Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Dotson.
Paige, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
From the time I was 14 years old, I knew that I wanted to ride horses professionally. By the time I got to college, I was living that dream, competing nationally and internationally while pursuing a degree at the University of San Diego. Upon graduating, I received an offer to run a sales farm in New Zealand. I promptly packed up my life and was living on the other side of the world in two weeks. After a year there (when my visa ran out), I came home for a month-long vacation, after which I planned to move to Europe and continue my career. While enjoying time with family and friends, I realized that I did not want to go to Europe. After some soul searching, I realized that I felt unfulfilled. I wanted to help people and was missing that part of my life.
At 25 years old, I made a huge decision to quit what had been my lifelong dream, and, go back to school. I was going to get a second degree, this time in Psychology. I had always loved psych but had never pursued it, because I was so engrossed in horses. While pursuing this degree, I simultaneously dove deeper into drawing and making art. It is something that I had always done, but I became engrossed in it because I have a pretty severe learning disability and clinical level anxiety. I found that drawing would calm me down and settle my mind when school and work were getting to be too overwhelming.
Upon graduating with my second degree, two things happened almost simultaneously. I got a job working in applied behavioral analysis with special needs children, and, my friends convinced me that I should actually do something with my art. The very first supervisor I had at the ABA company I was working at was Tedi Teabout.
After about a month, she was supervising a session with me, and she pulled me aside afterwards. I was a bit panicked, thinking I had done something wrong, but she told me that she was opening her own clinic and that I showed a natural talent in this field. She then proceeded to ask me if I would come with her. I was elated, and a year later, she is mentoring me, while I attend certification classes, as working as her case manager at ABA Adaptive Services. The clinic is growing fast, but I have been able to see it from the start which has been a very rewarding experience. Within about a week of each other, I met up with my friend, Laura Peck (who produces music and throws events) and showed her some of my art. She really liked it and offered me to be a vendor at her upcoming music event. I was very nervous but I did it. I got a fantastic response. Through networking and meeting people while doing this, my art has grown into a thriving business.
Just before I began my certification classes a few months ago, I knew I had to throw myself into my art while I had time. I took every single offer I had for about a month and a half to vend. Keeping in mind, I was also working 40 hours a week with special needs children in north county, I was vending about four times a week. I was exhausted, but I accomplished what I wanted to; my art was out in the world, and I could basically call anyone throwing an event and ask to vend when I want. Towards the end of this marathon, where I was basically half a human, I met a guy named Dante at an event. He told me about a music collective him and some of his friends were starting called Hive Mind Collective. He explained that he really liked the pendants that I make and he was wondering if I could make the pendants for their collective. I was flattered, and a little overwhelmed because I was not sure when I would have the time, but I agreed to make the pendants. I explained that I would have to tweek the bee in their logo a bit because I didn’t want to just reproduce something, I wanted it to be an interpretation of me. He wholeheartedly agreed. The pendants turned out beautifully, and they have been taking my art all over California when they travel to play at different events and festivals. They recently did their first show at Spin nightclub and invited me along. I am so impressed with how much they have grown in the last few months. Their pendants have skyrocketed my business, and I love working with them.
At the end of the same week that I met Dante, I got a call from another artist saying that he was working an event and that another vendor had backed out last minute. I was finishing up with a client in north county, but my display was in the car so I agreed to go. I frantically showed up, running in late, and throwing together my setup as the doors opened. The event was really fun, and I was actually making a ton of sales. Usually, when you work an event you already know or are introduced to the person working the event, I, however, had been late, and I was not even sure of the name of the event at the time. After the party had been going on for about an hour, some guy come over and was staring down my art. Before I could say anything to him, he pointed at my art and says, “You made all of this?”. I was a little confused by how serious he was being but I told him I did and I went into my entire explanation. He looked at me and said, “My name is Igor, and I am throwing an event called the butterfly effect in a month. You need to help me with it”. We exchanged numbers and he hurried off. Later on in the event, I learned that he was the one throwing the event I was currently at.
The next day, he texted me to confirm that I was willing to help. He told me that he has a production company called Pineapple live and that we needed to meet so that he could explain the event idea and his companies philosophy. We had a meeting about a week later, where he explained how he wanted to create immersive, unique events, with amazing music and art. He told me that the event that I was helping him with was called the Butterfly Effect. The idea of “the butterfly effect”, creating little changes can create huge changes elsewhere was one that resonated with me. He then told me he wanted me to make the butterflies that would be hanging throughout the event. I had never done any kind of installation art, but, I really liked his idea, so we decided I could make them out of el wire and off I went. The next month of my life was a blur of making bee pendants, my art, butterflies, and, work. I hardly slept, but, in the end, I truly got to get my name out there. I am known now for making the pendants for multiple collectives, and, I am getting requests from other collectives and businesses to make pendants for them. The Butterfly Effect party with Pineapple live turned out beautifully. Igor and I really enjoyed working together. And I really liked transforming a space with installation art. I have become part of Pineapple Live, and I am continuing to help them throw events.
Today, I wear many hats, but to narrow it down, I am a case manager at ABA Adaptive Services, I am the owner and artist of Amavi Creations, and, I throw events with Pineapple Live and work as their PR representative. I am very busy, but I love everything I do, so it Doesn’t feel too much like work. My favorite saying is veni, vidi, amavi. It is the namesake for my company, and it means we came, we saw, we loved. This is the feeling that I try to bring to everything that I do, and it has helped me get to where I am today
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I constantly struggle with getting pulled in a million different directions at once. Finding time for myself has been a challenge, and my friends and family have learned to accept that I often don’t have free time, or, if I do manage to schedule them in, I will probably be doing work simultaneously. I love everything that I do, and, I attempt to dive in headfirst, so sometimes, I tend to bite off more than I can chew. My birthday was last weekend, and I was going to vend when my friend promptly reminded me that life is not all about work. Remembering to keep the balance in my life is definitely a challenge I face.
There are three pieces of advice I would give other women. First, I would tell others to do what you love because it truly does show in your work, and never be afraid to change course when you feel something no longer fits you. I achieved my dream with horses, but I am so glad that I managed to change paths to get to where I am today. While I am exhausted most of the time, I am doing what I love, so I am the happiest I have ever been. Second, I would also say that being open to opportunities, and, being willing to take a chance and do something your not sure you can do. I did this both in my job as a case manager and in art and I am so very happy that I did. Finally, I would tell them to be kind and open to everyone. All three of the people who have made my careers were not people I expected. They were random people who I took a chance on and it has paid me back tenfold. A symbiotic relationship has formed with each of them, where they have helped me an I have helped them, which I feel is the most important part.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Amavi Creations – what should we know?
ABA Adaptive Services:
I am a case manager/behavioral therapist at ABA Adaptive Services, who works with a broad array of clients, particularly children with special needs. Mainly ABA is referred for people whom are on the autism spectrum, however, we work with clients who have ADHD, oppositional defiance disorder, depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injuries and much more. At ABA Adaptive services, we use behavior analysis to create positive behavior change for our clients so that they can feel more fulfilled and become more independent. We work closely with their families, and the children to get ideas of how to create individualized treatment plans while adhering to research based interventions. ABA is a scientific discipline concerned with applying techniques based upon the principles of learning to change behavior of social significance. I was recently promoted to being a case manager, so, I oversee each case, making sure that we are working towards the family and individual goals of each client. I work closely with our clinical director to design treatment plans. I have been with the clinic from the beginning when we worked from home and out of my bosses apartment, so I am so proud to see how much it has grown, and continues to grow. I love seeing how these children develop and grow, and how our work not only encourages their independence but improves the lives of their families as well.
Amavi Creations:
I hand draw different designs that are a combination of sacred geometry, zentangle and mandala style. I color these in, and occasionally sell the originals, however, I have created my own style, using these designs that has become my main art. I scan in the black and white drawings and vectorize them. I then print them out and with a special printer that cuts into vinyl. I then apply them to whatever material I am going to use and put different layers of resin and paint on top to create a dimensional look. Generally with art pieces, I use upcycled wood that I have found. Not only does this help the environment, but these pieces of wood have more character, and they interact in different ways with the paint and the resin. A few months ago, people continually were asking me for jewelry. I wasn’t interested in creating molded resin jewelry, so I began using different blank pendant settings to apply resin, then the design, then resin. The pendants have taken off, and I now use prism crystals, metal pendant settings, stones, and most recently, I have upcycled some tiles to create completely unique, hand made pendants.
Pineapple Live
I help design events that immerse you in art and music. I am most proud of the installation art that I did for our butterfly effect party, where I made el wire butterflies that looked like they were flying in the sky.
Which women have inspired you in your life?
My mom was very inspiring to me. She works so hard, and always sees the good in any situation. She always finds a way to help and care about those around her. Then, my mentor in horse riding, Keri Potter, who taught me that if you work hard, and approach situations in different ways, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Finally, my boss Tedi Teabout, who has taken me under her wing, and truly taught me so much about my field. She has passed me knowledge and instilled in me that desire to help others, and, help others learn.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 949-525-1769
- Email: paigedotson@icloud.com
- Instagram: @amavicreations
- Facebook: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiFs5ffjJ_lAhU0O30KHZX-ARcQFjAAegQIAxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpages%2Fcategory%2FArt%2FAmavi-Creations-Paige-Dotson-540392799830102%2F&usg=AOvVaw3DlAHwi97_EBYJtheN0B2N
Image Credit:
Harmony Skye Murillo
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
