Today we’d like to introduce you to Lily Camarena
Hi Lily, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always been the kind of girl who enjoyed arts and crafts, and I loved taking art classes since I was little. I would often doodle in the corners of my notebooks, but I never thought that at some point I would be able to make a living from my art.
I studied industrial engineering and worked in the industry while developing my first small business in 2020, ‘La Raíz Feliz,’ painting personalized planters. In mid-2023, I launched my page ‘garabatosbylily’ and started posting my travel sketches and selling watercolor illustrations. By the end of the year, I had quit my engineering job. A few months later, I had the opportunity to paint my first Christmas-themed window. What I thought would be a one-time job opened a huge door to the world of window painting, and ever since, I haven’t stopped doodling all over Tijuana and other parts of the world.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The world of entrepreneurship comes with a lot of uncertainty and instability, which can be a bit scary but also exciting. There are so many obstacles on a daily basis, from coming up with unique, personalized designs for every business I work with, to staying active and creative on social media to attract new customers, to creating quotes and providing the right follow-up to land bigger projects, all while finding the time to maintain a balanced life. It has definitely not been a smooth road, especially since window painting is mostly a seasonal job. But seeing all the challenges I’ve overcome since day one is the most satisfying thing in the world and makes it all worth it. Today, I look back at the concerns I had when I painted my first window, my first mural, my first live painting event, my first collaboration with a big brand, and I realize that each experience has made me stronger and a better-prepared artist.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a creative entrepreneur, I do a little bit of everything. My main work, the one I am most recognized for, is window painting. I decorate business windows with hand-drawn designs using acrylic markers for different seasons, such as Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day. Recently, I’ve been creating timeless designs for businesses to have personalized decorations that make them more eye-catching and attract more customers, and I love it. I record the entire process and share it on my social media to show the behind-the-scenes of every project, because many times people think my doodles are stickers and not hand-drawn. I really enjoy sharing this whole journey of being able to make a living from my art and all the amazing opportunities that come along the way. Other creative projects I also do include painting murals and watercolors. A very proud moment for me is when someone tells me, ‘I saw your work and immediately knew it was yours,’ and when people send me pictures of themselves with my doodles.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I’ve always been a person with very diverse interests. I loved art, but I also enjoyed mathematics, played soccer, and danced ballet, always willing to try new things. I’ve always been a curious person with a bubbly personality. I developed a love for traveling and discovering everything the world has to offer. I believe that this shaped me and helped me make the shift from engineering to living a creative life and developing “garabatosbylily”, always staying optimistic that things will work out. And if not, there is always another path or solution to take. One thing that has always been a constant is my outgoing personality, which I believe has helped me a lot on my journey to get to where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Email: garabatosbylily@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garabatosbylily?igsh=aG1ueWs1cDJpbmNi
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@garabatosbylily?_t=ZM-8uE1Ku5vMaV&_r=1
