Meet Rachel Somoano of P. Marin in Orange County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Somoano aka P. Marin.

Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I loved to write and draw. During those early years, my dad would look at my art and say, “This is very good.” Then he’d frame it and spend time with it. My mom, she loved my art too. But in a different way. The way that you love something and at the same time know both the joy and the risk it can bring. She’d look at my art and she’d say, “You should learn to type. Everybody needs a secretary.” So I learned to type 200 wpm and I became a court reporter. As much as I tried to smile about the good job I had, inside, I was deeply lost and miserable,

Then one day, along came our son. I was looking at his tiny fingers and toes, wondering where he’d leave his footprints and fingerprints in this world. I knew if he were going to grow up and live a life beyond his wildest dreams, it’d be helpful if someone led the way. Shortly after, I started writing again. Then when he was in elementary school, I volunteered for his school’s reading program. On Dr. Seuss’ birthday, I asked how the school was celebrating. They said they weren’t. I thought, How can you not celebrate this great man? So I picked up a dry erase marker and on the whiteboard I started to draw a giant Cat in the Hat. I wrote “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss.” I could feel a young boy standing behind me watching me draw. When I turned around he asked, “Are you an artist?” If it were anyone else, I would have said no. But I knew my answer mattered to this boy. So I looked him in the eye and I said, “Yes, I am. Are you?” He smiled and said, “Yes.”

That’s the day I started drawing again.

Today I wake up every day and I can’t wait to get to work. There’s a fire inside me and I have both my mom and my dad to thank. It was my dad who built the tinder nest, but my mom who lit the match. Both were equally necessary in getting me to where I’m at today.

Great, 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?
When I began drawing again, after putting down my pen for over three decades, I struggled with a lack of confidence. I hadn’t taken an art class since fifth grade and I had no reason to believe I could do any of this. But I made a decision early on that I’d keep moving my feet no matter what. I’d written a series of early reader books called “Pig and Chick.” My first step toward illustrating them was to visit a local farm where I began sketching pigs and chickens. From there I had to learn how to make them move around the page. It’s one thing to draw a pig standing there and another to have him running for his life about to be struck by a donkey. I fine-tuned these rough sketches then transferred them onto watercolor paper. Then with no painting experience, I Googled “How to Watercolor.” Once everything was painted, I began cutting the images out by hand. Each and every last pig and chick cut out with scissors by hand. A friend suggested to save myself some time I learn Photoshop. Next thing I knew I was enrolled at the local adult school, sitting beside an elderly gentlemen who’d decided at the age of eighty to take Photoshop in order to preserve photos of his late wife. He was hard of hearing and every time the teacher gave an instruction he’d turn to me and say, “What did she say?” I’d repeat her instruction word for word. He’d look at me and tell me, “You’re very good at this.” Over the course of the 15 weeks, he said it enough times I started to believe it. I worked hard for the confidence I have today. But I’m pretty sure most of it I owe to that man.

Please tell us about P. Marin.
My name is Rachel, but I write and draw under the pen name P. Marin. I’m in the business of making children’s books. I sell art prints and cards of my art as well. When I’m not writing and illustrating, I do author/illustrator visits at schools and libraries. I also teach an after-school creative writing and illustrating program for young artists that I started called Oops and Doodles. But of all the things I do, my favorite is encouraging others to find what they love and to do it often. A news reporter once asked me if I’d had much success as an author. I told her, “I haven’t sold enough books to change my life, but the people I’ve met have.”

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory was when I was in fifth grade. Each week my teacher would wheel in a television set. He’d turn it on and alongside local artist Bruce McIntyre, we’d draw. For me, this was the highlight of elementary school.

One day my teacher announced that Mr. McIntyre would be visiting our classroom-in person-and if we brought five dollars that day, we could buy a copy of his book. I began saving immediately.

On the big day, I arrived at school early with sharp pencils and no money. I’d forgotten it at home. I was devastated. At the end of the presentation, Mr. McIntyre walked up to me. He handed me a copy of his drawing book and he said, “Your teacher thinks you’re going to need this.” Turns out I did.

Pricing:

• Pig and Chick – Stuck $11.99
• Pig and Chick – The Wish That Got Away $11.99
• Pig and Chick – Pigcasso $11.99
• For pricing on all other products and services, visit printsmarin.com

Contact Info:

• Website: Printsmarin.com
• Email: printsmarin@hotmail.com
• Instagram: @p._marin
• Facebook: @printsmarin

Image Credit:
P. Marin

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