Elizabeth St.Hilaire’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Elizabeth St.Hilaire and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I have had a large commissioned piece purchased by the Stanford Children’s Hospital in California to be in their permanent collection in the antepartum unit.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Elizabeth St. Hilaire, I am Paper Paintings, Inc. I am a full-time working artist, workshop teacher, published author, and entrepreneur. I create content for Patreon and YouTube every week. I use social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) to promote my original artwork and workshops.

I am a one-woman show, I have no help. I manage a lot of things and juggle a lot of balls!

I am always working on filling workshops in advance and maintaining a good membership level on Patreon. I am currently putting together an online workshop called Birds and Boxes which will combine my love of collage with 3-D elements of assemblage for an all-new workshop experience. I have just finished writing and editing the companion book.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My father was self-employed for as long as I can remember, and his example shaped my entire outlook on work. From him, I learned the value of independence, discipline, and taking ownership of my career. He guided me through the practicalities of self-employment—encouraging me to set up disability and life insurance, and a Self-Employed IRA—and instilled in me the importance of living debt-free. Most of all, he taught me that when you work for yourself, your effort directly determines your success. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the example he set and the wisdom he shared.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Early on, after graduating from college, I entered a very tough job market. To make ends meet, I worked whatever jobs I could find—delivering pizza, telemarketing, and even home health care. At the time, I honestly wasn’t sure I would ever build a career as an artist or even as a graphic designer. I came close to switching paths entirely and going back to school for nursing because I enjoyed working with people and caring for patients. But something in me said to hang on a little longer.

I invested in a computer and taught myself the skills I hadn’t learned in my art degree. Eventually, that effort paid off and I landed an entry-level graphic design job. From there, things grew little by little. I later launched my own graphic design agency, which gave me the flexibility to paint and steadily build my fine-art career at the same time.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would probably say that what matters most to me is expanding my life through new experiences—because I truly believe we are the sum of everything we’ve seen, felt, and learned. I have a deep love for travel, for exploring new cultures, and for connecting with people from all walks of life. I’m also endlessly inspired by art, both old and new, and I find so much joy in visiting museums and galleries. The sense of wonder I feel when discovering new places or standing before a powerful work of art fuels my creativity and continually inspires my own artistic practice.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had ten years left, I would stop working and finally make time for all the other things I’ve always wanted to do but never seemed to fit in. I’d let go even more of worrying about what anyone thinks—how I look, how I dress—and lean fully into my artistic quirks and creativity. I’d stop saying “I’m too busy,” and use that newfound freedom to spend time with family and friends, to travel, and to simply enjoy life without sweating the small stuff.

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