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

Alright, Stephen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve been continually learn the art of making realistic paper flowers over the last 6 years. I started with some online tutorials and YouTube videos that were very helpful for me, personally. I have quite a few paper flower books now that I reference often, and I’ve even created my own versions of most of the blooms I create. When I first started, paper flowers were even more niche than they are now, and there wasn’t a lot of reference material. Learning the basics was truly essential; the things you do every time you create a bloom.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

In 2017, my wife and I were going to have our second child, and we found out that it would be a baby girl. We already had a name picked out, Juliet, and I wanted to surprise my wife with a bouquet of fresh Juliet Roses so she could enjoy them in the hospital room. After being unsuccessful in finding fresh flowers of this particular style, I stumbled across a paper flower template online and thought to myself, “I’m crafty. I can make these.” –So I ordered all the supplies I needed to get started and began creating my own bouquet of Juliet Roses. The first ones turned out ‘ok’, but I kept making them until I had a small bouquet. After completing them, we ended up using them in Juliet’s newborn photos! I continued to make more flowers, eventually trying different varieties, and soon after, my best friend suggested that I sell them; thus, Indiana Paper Company was born. I’ve been creating realistic paper blooms ever since and participating in local art shows and events for handmade goods. A lot of time goes into creating a paper flower–from preparing and coloring crepe paper, to hand-cutting every petal, shaping every petal, and attaching them in a pattern that results in a realistic looking flower. Some flowers take 20 minutes, while others can take up to 5+ hours. I’ve been fortune to create many flowers for weddings, recreations of bridal bouquets, arrangements for those who’ve lost loved ones, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s gifts, and even a few installations in a couple of museums. When time allows, I enjoy hosting paper flower workshops and teaching others how to make their own blooms.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

A few years ago, I had to re-brand my entire business in less than a week! I woke up one morning to an email from a woman who was doing business as “The Paper Peony,” which happened to be my business name at the time. She let me know that she had recently had her business trademarked and I had to stop using that name immediately. I had done my research and there was no one in my state or near me with that name who was also selling paper flowers, so I didn’t think it was problem. After reading her email, it hit me that she was threatening legal action, and that she would report my Instagram account (which I had worked so hard to build) and have it removed. I was also contacted by a couple of other friends who were doing business as “The Paper Peony” and they also received, in my opinion, “bullying letters” tell them similar things. I posted my predicament to the paper flower group I was a part of, and within a week, another paper florist and friend helped me come up with a new name for my company. I changed emails, website domains, social media, and all branding within a week to become “Indiana Paper Company,” which is now (I learned my lesson) trademarked.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being in the business of creating realistic paper flowers, one of the most rewarding times comes when a person does a double take at one of my creations. They look, they appreciate the florals for what they are, they turn to leave, and then, they immediately turn back and ask the ultimate question, “Is that paper?!” What follows is usually a 5-10 minute chat about how I create my flowers, what kind of paper I use, how much time it takes, etc. It’s a chance for people to take a small glimpse into my process and learn more about paper art. That illusion (where someone believes they are looking at fresh flowers) even if it is only for just a few seconds, is one of the best moments, and compliments, I can experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://indianapapercompany.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indianapapercompany/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indianapapercompany/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@indianapapercompany3225