Meet Maison Baker | Accidental Entrepenur & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maison Baker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maison, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Honestly,

I just had too many pieces and not enough space to store them, but I wanted to paint more.

We downsized apartments and I transferred from painting on walls to painting on large wooden pieces, or giant canvases, even drywall pieces sometimes to mimic the feel of a wall. They were big and there was no room for them especially as they started accumulating. So after a while I’d either burn them, contained in a bonfire pit at the beach, or just give them away to random people who were against burning art worked that liked my stuff.

So once I started painting on jackets… Obviously I started collecting too many jackets. Some of which I am very attached to. My favorite, nearest and dearest is the Prince Purple Rain inspired denim piece. That was my first denim piece and I was so impressed with how it turned out and how fun working with fabric was. I thought it was such a cool statement piece. I was like, dang I want to wear this. For some reason unfortunately, it feels weird wearing my own creations, so I don’t. But I like them too much to burn them, that’s for sure. I figured, if I want to wear them someone else probably will too. At least I hope so.

So one day, in a dark place desperate for something to do while I was in between salon jobs, I had some down time, of course I wanted to paint and no where to do so. I already had a website through Wix, a portfolio to showcase my work for my hair profession, so I was familiar with how to create it. I figured, why not do the same for my artwork? Wix is a free website building platform and super simple to use, well kind of. I’m sure it’d be a lot easier if I had a degree in web design or marketing, but I do what I can with common sense and the skills I’ve got. When it asked if I wanted to purchase a domain name, I thought about it… almost didn’t and then was just like, you know what, why not? So I did it. And it felt pretty freaking cool to have a www.myname.com website. I was like yeah, you’re cool now, regardless if anyone sees this or not. I am now a dot com.

I put all my pieces up that I had to sell. Along with a portfolio type of homepage. And then came up with the idea of adding a custom order section because I’m down to paint or create anything, all the time, I just don’t have the space to constantly create. So to create something for a purpose with a home to go to felt like a smart idea. So now you can fill out a form, we can collaborate, and I can custom create any piece of artwork, jacket, bag, sweatshirt… anything you want really through the website.

I never thought, “I own a business now.” You were actually the first person to say those words to me. I just thought, I hope this gets traction so I can start my next collection, because I just went thrifting and got some pretty rad pieces.

So to answer your question, I didn’t really have a thought process behind starting my own business, I didn’t realize I was starting one. I was basically just creating a virtual trash can in my eyes.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My professional life is I am a hairstylist. I am currently “salon shopping” looking for my new perfect fit to call my second home due to an unfortunate situation at my previous salon that led to reasons I chose to leave due to moral dilemmas with how the business was being run and straight up not being paid, So, I don’t work for free I decided, and am now out of work until I find the right fit to plant my feet and continue creating beautiful blondes, and healthy haircuts. Here’s your reminder to schedule your next haircut appointment, every 3 months if you want happy healthy hair.

I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t give up. I am still in the industry, doing my best, perfecting the craft, and continuing to learn and keep going, despite all the set backs I’ve had.

I struggled severely with PTSD right out of cosmetology school and that struggle, and learning how to manage what was happening to me while maintaining a job, and then trying to have an honest but professional relationship with a boss was the most difficult thing I have ever had to overcome, by far.

I lost many jobs due to what looked like lack of professionalism, seemingly uninterested or not caring about my clients, poor work ethic, irresponsible, unreliable. But really I was hiding behind PTSD, trauma that was surfacing and manifesting itself in ways I didn’t even know was possible. I didn’t understand what was going on inside my body or mind and I didn’t know how to say the words of what had happened to me out loud. Talking about it wasn’t something I was uncomfortable with and still struggle with today.
I was drugged and raped by 3 transient men on Halloween in 2015. I felt the wrath of that horrifying experience that I kept a secret and blocked out of my memory for as long as I could until one day it resurfaced due to I have no idea why honestly. I guess the brain can only submerge so much for so long. But touching strangers was potentially probably very triggering, and pretending I was OK was exhausting. Hiding the fact that my body was in trauma mode, trying to cover the fact that my voice was shaky or my hands were shaking while I was cutting someones hair or not listening because thoughts in my head were too loud to drown out was nearly impossible to work like.
I felt I was a liability when I told my bosses what I struggled with, usually while I was being fired, and I struggle to mention it today to new potential employers why my resume has so many “hiccups” or gaps because I still fear they will see me as a liability or weak. But I took time off, I let it run it’s course, I got help and went through therapy and honestly, I recovered, stronger than I was before.
Then of course when I got a job doing hair again full time, making my ultimate come back, I was working for a con artist running a corrupt, illegal business who was committing tax evasion and had to fight to get paid. Great start.
But I didn’t quit. I haven’t quit. And I won’t. Not unless something magical pulls me away and into my wildest dreams. Then call me a quitter. Because I like doing hair, and I am good at it. I think it is the best job out there for me that fits my needs for a work environment in a sense of creativity, freedom of expression and never being constant. But it’s not my passion.

So in this down time, things are actually looking up for me. Changing you might even say. I started my own business, in something where my heart and passion truly lies, and who knows, maybe I’ll be able to make a career out of something I truly love and want to be doing and this has all just happened for a reason. I’m just going with the flow and I’m liking it so far. It’s too soon to say what is happening but I think things are happening, I hope things are. Like this interview for one. This interview really validates a certain part of me, so I want to say thank you so much for this opportunity. I am truly humbled and so grateful to be recognized.

Oh! I also received a scholarship for an online Fashion Industry Streetwear and Business certification course. So I am currently enrolled in that and filling my time learning about the business I just started. Which is amazing because who knew I was accidentally creating something that a whole industry exists around. Fashion and art. My passion. I love a happy accident and I love where ever this could take me. I can’t wait to see where this journey is taking me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach. We would hike until the sunset but before that we would go down to the beach and I would show them the caves. We would go axe throwing because I’ve always wanted to.
Bowling one night for sure. The night where the lights are blue and the music is loud.
I just saw on Instagram the other day that you can go to a room somewhere and throw paint at a canvas on a wall, that would be on our list.
One day we would just hang out with the dogs and be lazy. Watch movies, maybe bake some brownies and just catch up.
Then we would probably take a road trip or just drive down the freeway with the windows down, music blaring and sing at the top of our lungs and enjoy southern California the way it’s supposed to be enjoyed. Probably hit another beach. Find a cute brunch spot somewhere to eat at.
And the final day I would take her to a jam sesh at one of my friends’ music studio. (Giant Canvas Co. Check them out, they custom make canvases any size and shape you want or need, super cool people doing super great work.) They’re music studio is right next door to their canvas workshop. I would introduce her to them and we would hang out and jam.
I think that would be my San Diego Vacation Plans.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My old roommate Kristy deserves all the credit as to why I picked up a paint brush and have never put it down.

One day in my very first apartment in Point Loma, right on the cusp of Ocean Beach, my roommate and our friend Stutts and I were just hanging out, painting on cardboard boxes like we occasionally would when we weren’t at the beach, or hiking, or out exploring OB. I guess I was talking about how I wanted to paint on a car… again, and Kristy said you always talk about that, since you want to paint a car so bad why not paint the wall? I was taken back and my first thought was uhm, our security deposit? However, side note, in the lease we signed, it did say we could paint an accent wall. Wall wasn’t plural and it didn’t say mural, but give someone an inch and they take a mile. So she went up to the wall and with her paint brush, brushed a few large yellow strokes right in the center and was like, “there you go.” No going back now, I thought. I painted nearly every single day from that point on.

Occasionally we would have friends over to cook and we’d all paint on the walls. It just sort of became a thing, a really fun thing. You couldn’t leave without painting on the wall. You had to leave behind your mark. There were paintings on every single wall of the downstairs floor by the time we had to move out.

That apartment is one of the greatest memories I have to this day and it’s all thanks to Kristy and her brave bold yellow stroke.

Website: www.maisonbaker.com

Instagram: @bydesign_maisonbaker @maisonbee