Meet Stephanie Marchetti | Artist and Illustrator

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

Hi Stephanie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work-life balance is a challenge. It is something I thought I had finally figured out, that is, until I became a mom for the first time. When I picture my work-life balance, I imagine myself walking across a slackline or tightrope with a deep canyon below my feet. The line seems endless and I can feel every muscle flex and move with each breath. I’m carrying a pole with me, which in theory, should help to keep me stable as I make my way to the other side. However, this pole is different. It is weighted on either end and those weights are variable, each corresponding to either my personal or professional life. Time passes and the weights respond by becoming heavier or lighter as I take on or let go of responsibilities. This never ending state of change requires constant readjustment in order to keep moving. I choose to think of work-life balance, not as a state of equilibrium or a singular state of being, but as an exercise that requires effort, dedication and discipline. As with any exercise, training is key and the more I train my muscles to walk across that canyon, the stronger I become and the more I know I can achieve.

It’s funny to look back at my work-life balance before the birth of my son and see how drastically different it is now. When I first joined the workforce, I had no idea how to simultaneously manage either side and needed to develop methods and strategies to keep me organized and on track. With more practice or “exercise”, I have been able to take on greater responsibilities; some little by little and some much quicker, but the ability to stay flexible is key.

Deciding to dive into my art and create a full-time business was scary. The fear of rejection or failure was just a thought away, and choosing not to give into those notions needed to be a conscious choice each day. A deliberate choice to stay positive. To imagine my success, to feel it, and to know that I would receive it. The ability to build a business from home has been and continues to be an extremely rewarding challenge. Not only am I able to freely express my creativity, but more importantly I am able to stay at home and focus on raising my son.

In the past, I’ve been a student, a movie theater manager, a member of the conservation corps, a volunteer park ranger, an outdoor education instructor, a traveling scientist, a nationally certified interpretation guide, and an office assistant. Those work experiences were all important parts of my journey. Today, I am a mother, a wife, an artist, and a business owner. This is easily the most exciting and fulfilling section of my balancing exercise to date. I am proud of how far I have come and how hard I have worked to achieve my goals. Before, I was always on the go, always saying yes, and doing more. Now, I have learned how to slow down, be present, rest, and redistribute the weight. With any exercise, you need to learn how to rest and recover so you can come back even stronger. I’ve come to realize that I’m not actually a tightrope walker traversing a vast canyon, but rather a mom, a wife, an artist, a person, doing their best each day to stay focused and in the moment.

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.
I have a very early memory of my grandma asking me, “Stephy, what do you want to be when you grow up?” At that moment, I was very focused on drawing a forest scene with my crayons, but enthusiastically replied, “I’m going to be an artist and a park ranger!” As a self described “nature nerd”, I have always loved the outdoors and think my art is a reflection of that passion. If you were to flip through my sketchbooks or scroll through my digital art portfolio, you would find nature illustrations everywhere. That’s my niche – the illustrated, great outdoors.

In the past, I kept most of my artwork to myself because of fear it wasn’t good enough, that there were plenty of other artists creating nature inspired art and thus no need for mine. The moment I realized that this was not true for me, nor for anyone, is when everything changed. I decided to create a social media page where I would be able to share my art with friends and family and really push myself outside my comfort zone. After all, that’s where real personal growth always happens, right?

Before I could post anything, I needed to decide what I would call myself. Ultimately, I landed on a name inspired by my childhood, Palmark Illustrations. Growing up, my siblings and I would draw and illustrate cards for any and all celebrations. We could not present them to the recipient without adding my signature mark on the back – an island scene with one single palm tree and a small crab climbing over the word “Palmark” (a combination of that famous card company and my last name, Palma). With the name decided, I apprehensively posted my first piece. It was a portrait of my sister’s puppy and to my surprise, people loved it! One friend asked me to illustrate their dog and then another and another and soon I was illustrating all sorts of animals and nature scapes. That’s when I decided that I was going to finally become the professional artist I always told my grandma I would.

Was it easy? Yes and no. Paulo Coelho writes, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” and I firmly believe that. Being an artist has always been my dream and it seems like all of the pieces came together at exactly the right moment to make it happen. Deciding to dive into my art full-time may have been an easy decision, but choosing to build a business, of course, has presented challenges. I am proud to say that I am mostly self taught when it comes to digital art, design and ecommerce platforms. However, a long time ago, I learned that it is ok to ask questions, to seek help and to trust my gut – so I’ve done just that. The guidance and support from family, friends and industry professionals has been incredible. As I continue to grow into my art career, I will keep charging ahead, moving forward with determination and flexibility and will look for every opportunity in which I can pay it forward.

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 have lived all over San Diego after relocating from the Los Angeles area to attend college (shoutout to UC San Diego, Go Tritons!). I’ve done my best to narrow the top spots. Here’s an example itinerary followed by my go-to list for anyone visiting:

We would have to start out in my favorite area, Ocean Beach, but more specifically South Beach Bar and Grill. They have the best fish tacos, cold beer and a killer view of the famous OB Pier. Once you’re done eating, you can stop by the Lighthouse Ice Cream shop next door (grab some moose tracks) and take it to go for a nice little stroll along the water. If you’re lucky, you might even see an adventurous surfer shoot the pier.

Food & Drinks:
South Beach Bar and Grill – best fish tacos and killer view of the famous pier
Azucar (Ocean Beach) – Cuban style patisserie; get the guava cheese pastry
AleSmith Brewery
Punjabi Tandoor
Menya Ultra
Bobboi Gelato
The Taco Stand
Phils BBQ
Shakespeare Pub
Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill
Stone Brewery – Escondido location for the beer garden
Temecula Wineries – Cougar Winery’s falanghina

Places:
Ocean Beach & Sunset Cliffs
Mission Trails – hiking and rock climbing
Torrey Pines State park, Glider Port & La Jolla Cove – hiking, paragliding, swimming & kayaking
Petco Park – especially when the Dodgers are in town!
San Diego Zoo & Safari Park
Old Town

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family and friends deserve all the gratitude so I dedicate this shoutout to them. Thank you for teaching me to never give up, to always try my best, to do the right thing even when that’s difficult, and to continuously strive for greatness. Thank you for being my collaborative sounding board and acting as my own research and development team. Knowing I can count on genuine feedback when uncertainty arises is invaluable. Thank you for helping me rise up in the face of adversary and mold me into the strong woman I am today.

I would also like to specifically thank my husband and baby boy. Son, you are a light in our world and you fill our home with so much joy! I know you are bound for your own successes, and I cannot wait to see you achieve them. Thank you for choosing me to be your mom. To my husband, thank you for working hard for our family, for always making it possible for me to follow my dreams, for allowing us to jump into the unknown, and to stay at home with our son. Your love and support makes anything possible!

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PalmarkIllustrations

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palmark.illustrations/

Other: Email: palmark.illustrations@gmail.com