Paige Rochefort: Meet the Artist
I am a passionate and playful multi-media artist, deeply inspired by the dreamscapes and states interconnected with nature. Originally from Jackson, MI I have been living & creating in Grand Rapids for nearly 10 years. Using my degree in Psychology and Art from GVSU, I’ve been working as a full-time artist since 2021 with my business, Daydreams By Paige, LLC.
Q: How did you get involved with Lions and Rabbits?
A: I’ve known about Lions and Rabbits since college and have witnessed many classmates and friends within the artist community of Grand Rapids and beyond successfully work with them, including myself.
Q: Run us through your creative process: Medium? How do you start, flow and finish?
A: For large-scale work, I primarily paint using acrylics and interior/exterior house paint and always with a brush. When I find myself in a new season or needing to recharge, I often begin to play and flow between other mediums such as: collage, pencil, pen, and watercolor. This often ends up being my smaller scale and more personal work.
Q: What themes/ideas are highlighted in your work? Intentions?
A: I am very intrigued by the playfulness and imagination of dream states and scapes we find ourselves in while connecting with nature and exploring our inner child. I often create from a space of peace, energy, warmth, and a whimsical perspective of personal daydreams. My hope when you witness my work is that you feel inspired to explore your own dreams or at the very least, relate or get lost for a little in mine.
Taking a more illustrative approach to my work feels natural and enables me to express from my inner child. Therefore, I often use clean line work and bright colors. Simplifying flowers, bugs, and botanicals.
Mural located at Sip Coffee and Cocktails. Grand Rapids, MI
Q: Can you share more about how your career as an artist began?
A: During the lockdown I had a slowdown and a meltdown. Leaving me in stillness to look at my choices. Anger followed and with anger comes change. I quit my job and took a chance on myself. With a lot of therapy and inner work, it felt like it was time to (finally) create for a living— a dream fully realized. In 2021 I decided to turn my passion into my business and haven’t looked back since.
Q: What mistakes have you made? What obstacles have you encountered throughout your career as an artist?
A: My mental health has been my biggest obstacle. I’ve let self-doubt control everything about my passion and business, leaving me paralyzed by fear and insecurity. In those seasons I missed out on a lot of opportunity and joy. Working from a negative headspace only created resentment and more doubt. Putting my mental health first and finding my inner child has lent itself to alignment and flourishing.
Q: Who/what are your biggest inspirations that play a key role in your work?
A: My inner child, Mother Nature, and my muse: Flora. To also be a vessel of joy and light in this world is a huge reason I continue onward.
The artist I am most inspired by is: Louise Jones (neé Chen) / Ouizi
I also love the mindset of poets Tess Guinery and Mary Oliver when it comes to highlighting nature through art.
Q: Do you feel supported by your community as an artist? In what ways could you feel more supported?
A: I feel extremely supported by the small business and local community of Grand Rapids. I think having the bigger companies, families, and corporations in the area shift their appreciation and financial support to local artists is how we can better be supported.
Q: What is the function of artists in society? What does being an artist mean to you?
A: Artists are the feeling inducers, the creative healers, the community makers, the inspiration activators, emotion expressers. I believe to be an artist is to use your creativity to raise the vibration of humankind.
Q: Describe a moment when you felt most proud of yourself
A: When I free-handed my first mural and just let the flow state and confidence that I knew what I was doing, fully take over.
Q: What are you currently working on or looking forward to?
A: I am honored to have work all over Michigan this Summer that will help small businesses express their brand through art!
Q: BONUS: If you could choose any superpower, what would it be?🦸🏻♀️⚡️🌀
A: I’d love to be a healer
Follow more of Paige’s work at https://daydreamsbypaige.com and https://www.instagram.com/daydreamsbypaige/
Thank you for checking out this week’s Meet the Artist, be sure to check out more artist stories dropping weekly on our blog!
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