Her name is Poy Kritchaya Twitchsri-Granati (Poy T. Granati). She owns a small studio in New York called Summer Space Studio, where she creates and teaches paper flower craft.

    Originally, Poy was a young woman who didn't like flowers, but now she runs a studio creating paper flower art in the dream-chasing metropolis of New York City...and it's going very well.

    We arranged to meet Poy at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center during her short visit to Thailand before returning to her work in New York. Poy brought with her some pieces from her recent workshop to show us, allowing us to see the beautiful details of the paper flowers she creates. Seeing the pieces, we found them to be intricately detailed and very beautiful.

    It is a beauty that never wilts.

    Poy began her story by talking about her educational background with a degree in Journalism from Thammasat University before working in an advertising agency as an Account Executive (AE). That was when she realized that she was interested in creative work because she enjoyed spending time with the creative team.

    "I didn't realize I liked art. When working with clients as an AE, I only felt I could handle it, but when I hung out with the creatives, I loved watching how they used Illustrator and talking to the Creative Director about how they came up with new ideas. I remember as a child, I liked drawing and doing small crafts, but I never thought of studying fine arts or architecture. I never considered myself good at art. But after working in the agency, I wanted to try something in the art field, like graphic design. At the same time, I was bored with Thailand and wanted to experience life abroad. My aunt was in New York, so my dad suggested that I stay with her to save on rent," she laughed. "So, I decided to give it a try for six months and took a graphic design course at Pratt Institute. They offered short courses, so I studied Illustrator and Photoshop. During that time, I was also figuring out what to do with my life. I realized I started liking branding and web designing, so I've been pursuing this path since then."

    During her first six months in New York, Poy spent her free time visiting art exhibitions at various museums and galleries, as well as meeting different people to find the place that suited her best.

    "I realized that I didn't like overly intellectual art, like Impressionism. When I went to MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), I didn't really get it. But when I went to the MET (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) with its historical works, I was okay with it. If I saw Van Gogh's work, I wouldn't be that into it. I could appreciate the colors, but the MET's art resonated with me more."

    During that time, Poy was studying graphic design, attentively incorporating her interest in branding and combining her skills from her previous Account Executive experience into her projects. One of the projects she worked on during her study was redesigning the website for the Long Island Railroad.

    "Long Island Railroad is like the train from New York to Long Island. Actually, at that time I had a boyfriend, so I often took that train (laughs). From Penn Station, I'd take it every week to see my boyfriend. And I started feeling like, why is buying tickets so complicated? It seemed confusing to me. When I looked at the ticketing system, I thought something could be done to make it simpler — not just in terms of design, but also in the process of buying tickets, changing platforms, figuring out where to go next, and so on. That project I worked on back then, I used it as part of my application for graduate school. I was really proud of it because I didn't just focus on design or branding alone; it involved UX (User Experience) too. So, I decided to pursue further studies in the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), where they didn't care about your background — whether you were a teacher, DJ, or lawyer. Everyone brought their own expertise and combined it with technology. For example, if you wanted to do UX, you could integrate coding with projection mapping, or use data to present your art. It didn't have to be purely about art at all,"

    Poy shared enthusiastically about her studies in New York, expanding on how she ventured into coding and rewiring electrical circuits, which were far from what she studied in her undergraduate degree.

    And it was her master's at NYU where she encountered a class called '100 Days of Making.'

    "At first, I thought, 'This class sounds interesting.' So, I invited two close friends to join me. I told them, 'This is definitely going to be good for us.'" Poy laughed, "I was originally interested in developing discipline and habits. But as time went by, I started to wonder, why do I have to pay for someone to tell me I have to do something for 100 days? Why couldn't I do it on my own? So, I dropped out of that class." She chuckled again, "As for my two friends, they completed the course and came back telling me, 'This class changed my life.'" Poy laughed once more, "I thought they were exaggerating. And it was right around graduation time when I saw everyone getting jobs, and I struggled a lot to find one. It was a period filled with self-doubt, and wondering why were others so talented and not me. There was a lot of self-sabotage and suffering during that time."

    Poy had been finding jobs in UX for a long time but hadn't found it. So, sometimes she felt like she wasn't trying hard enough, but other times she just felt extremely exhausted.

    "About the first six months, I was really suffering. I happened to talk to a friend who said, 'This class changed my life.' I remember vividly that we were on the rooftop of my friend's building, looking at the Manhattan scenery and thinking, 'What am I doing here?' and then I just cried. I spent so much time and my parents' money to graduate. Then my friend said, 'If you have time, would you like to do the 100 days? Otherwise, you'd be stressed out like this.' I thought about the job every day and refreshed my mailbox every day, wondering when I would get a job. It was a stressful time to live, so I decided to start with the challenge of doing one thing for 100 consecutive days. There's a rule of it: choose one thing that you can do every day. So, I decided to make paper flowers.

    "The task is only about doing what I've been wanting to do for a long time but never got around to. Actually, I've always loved paper, drawing, making notebooks, and doodling. I've been keeping diaries since I was a kid and I love paper stuff like stickers or posters. I also love origami, and I love colors too. So, when I did branding or UX work, I enjoyed matching colors and themes and looking at beautiful packaging designs. Then I started thinking, what's the essence of all these creative works? I didn't come up with the answer at that time, so I started with paper work. I decided to make paper flowers for 100 days. That was how it started. But It turned out that it took 8 hours to make one paper cactus. Then, I went to find the best paper, tried to make it perfect. Then, about a week later, my friend said, 'Hey, this isn't sustainable, it's not going to last...See? I told you to attend the class, so you'd know.' What my friend meant was that the activity must be something that doesn't take more than 30 minutes a day or 1-2 hours." She laughed and continued,

    "I mean, before this, I was a person who was very obsessed with perfection...so much so that it became self-detrimental. Because I wanted the work to be perfect, I wanted it to be good enough that if it wasn't well done, I wouldn't do it at all. Because it felt bad. So, I ended up being someone who didn't finish what they started. But when I started this project, I started thinking big again. I have to be an artist. I think each project must be good and big enough, so I ended up spending too much time."

    She set a new goal again by setting an easier task. Poy searched for references of paper flowers continuously until she found a type of paper with crinkle, stretch, and thin texture called Italian Crepe Paper. She looked everywhere until she found this paper, and then started making one paper flower per day.

    "I agreed with myself to spend no more than 2 hours a day and make one paper flower at a time. If a flower I made that day wasn't beautiful, I'd remake a new version of the same kind of flower the next day. Around day 80, a friend started to notice because I posted on Instagram every day. It's kind of a requirement in this class that we have to post our progress on blogs or Instagram, sort of a way to check in on ourselves too. Then, a friend asked me to make paper flowers for them, saying 'I want to send it to a woman in another state.' I was so surprised that this could make money." She chuckled softly. "Back then, I still didn't have a job and was still financially stressed. But this thing could make money for me! I remember my friend telling me to charge for it. I made five peony flowers, which took 16 hours or basically the whole weekend. I thought about the price and set it at 47 USD. That friend was okay with that." She joyfully laughed.

Kritchaya's 100 Days of Works

    "After completing the 100 days, I talked with my old two friends who had done '100 Days of Making' multiple times already. They did one project after another. I admired them a lot. They asked me how I felt about it, and I told them that I felt like I had found something I loved. I realized I liked both UX and paper flowers. So, I decided to pursue this direction. I started looking for opportunities to teach workshops or find shops where I could collaborate. I also started thinking about branching out into other fields and decided to go teaching field first because it seemed like the easiest start. Eventually, I found a studio in New York that offered watercolor classes and drawing sessions. I talked to them about my skills and whether they were interested in having me as a teacher. So, I started teaching there. In the meantime, with my portfolio and my paper flowers, I walked all around New York, checking out different streets and asking many store managers if they needed my skills. Because I used to be an Account Executive, I knew the stores should have annual or holiday plans. Unfortunately, it was around the end of the year when I did this, so I got rejected. But I thought if I got rejected here, I still had thousands of stores in New York to check out and try. So I went in and out of many stores and also asked my friends if anyone was interested. Eventually, I had a teaching job for making paper flowers."

    About two months after starting her life as an artist making paper flowers, she landed a long-awaited UX job. On weekdays, she works her dream job, and on weekends, she teaches paper flower making, which she also loves.

    For about a year and a half, Poy enjoyed a fulfilling and happy work life. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Her life changed again as she had to let go of the UX job she loved.

    "It was a great job at a great company with an amazing team. I got to work at Estee Lauder in their global office, doing UX work, which is like a dream come true. I really loved that job," the young woman emphasized with a bright smile. "But I remember when they were about to announce layoffs, I could already guess that I'd be the first to go for sure because I was the only contract worker on the team, while the others were permanent. When I found out about the layoff, I didn't know why I felt lucky instead and rather call it an opportunity. I thought, 'Oh! So from now on, I'm going to be able to do full-time studio work!'" She chuckled. "Half of me was happy, and the other half was thinking about how could I earn money. But luckily, my husband is a COVID lung specialist." She referred to her boyfriend who once lived in Long Island and had to often take the train to see him.

    "He's a lung doctor. So, when COVID-19 came, he had to work full-time. At that time, aside from being able to make paper flowers full-time, it was good that I could also stay home and take care of him. When he came home, he had to take off his clothes at work and I had to wash them immediately. So, it was a tough time then but also a life-turning point. After that, my husband got a job in Long Island, so we moved out of New York to live near his father. We ended up living in a bigger house. And with the bigger house, I got a studio. I even turned one bedroom into a studio. At that point, I thought, 'Okay... I'm going to start online classes.' It was challenging at first; some people wanted to learn from video recordings, and others preferred it live, so I had to do both. After teaching online for a while, people started ordering paper flowers from me. So I focused mostly on bridal bouquets because, in the first year of the wedding anniversary, people traditionally give papers. They seem to have a theme for each year, so the first year was paper, the second was silverware, and the third was wood, or something like that. But the main income at that time was still from teaching workshops."

    Poy's full-time paper flower studio is called Summer Space Studio, and that's how simply it started.

    The atmosphere in Poy's paper flower-making classes is quite interesting.

    "Sometimes students in class ask, 'Why doesn't mine look like yours?' or 'Can I really do this? I'm not a crafty person.' I tell them to set those thoughts aside and enjoy the process. It's about trying it out. If you don't like the first flower, that's okay because you can make a second, third, and fourth one. I've been doing this for three or four years to get to this point. The important thing is that we don't need to be the same. Art is about expressing oneself. You can take the basics and then paint it in your own way," Poy says with a relaxed smile. "And at the end of the class, which usually has about 12 students, I tell everyone to look around and see that everyone's flowers are different. That's the beauty of art. If today you try and feel that it's too big or the color isn't right, make another one. Keep going. This is something I learned from my 100 Days project — it's a big life lesson that taught me to stop being a perfectionist. If one isn't good, just move on to the next one."

    "I've also learned from the people who come to my classes. For example, someone who said they had never done any crafts before might twist the flower petals in a certain way because they liked it that way. I found that interesting and tried it myself. I think joining a class is about inspiring each other. I don't consider myself the best; I've just done a lot and want to share it with others," Poy paused briefly before continuing, "One of the most fulfilling experiences happened during the pandemic. After teaching for about two years, the pandemic hit and I had to leave my job. There were about two or three students who had joined my class on and fallen in love with making paper flowers. They continued creating them, and after the pandemic, they sent me messages saying, 'Your paper flowers saved my life.' They were stressed about work and the pandemic, so they kept making flowers from what they learned in my class, and it helped their mental health. Hearing that was incredibly heartwarming; it felt huge because it showed that this craft truly helped someone through a difficult time."

    We couldn't help but wonder how challenging or easy it truly is to be a Thai artist in New York.

    "Since New York is a city with people from many countries and ethnicities, being Thai hasn't affected my career path at all. In fact, I see it as an advantage to highlight my Thai cultural background or my work style. So, personally, I think they are open to diversity. Everyone is already either from a different city or country, so having my own unique story is more important than ethnicity. It's about building your own brand or identity. It's true that there is discrimination against race or skin color everywhere. But personally, I've never encountered it but I know it's there." She paused, reflecting quietly before continuing. "Another aspect that might be necessary is networking, which is beneficial for business expansion, or finding people who do similar things. It depends on where we position ourselves. For example, there are Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI), Creative Entrepreneurs, Solo-entrepreneurs in NYC, Women Creative Entrepreneurs, and Asian American Makers. I think the question of acceptance is something we rather ask ourselves: where do we fit in a community that suits our identity best?"

    After establishing a solid foundation for her paper flower art in New York, Poy started to spend more time visiting Thailand. During that period, she began creating artwork in her hometown as well.

    "Now that I'm back in Thailand, I take the opportunity to teach classes here and there. When teaching more and more, I see people happy and I feel like they've done something that uplifts their spirits. It also makes me feel happy to be a part of their happiness."

    Up to this point, we wonder how many types of paper flowers she has made.

    "Oh, I never count, actually" she chuckled softly. "There's quite a lot, but the ones I make most often are peonies, which are also the best-selling. Then, there are roses, poppies, and so on. But what I'm really interested in now that I'm back in Thailand are tropical flowers. I've wanted to make them for a long time but haven't started yet. I'm thinking of doing a project making one tropical flower per month or something like that," she chuckled again.

    We teased the talented artist that she might have to do another 100-day project.

    She enthusiastically agrees with laughter.

    Poy grew up in a family where her father was an aeronautical engineer and her mother worked in a bank. Her family roots are from Chumphon province. She had the freedom to choose her own path throughout her life. However, when she decided to pursue a career as a craft artist, one question that many might wonder about is how stable and secure this profession can be.

    "Right now, I think things are improving. I'm on the path I've set out for myself and navigating through it. It's starting to become clearer. Returning to Thailand this time feels much better. The classes I taught were well-received and more people are interested in studying. But there are also opportunities waiting abroad as I'm also starting to build myself on the business side, like offering classes for different organizations or team-building activities. Recently, a condominium company hired me to conduct activities for their residents. Doing these things makes me think that it could be sustainable at some point. I feel like I could pursue this as a career, both in New York and in Thailand."

    When asked about her future plans, Poy smiled widely and said she really loved this question.

    "I feel like the answer will be my declaration," she laughed. "It means once I answer, I have to make it happen for real. To be honest, I previously discussed with friends that my ultimate goal is to have a window display in New York. I want to see my work displayed like that. Actually, some people started reaching out to me, but I haven't done it yet. But for now, this is my ultimate goal because I love the atmosphere of walking down the streets in New York and seeing stores beautifully decorated for Christmas or something like that. I think I can make it happen!"

    "But on a smaller scale, I'd like to have a studio separate from home. I want it to have space for workshops or a showroom too because most people who want to buy my flowers need to see the actual things to understand all the details, just looking at pictures might not see everything."

    "Just start, right away. Even if this specific type of paper is hard to find in Thailand, there are substitutes like mulberry paper that work just as well. I just ordered the mulberry paper to try doing one, actually. Whether it's flowers or any other craft, just try. What I've learned from friends who've done the 100 Days project is that most of them initially doubted themselves with thoughts like 'I'm not good at this' or 'I'm not crafty.' But it's not about being naturally talented in crafts; it's about trying and doing it consistently. You can start with a hundred-day project for yourself. Try it out first. If you keep doing it and don't like it, then you'll know it's not for you," Poy laughs lightly. "It'll help you cross it off your list of things to try and then you can continue to search for what you really enjoy next."

    "Just try, because if you don't, you won't know," she tells us.

    Sometimes, starting something doesn't need many tips. Just begin, so you can move forward assuredly and confidently, or unregretfully decide if it's not for you.

    Before our meeting today, we first met Poy at the art exhibition 'Our Little Flower Shop', featuring a group of three female artists: faan.peeti, Atelier Pakawan, and WHITE HAT. since 2013. All three artists have been showcasing their own style of flower illustrations. That time was an opportunity for us to discuss what Poy has been working on in New York, and we found her story so interesting that we had to schedule another long meeting with her and turn it into this interview.

    "I was very inspired by the works of the three younger artists," Poy replied when we asked her about her impressions of the exhibition. "Especially when they spoke at the opening and shared their concepts because, to be honest, I'm not really into flowers," she confessed, laughing loudly. "I just like paper and colors. Flowers, I think you buy them and then they'll die anyway," she added with a soft chuckle. "I often tell my friends, 'I killed plants, that's why I make paper flowers,'" she said, making both of us laugh.

    "Actually, I forgot to mention one thing," Poy said, recalling a memory. "When my husband and I were still dating, I told him on Valentine's Day that I didn't want flowers, but I liked paper. So, he bought me a book about paper flowers and said, 'You make your own flowers then.'" She laughed. "Which was great because no one had ever given me flowers before. I was happy, thinking, 'Oh! I have this book and Pinterest too,' so I started making them then," she smiled brightly again.

    Up until now, Poy is still enjoying working with paper flowers in various roles: as a teacher, a creator, an artist, and exploring new directions in her work.

    "Regarding the meanings of flowers, I've been researching more about things like birth flowers or the meanings behind each flower color. Actually, I want to take it toward interior design too because I want my work to be Sculptural Arts. Recently, I got a commission from P'Ploy Chariyaves to make flowers for her home. We discussed a lot of various concepts, so I want my work to be an art piece too. I don't want people to think I'm replacing real flowers. They may look real, but they should be perceived by their own shape or concept. And being paper, I can make them larger or use colors that don't exist in real flowers. It's another world that I want to continue exploring."

    After that, Poy also shared many more exciting plans she might pursue in the future. These include expanding her workshop scope, adapting platforms for online workshops, and even creating kits for those interested in paper flowers. The more we talked, the more we saw the intriguing combination that lies within her dreams — artist, marketer, and salesperson all in one. Most importantly, she is a woman who is truly enjoying what she is doing now.

    Some people compare flowers to young women, some to love. But for Poy Kritchaya Twitchsri-Granati's paper flowers, we'd like to say that they represent dreams.

    Undying dreams of a young woman.

Visit the Summer Space Studio website at summerspace.studio