Meet AJ Peterson | rug maker & educator

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

Hi AJ, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
Something along the lines of “find the path of ease.” Creating systems that remove friction is super important for my brain. Sometimes the path of ease looks like following an inspired inkling to start a new project. Sometimes it looks like building out a system that makes some part of my business easier in the long run. Sometimes it looks like taking a long slow morning to meditate and get grounded before starting my work at 12pm. Finding the path of ease means I’m honest with myself about what is making me anxious and working to remove those friction points to bring more flow into my life and business.

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.
When I discovered rug making in 2020, my background in graphic design, trust in the cosmos, and love for childhood nostalgia all came into alignment to create my brand, Magic Carpets. By 2021, I was running my business full time as a rug-maker and educator. Though I always had the urge to be self-employed, I didn’t put much thought into it other than getting a gut instinct and ultimately trusting that I would figure out out along the way.

I’ve always identified as a multi-passionate person, but graphic and print design were my first love. I wound up pursuing a career in tech as a user experience designer, which felt like the more lucrative and safe route at the time. I’ve had countless side hobbies along the way, but it wasn’t until I discovered rug making that a craft really stuck with me. Rug making has allowed to me translate my graphic design and love for typography into a physical, tactile form. Interior design is another obsession of mine, so rug making lies at the intersection of many of my interests.

I make rugs by using a tufting machine, which is like a power tool for rug making. There is a meditative quality to tufting that gets me into my body and out of my head, making it equal parts self-care and creativity. I’m at my best mentally and spiritually when I’m working on a rug project because it does wonders for my neurodivergent brain. It’s such a physical craft that requires focus and flow, which makes me better at being present in my day-to-day life. The state of embodied flow that tufting grants you is powerful and I’ve always been really eager to share that feeling with others.

Beyond rug making, I teach in-person tufting workshops and share tutorials online. I really enjoy teaching and thinking about the best ways to explain things to someone who’s first learning. It felt like a very natural progression for me to teach the craft to other creatives and I’ve been able to build a business around teaching that would be really difficult to match with selling my rugs alone.

I have a brain that I like to refer to as “squiggly”—there’s a ton of business logistics that I suck at. Right now, I’m learning to trust that when I hire people to do what they’re good at and stoked about, it opens up space for me to expand my business creatively in ways that feel good and exciting for me. My priority is always to try to do more things that feel good and exciting to me. And right now, there’s a lot of tasks that need delegating, so I’m figuring that out.

My work and my art is my life now. I don’t say that in a “hustle culture, work to the bone” type of way (I take lots of vacations), but energetically I am more invested in my business and my art than any other job I’ve had. As a creative person, I think it’s very natural for my work and life to blend together. But it can be intense! Typical business approaches don’t work for me. I experience my business in a series of hyper-fixations/intense productivity and moments of detachment. I like it this way because I have all the flexibility in the world, which is really important to me.

Having a creative business gives me a good incentive to live a more magic-led life. Owning a business teaches me so many lessons in trust, intuition, and self-care. When I am aligned with myself, taking care of myself, and trusting my intuition, my business does well. When I’m taking care of my spiritual needs, my art is more inspired. When I challenge myself to do things that are uncomfortable yet rewarding, my business benefits. Owning a creative business makes all of my life a bit more amplified—the highs and the lows. But the rewards are huge.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A best day in LA has to start with brekkie at Just What I Kneaded in Frogtown—the Joe Cool breakfast sandwich is unmatched. Followed by a little walk around the LA River with the pups.

Next, I’d head to the beach boogie board! Ideally with Dream Teach Society (@dreamteamsociety), a community of LGBTQIA+ surfers. Personally, I am a boogie boarding evangelist. I used to think I had to learn to surf in order to enjoy the waves, but boogie boarding is so accessible and gives me a sense of child like joy that is really precious. I don’t travel to the west side often, but I do it for the boogie.

When sunset rolls around, I love a golden hour moment at Highland Park Brewery downtown—great beers, big patio, and a perfect vegan burger.

The best day in LA would also have to end with my favorite queer dance party called Gorgeous Gorgeous (@gorgeousgorgeousparty). They play all your favorite teenage pop songs and the vibes are immaculate.

I’d have a slow morning the next day with a nice stroll around Debs (Ernest Debs Park) to see the cute pond turtles and beautiful skyline views.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Growing up, my dad was a musician and muralist. He showed me that pursuing a creative career was not only possible, but encouraged. That is not the case for everyone, so I’m incredibly grateful for that.

Website: https://magiccarpets.co

Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiccarpets.co

Youtube: https://youtube.com/AJMAKES137