressured into buying my stuff and I definitely don’t want someone getting home and asking themselves why they bought one of my pieces. I’ve started providing a tip jar at vendor events and on my website so if individuals want to support me that way they can. It gives them an opportunity to support with out getting something they neither need or want.
I think a lot about my ecological impact as a business. I do my best to make good choices. My home/office is solar and I use recycled or biodegradable materials when I can.
I also really can about the quality of my work.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I’ve built this tiny business from the very ground up. There are times I’m definitely still borrowing money from my husband and then paying him back. It’s not large sums. It’s baby steps and not getting in over both our heads. Doing this myself is important to me. I’m proud that I’m starting to be able to fund everything by the business it self.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
My social media presence is the same I’m building it slowly and from the ground. I slowly gain more followers week by week. It’s really exciting when I get a bunch of new followers or another big artist follows me. I was thrilled the day megsmashables and an artist who works for Anthropologie started following me. Doing art challenges and using the hashtag for it has helped a lot. Honesty I’m probably someone who could still take advice on building up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.welbornpapercuts.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nwelbornpapercuts?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064558639103&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Natalie Welborn Zachary Welbornn