We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Iris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Iris, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?
In the past, I have earned money by being a mermaid entertainer with my pod or acting during a seasonal event at the local aquarium and that was rewarding, however, I just had my first individual paid gig for my business Iris Under Water and it is that much more special and rewarding to me. It means my dream of doing what I love, being happy, and supporting my family is becoming reality.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a mermaid model and entertainer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah who’s passionate about keeping our oceans clean, the earth green, and living out your most magical dreams. I have always been a mermaid lover, a few years ago, I decided to dive in to pursue my dreams of being a professional mermaid. I can be booked to attend a variety of land or water events, including: parties, kids camps, photoshoots, meet and greets, festivals, parades, and more!
Send sea-mail if you’d like to add magic to your next event!
IG: @iris_underwater
Email: mermaidirisflowers@
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My mission is to spread joy and keep life magical. My goal is to live my dream of being a mermaid and showing my daughter, family, and the children/adults I interact with that no dream is too wild – you can truly be anything you want to be! My favorite part of attending events as a mermaid is to see the sparkle in a child’s eye as they’re examining my tail in awe. Nothing is better than knowing that I’m creating a magical core memory for them.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being a mermaid is that I’m making my inner child happy while also making others around me happy. One of the most rewarding moments I’ve had is when a child stumbled across me doing a photoshoot at Daybreak Lake when she was on a neighborhood walk with her parents. Seeing her excitement from afar when she unexpectedly noticed a mermaid by the water, and watching her slowly approach with a smile on her face was so heart warming. It turned out to be her birthday that day and I was so thankful to have that unexpected experience and impromptu birthday shellebration with her.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Iris_underwater
Image Credits
Valhalla Photography, Cherry on Top Photography, and Silver Fyre Studio