We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Paige Nethers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Paige, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My goal with Two Peas Paper Co. is to create meaningful pieces of art for all stages of life, so most projects I take on hold a very special meaning to my clients! But one I hold especially close to my own heart is when I illustrated Homegrown Education’s Early Childhood Curriculum. Prior to opening Two Peas Paper Co., I taught Kindergarten full time. I absolutely loved my career as an educator and thought that’s what I’d always do; so children’s stories and illustrations have always been important to me. Since Early Childhood Development is a huge part of what sets my heart on fire, it seemed like a far off dream to ever illustrate a book (let alone one that would help children learn about real food, which is of huge importance to me as a mom)! When Liz from Homegrown Education reached out and needed an illustrator for her children’s curriculum, it was a very cool full-circle moment for me. Combining my love for art, children’s books, and healthy organic food was a very rewarding experience, and one I’m so proud to have been a part of. God has blessed me abundantly to do what I love each day!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My story is a little all over the place, but it’s all brought me to where I am so I wouldn’t trade it for a simple one! I taught Kindergarten full time and had a wedding planning business on the side before becoming a mom. While pregnant with my daughter, I decided to make some art pieces for her nursery. Some of my wedding clients saw posts I made with her artwork and asked if I could create some signage for their weddings. I sort of happened-upon calligraphy and taught myself through hours of practice, and decided once she was born to try and make money through painting and calligraphy so I could stay home with her instead of returning to the classroom. Over time, I took classes to learn watercolor and hone in on things I really enjoyed creating. My business is now known for realistic watercolors, custom wedding invitations, portraits, products, and calligraphy! I think I am most known for wedding crests and invitations that you can’t find anywhere else. While there are so many amazing stationers out there, my work stands out for being realistic and colorful, fitting almost any aesthetic. I’m known for “branding” weddings and special events so my clients can keep a cohesive look throughout their special day. I absolutely love creating custom pieces for weddings, but I think I enjoy painting portraits, products, and children’s illustrations most. Maybe because I get to do fewer of those!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Yes! I remember clearly when I had to decide if wedding planning (part time) or wedding artwork was where I wanted to head. I was sort-of doing both, and neither was getting my full attention. I had a fellow wedding planner tell me “hey, we really love what you create and would love to share that with our clients, but it’s somewhat confusing when we send them to you that you’re also a wedding planner.” At first I was taken aback… I felt like I should be able to “do it all” as long as it made me happy. But it really wasn’t making me happy anymore, and I had a new understanding that to work well with industry professionals, I may want to consider not being “competition” for them. I’m so glad she made that little recommendation, because it ended up being a huge pivot for my business that set it on a course to success. I of course chose to pursue art, and the doors that opened up after I closed the door to wedding planning were immeasurable. I made connections in our local wedding industry that have been invaluable! That one small decision has helped make similar decisions even easier since then. I’m not afraid to close doors I’m not feeling led through anymore, and I’m much better at staying in my own lane! There is enough room for EVERYONE at the creative table and it’s ok not to do all the things just because you can. Following your passion will almost always lead to a fulfilling career.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I was lucky enough to come across a small business known as Biz Birthday Bash pretty early on in my creative journey, but I recommend them to any artist starting out! Two stationer/artists created an education centered podcast and resource company that was literally answering almost every question I had while starting out. They are so generous with sharing their knowledge and experiences, and also have some amazing resources to help artists who want to make their business profitable and full of projects they love!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://twopeasdesigns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twopeaspaperco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoPeasPaperCo/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TwoPeasShop

Image Credits
Kristen Weaver Photography Nate Puhr Photography Casie Marie Photography