creative highlight
MEMBER from our community
JERMAINE BOH
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Jermaine is a self-taught lettering and watercolor artist from Singapore, who is also the owner of PecksofPaper - a hobby side-hustle that aims to inspire others to take delight in God’s word, while also providing customizable options for gifts, decor or special occasions.
Armed with a single black brush pen and white card stock, Jermaine began her journey in 2016, where she created PecksofPaper with the intention of blessing others through handmade gifts. Today, she pairs her unique lettering style with a range of watercolor designs, resulting in the beautiful creations on her Instagram feed.
Over the years, Jermaine has worked with a growing base of local and international customers on Bespoke cards and prints, conducted live workshops, and also collaborated with several brands across the wedding, lifestyle and gifting industry.
In all things, she remains thankful for each God-given opportunity and hopes that others will continue to be inspired and encouraged by her work at PecksofPaper.
Instagram: @pecksofpaper
Armed with a single black brush pen and white card stock, Jermaine began her journey in 2016, where she created PecksofPaper with the intention of blessing others through handmade gifts. Today, she pairs her unique lettering style with a range of watercolor designs, resulting in the beautiful creations on her Instagram feed.
Over the years, Jermaine has worked with a growing base of local and international customers on Bespoke cards and prints, conducted live workshops, and also collaborated with several brands across the wedding, lifestyle and gifting industry.
In all things, she remains thankful for each God-given opportunity and hopes that others will continue to be inspired and encouraged by her work at PecksofPaper.
Instagram: @pecksofpaper
Can you tell us about your introduction to art? How did you know you had a creative gift?
My first encounter with art came at a very young age and I’ve enjoyed it ever since. Growing up, I would find occasions or reasons to make cards for my family and friends as it gave me an “excuse” to do art again. As I became older, designing these cards became a way for me to bless others on special occasions or express gratitude in a way that I knew best. This soon became something that people commonly associated me with, even up till today. In that sense, I guess there was never really a single moment when I knew I had a creative gift, but more of a culmination of positive feedback from recipients of my handmade cards over time.
Did you ever think you’d be selling your art, or teaching art?
It’s always been my dream so in some way. Yes, I did think that I’d be selling art one day since it was something I was working towards, but teaching, not so much. For this reason, I was absolutely stoked to have the opportunity to conduct live workshops a couple of years ago, and I do hope to do it again.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have in explaining what you do to others who don't find themselves in a creative background or field? Like family/friends/strangers?
As I still hold a full-time job, doing art has sort of become a hobby side-hustle which is rather common these days. So I suppose I don’t face many challenges in explaining what I do. I generally believe that showing vs saying, so the easiest way to explain what I do is to show others my Instagram page!
My first encounter with art came at a very young age and I’ve enjoyed it ever since. Growing up, I would find occasions or reasons to make cards for my family and friends as it gave me an “excuse” to do art again. As I became older, designing these cards became a way for me to bless others on special occasions or express gratitude in a way that I knew best. This soon became something that people commonly associated me with, even up till today. In that sense, I guess there was never really a single moment when I knew I had a creative gift, but more of a culmination of positive feedback from recipients of my handmade cards over time.
Did you ever think you’d be selling your art, or teaching art?
It’s always been my dream so in some way. Yes, I did think that I’d be selling art one day since it was something I was working towards, but teaching, not so much. For this reason, I was absolutely stoked to have the opportunity to conduct live workshops a couple of years ago, and I do hope to do it again.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have in explaining what you do to others who don't find themselves in a creative background or field? Like family/friends/strangers?
As I still hold a full-time job, doing art has sort of become a hobby side-hustle which is rather common these days. So I suppose I don’t face many challenges in explaining what I do. I generally believe that showing vs saying, so the easiest way to explain what I do is to show others my Instagram page!
How do you encounter the Lord in your creativity?
This is a great question! I have to admit that there are times that I get so caught up in the art process that I lose the essence of God’s truth that I’m lettering onto a piece.
But I’d have to say that the Lord reveals Himself to me most vividly in unexpected moments such as when a customer’s requested verse serves as a much-needed reminder from God’s word, or when a post of mine somehow speaks to a follower at a time he/she needs it the most.
Is it costly to be a creative/artist?
Honest answer? Yes. Art supplies and materials don’t come cheap, but I’d say that they’re a long term investment since most of these supplies/materials can be used for a long time (e.g. Watercolor, palettes, brushes etc.). That said, I believe that there are always affordable options out there especially for those who are starting out so the barriers to entry aren't that high until you do decide to invest more heavily into developing yourself in the craft.
Is there more than one creative outlet for you? Do they all come together or totally separate?
I generally enjoy most hands-on activities so any similar form could also function as a creative outlet. But I am a creature of habit, so I do have the tendency to go back to familiar forms of creative outlets which in my case, refers to doing art.
What do you feel God is calling you to in this season with your creativeness?
For me, God’s call has always been clear when it comes to using my gift to bless others. I see this manifesting itself in several ways, from gifting handmade pieces as a way of encouraging others to offering my service to help customers bless others through my works. For the last year or so, I’ve also taken this further by using @pecksofpaper on Instagram as a platform to be more vocal about my faith - including my joys and struggles. This has provided God-given opportunities to share about God’s word with people who have DM-ed me with questions/sharing after seeing a particular post. In many ways, I believe this is also a way of responding to God’s call to be a blessing to others.
How did you become productive and abundant in your artwork/and where do you see it going from here?
As I mentioned above, I don’t do art full-time so it’s definitely a struggle at times trying to find time (or the right headspace) to create without feeling unnecessarily pressured. But when it comes to productivity, this has always been a strong trait of mine. I’m a classic Type A, and having a full-time job in marketing does help in terms of managing @pecksofpaper on Instagram.
Honestly, I don’t know for sure where I see myself or PecksofPaper going from here as it doesn’t seem sustainable for me to pursue this entirely at this stage of my life. But I believe God will pave the way in His time.
Some practical steps you'd encourage other creatives to take to become productive and learn business skills etc.?
There are 2 reminders I always tell budding artists or those starting out in the creative field:
This is a great question! I have to admit that there are times that I get so caught up in the art process that I lose the essence of God’s truth that I’m lettering onto a piece.
But I’d have to say that the Lord reveals Himself to me most vividly in unexpected moments such as when a customer’s requested verse serves as a much-needed reminder from God’s word, or when a post of mine somehow speaks to a follower at a time he/she needs it the most.
Is it costly to be a creative/artist?
Honest answer? Yes. Art supplies and materials don’t come cheap, but I’d say that they’re a long term investment since most of these supplies/materials can be used for a long time (e.g. Watercolor, palettes, brushes etc.). That said, I believe that there are always affordable options out there especially for those who are starting out so the barriers to entry aren't that high until you do decide to invest more heavily into developing yourself in the craft.
Is there more than one creative outlet for you? Do they all come together or totally separate?
I generally enjoy most hands-on activities so any similar form could also function as a creative outlet. But I am a creature of habit, so I do have the tendency to go back to familiar forms of creative outlets which in my case, refers to doing art.
What do you feel God is calling you to in this season with your creativeness?
For me, God’s call has always been clear when it comes to using my gift to bless others. I see this manifesting itself in several ways, from gifting handmade pieces as a way of encouraging others to offering my service to help customers bless others through my works. For the last year or so, I’ve also taken this further by using @pecksofpaper on Instagram as a platform to be more vocal about my faith - including my joys and struggles. This has provided God-given opportunities to share about God’s word with people who have DM-ed me with questions/sharing after seeing a particular post. In many ways, I believe this is also a way of responding to God’s call to be a blessing to others.
How did you become productive and abundant in your artwork/and where do you see it going from here?
As I mentioned above, I don’t do art full-time so it’s definitely a struggle at times trying to find time (or the right headspace) to create without feeling unnecessarily pressured. But when it comes to productivity, this has always been a strong trait of mine. I’m a classic Type A, and having a full-time job in marketing does help in terms of managing @pecksofpaper on Instagram.
Honestly, I don’t know for sure where I see myself or PecksofPaper going from here as it doesn’t seem sustainable for me to pursue this entirely at this stage of my life. But I believe God will pave the way in His time.
Some practical steps you'd encourage other creatives to take to become productive and learn business skills etc.?
There are 2 reminders I always tell budding artists or those starting out in the creative field:
- Never compare yourself with others. Everyone’s progress looks different so take things one step at a time and find what works for you, even if it takes way too many “bad” tries. And as you do so, don’t forget to celebrate every tiny victory.
- Practice makes perfect. I know this sounds cliché but I couldn’t emphasize on this more. Even “talented” people have to practice and even when it seems like you’re not making any progress, you’d be surprised to know that you actually are.