Today we’d like to introduce you to Camille Salvador
Hi Camille, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Being an artist by nature and autistic, I found it extremely hard to keep a regular job like everyone else.
But I feared leaving the work grind to work for myself.
I worked in hospitality, sales and offices until one day I found out about face painting.
So I dropped everything and started doing that and it gave me the courage to call myself an artist not to mention the flexibility to explore art more.
I tried all sorts of things, started and ended a million projects.
Then one day I saw people making giant paper flowers and I thought… “I could do that!”.
From that I decided to find a waterproof material then I realized the material I found could be used for lamps.
That’s where I saw I could combine my love for lighting and art into one!
It’s interesting how one thing that isn’t related at all can lead you down a path that will ultimately be the thing that you are meant to do.
I really found my creative outlet, I can’t stop having new ideas.
Next I will be working with crystals!
I’m so excited about the direction I’m headed and can’t wait to share that with the world!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh my gosh.
Definitely not a smooth road!
I had to fail 95% of the time to have 5% of success.
That 5% though… you take that and work with it, create something out of nothing.
That’s how it goes. I tried a million things before I got here.
Trial and error and creating new things takes a lot of time.
Time is a huge factor when working for yourself especially when you are not only a business owner but also the artist and marketer.
People immediately enjoyed my lamps but I noticed the ups and downs of it especially when it takes forever to create new things and depending on social media for sales.
Any time an algorithm changes, it affects sales greatly.
It is really hard but I get great satisfaction from seeing my finished products and how happy it makes my customers.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I make functional art!
I’m inspired by the merging of nature and industrial elements.
I create artistic lamps.
I wanted to make art that didn’t just hang on a wall, that could be used day to day.
Why not take something we use everyday and make it artistic!?
There is something magical and whimsical about having a lamp that resembles nature lighting up our home.
At the moment I’m inspired a lot with the shapes and curves of flower petals but who knows which direction I will go next.
I have a few new ideas I’m working on.
I am proud of being able to create and share my vision.
I am proud of creating something from nothing and succeeding especially at a very hard time in my life.
I am proud of surviving and thriving.
I don’t know what sets me apart from others because I’m too busy with my own creations to see what other people are doing. lol. I must say though, that I have not noticed anything similar to what I make.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Never giving up but also knowing when and what to give up.
Sometimes we need to destroy the old to create anew.
Don’t be afraid of failure, it leads you to your success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.luminariaStudio.com
- Instagram: @luminaria_studio
Image Credits
Me!
