We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalia Marchese a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Natalia, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I have always worked in creative, artistic, or production type environments, and even though it wasn’t always a smooth road and a straightforward career, all those experiences prepared me for what I’m doing now. I think everything happened exactly the way it should have happened. At another time I may not have been ready to have my own business. Many different circumstances came together to push me to make the switch from working for someone else to working for myself.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I create oversized foam props, for themed party decorations, photo shoots, selfie studios, storefront window displays, cafe and restaurant decor, etc. My most popular items for the past year or so have been giant cupcakes, donuts, ice creams, and other desserts. The most popular items are standardized on my website, although colors are always the client’s choice. I also love creating something custom for my clients, when they tell me their vision or crazy idea, and I am presented with a new challenge. I let my clients guide my brand, because it’s completely dependent on what my clients need. For example, for the past year, I have had requests for pastel colors for almost everything, so inadvertently most of my photos have pastel color which creates the current visual cohesion of my work. Who knows, maybe next year the world will be into bright neon colors, and all my projects will be bright neon, changing the overall feel of everything. My customers will decide!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is seeing my work become part of someone else’s world. Whether it’s my props displayed on a cafe wall, or giant desserts decorating an adorable sweets-themed 5th birthday party, or part of a photo shoot, these items will live on forever in photos, long after the props have finished serving out their purpose.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is to add whimsy and color to the world. I want as many people as possible to practice using their imaginations and not be afraid of doing something crazy, like have a giant melting ice cream in their office. I truly believe that if you’re surrounded by cool unusual things in your environment, your brain starts to work in a different way, a more open and creative way, even if you do do paperwork all day.
Contact Info:
- Website: mixtupdesigns.com
- Instagram: @mixtupdesigns
- Facebook: @mixtupdesigns
Image Credits
Samantha Michelle Special Events Magnolia June Events Eye Box Studio