Paige's Pod

On this episode, Paige chats with her friend Cynthia White. Cynthia is a is a partner-level management consultant/anthropologist. She is the President of her company, Ceatro Group where she typically works with organizations that have complex product and service offerings, multi-year relationships with customers in both the B2B and B2C space. Executives and P&L leaders count on Cynthia for her accurate analysis, efficient projects, executive-level relationships, and her deep understanding human behavior, customer experience, customer service, and innovation.
Cynthia is also an artist and the face behind her art business, Cynthia White Art. Paige and Cynthia discuss art, skill, technology, and over the couch art. Cynthia shares her experience showing her work around Boston, selling direct, by commission, and as the first original artist on Wayfair's designer site, Perigold.
Throughout Cynthia’s experience working in corporate and traveling around the world, she would always find ways to create during her down time in her hotel room while on work trips. Cynthia explored photography, crafting, cake decorating, quilting, and other creative outlets. When Cynthia wanted to get back into painting, she decided to explore abstract painting, acrylic paints, and adding various mediums to acrylic paint.
Prior to Cynthia White Art, Cynthia expresses how she never thought about making money off of her art because that wasn’t the path she necessarily wanted for herself. Cynthia describes how defining herself as an “artist” wasn’t a red flag she needed to wave due of her craving to accomplish other things in addition to making art.
Cynthia shares lots of amazing stories that will make you laugh and leave you feeling driven and inspired. She shares her experience traveling to West Africa on a Fulbright scholarship to study the cultural sharing of textiles and pursuing a career as an anthropologist, to her obsession of painting her breasts while at college, to falling in front of Kim Kardashian. To follow and support Cynthia, check out https://www.cynthiaewhite.com and https://www.cynthiaewhite.com .

On this episode of Paige's Pod, Paige chats with Misha Zadeh from Misha Zadeh Illustration & Design. Misha draws and paints from a sunny studio in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle (Paige and Misha are practically neighbors!). She is infinitely inspired by the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest, as well as those from her travels and her imagination. She has rarely met a color she doesn’t like.
Misha shares her story of how she started her creative career in graphic design, which eventually lead to starting her own stationary business. After a long stint in the stationery world with her company Turquoise Creative, Misha relaunched her business as Misha Zadeh Illustration & Design in 2016 with a focus on creating art for the textiles, home, gift, and paper goods markets.
Misha and Paige dive deep into a discussion about the pre dot-com days. Misha's shares her experiences organically growing her brand during a time where posting, engaging, and creating content wasn't relevant or necessary. During the pre dot-com days, relationships, connections, face to face interactions, and in person events were the driving forces that got your work in front of people and out into the world. In addition to sharing her experiences pre social media days, Misha shares the differences and pros/cons between then and now, specially in the world of licensing.
Misha's story and creative journey is such an inspiration to listen to. If you are someone that is interested in licensing your work, definitely give this episode a listen because Misha is a wealth of knowledge and at the end of this episode, she shares tips on how to get started in the world of licensing. To follow and support Misha, check out http://www.mishazadeh.com and follow https://www.instagram.com/mishazadeh

On this episode, Paige chats with Erin Oostra. Erin is a Washington-based painter and visual designer whose work explores the beauty and movement she finds all around her, whether summiting a mountain or crossing city streets.
Erin shares her experience working as a visual designer and how after an accelerated design program, she landed her dream job working with the digital and print design team for Nordstrom HQ. Erin and Paige chat about the pros and cons working for a large company vs. working for a smaller company where individuals have more of a creative voice. Erin chats about her creative journey and how she started painting. Small doodles and painting studies she would create on hikes with friends eventually lead her to painting on large canvases.
Paige and Erin discuss what it means to put yourself out there, take risks, and just go for it, as well as what it means to be an Artist. To follow and support Erin, please visit https://erinoostra.com and https://www.instagram.com/erinoostra

On this episode, Paige chats with Betsey Iannarellli the bright and bubbly artist behind @betseyianstudio on Instagram. Betsey is a mixed media artist and is known for creating original embroidered paintings filled with bold colors and vibrant florals.
Paige and Betsey chat about how painting has always been a creative outlet for Betsey ever since she was a teenager.
This conversation has a “hang out with your closest friend on the couch with a warm cup of tea, and one too many blankets” kind of vibe due to the candid and very real topics that flow between Betsey and Paige.
Betsey chats about finding joy in the physical painting part of her business and not so much joy in the technology part of it (Betsey has a love hate relationship with technology), as well as how important it is to stay true to herself as an artist and content creator.
Betsey shares her experience being scouted at an art market by a Lily Pulitzer designer, and the challenges of saying no to clients, friends, relationships, and even herself. Paige and Betsey also chat about their New Jersey pride. To follow and support Betsey please follow https://www.instagram.com/betseyianstudio/ and check out https://www.betseyianstudio.com

On this episode, Paige interviews the inspirational Christina Chang. Christina is an Asian American Art Educator and Contemporary Artist based in Boston, MA.
Christina shares her creative upbringing, her positive undergraduate art school experience at Texas Christian University, as well as her empowering graduate school experience at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Christina has a passion for teaching and expresses how she views art, and how there is such a broad range of creative opportunities for artists. Paige and Christina dive deep into various aspects of her teaching philosophy, as well as how she weaves in anti racist curriculum into the classroom by introducing her students to a variety of contemporary artists from different backgrounds and cultures. Christina allows her students to share their own stories and thoughts through self expression and wants her students to feel empowered to express themselves though their art, because their creative voices matter.
This episode is a beautiful one full of personal stories, advice, and positivity. In addition to chatting about art and education, Paige and Christina chat about incorporating art everyday to find balance, future hopes and dreams for Christina and her art, as well as how she really enjoys connecting with other Asian American females in beauty, fashion, and art online. Christina expresses how an online platform like Instagram, expresses other Asian American females in such a positive lights and how connecting with these amazing women has truly been such a joy. To follow and support Christina Chang, please visit https://christinachangart.com and https://www.instagram.com/christinachang_art .

On this episode, Paige interviews AnnMarie Young, a 21 year old artist who recently received her BFA at the University of Texas at Austin. Paige and AnnMarie discuss their similar experiences attending an art school and feeling like an outsider throughout their time as students, as well as having to learn about marketing their artwork themselves. AnnMarie discusses how Tiktok was the main marketing technique that gained her a loyal following for her artwork. AnnMarie discusses how she also fast tracked her degree path, graduated on May 22, 2021 and ended up moving to Alaska on May 23, 2021. She describes how her time in Alaska largely consists of her latest project of painting 100 postcards with various landscapes in Alaska. AnnMarie also goes into depth about how she applied and got accepted to an art residency program in Iceland last year and how it was the best experience she could have asked for. While only 21 years old, AnnMarie has carved a bright future for herself as an artist. To follow and support AnnMarie, follow https://www.instagram.com/annmyoung.arts/ , https://annmarieyoung.com/ , and https://www.tiktok.com/ @annmyoung.arts?lang=en .
To research and discover a worldwide network of art residencies, check out www.resartis.org too!

On this episode, Paige chats about her experience on how she expanded her career opportunities as an artist through live wedding painting. She discusses the challenges of meeting new people and making connections in a new city where she didn’t know anyone besides her husband Sam and a few friends. After reaching out to wedding planners and attending some networking events, Paige finally dipped her toes into the world of wedding venue painting. She takes you through a step by step process on her journey of how she pursued this goal of hers. Paige emphasizes how live wedding painting is just another example of how artists have numerous opportunities at their fingertips if they are willing to think outside the box and put themselves out there. To continue to follow Paige and her ARTrepreneur journey, follow https://www.instagram.com/paigelindseydesign/ and https://open.spotify.com/show/0fDE5wJfjWe27rJDl1o4Tt?si=ZluHVU7VTUKeamoyXFdpMA&nd=1 .

On this episode, Paige interviews Carrie, also known as @carrieandthebrush on Instagram. Carrie is a full time therapist by day and watercolor artist by night. She began dabbling in watercolor during the pandemic and before she knew it, her love for painting caught the attention of others. After showing up consistently for herself, she soon turned her hobby into her own business. Paige and Carrie discuss career changes, the importance of mental health, and the balance between making art for others as well as for yourself. From marketing, to photography, to now watercolor, creativity has always been an important part of Carrie’s career journey. She also discusses the fulfillment she now receives from helping others as a therapist and artist as well. Paige and Carrie have an engaging and relatable conversation for anyone trying to figure out how to turn their creativity into a career they truly enjoy. To support Carrie and her amazing work, follow https://www.instagram.com/carrieandthebrush and http://www.carrieandthebrush.com

On this episode, Paige interviews the hardworking artist, mom, and business owner, Jackie Schon. Jackie shares her journey of learning the ins and outs of running a small business with her mom, Jill. She discusses how she balances her career as an artist as well as being a mom of two. Jackie also talks about how her experience working as a waitress led her to acquiring the skills needed to succeed in co-owning her own business known as "The Paint Bar”, coincidentally where Paige and Jackie first met. Paige and Jackie reminisce about their time working together and how they’ve both grown from their experiences working in the small Paint Bar studio in Newton, Massachusetts. Jackie’s enthusiastic nature grasps your attention throughout this episode while giving you the courage to follow your career dreams no matter the circumstances. To follow Jackie and her amazing work, follow https://www.instagram.com/by.jackie/ https://thepaintbar.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/thepaintbar/

On this episode, Paige chats with Seattle artist, Gina Ariko. Inspired from a young age by her grandma and grandpa (obaachan and ojiichan), Gina discusses her journey and growth as an artist. From starting her full time art career during the pandemic, to creating a community that empowers female artists of color, Gina has flourished into the artist that she aspired to become since she was a young girl. Paige and Gina discuss the hardships of fitting into a world where people constantly question the career of becoming a full time artist, and how she overcomes her fear of failure while pursuing her lifelong passion. To follow and support Gina Ariko, check out https://ginaariko.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/ginaariko/