The Story Behind the Pocket Dreams Co Name & Logo
I’m often asked, “How did you get started in illustration work? When did you know you wanted to be an artist?”
As most creatives would say, I’ve been drawing ever since I was very young. In fact, I have a tiny scar on my forehead when I was lying down on the floor drawing. I was erasing something and my pencil slipped, plunging the pointy tip into my skin. It broke off and my dad had to do quick surgery with tweezers to get it out.
These days I prefer making marks on canvas and paper rather than my skin.
Ever since I was little, I dreamed of visiting Europe and seeing a castle. I wanted to buy and fix up an abandoned castle and gather some orphans to live with me in it. Chalk that up to reading so many children’s books! I grew up in Florida, where there are no castles except sand castles.
Neuschwanstein Castle
I call those dreams of wanting to see everything, know everything, experience everything “Pocket Dreams.” We all carry dreams close to our heart (or in our pocket) of things we want to do, places we want to visit, skills we want to learn, and traits we aspire to become, but we aren’t always able to fulfill them. I have found that creating art from those dreams and aspirations is a great way to enhance life! It’s living life wearing Rose-Colored Glasses. You and I all wade through some mud in life, so it’s helpful to have art to cheer us up and bring hope to the mundaneness of everyday reality.
I got to see my first castle, Linderhof, when I went to Germany. Stretched out from valley to mountaintop, it was spectacular, and charming swans completed the beauty (I’ve since had a closer encounter and found them to be aggressive lil’ honkers). The next day I saw my second castle, the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein which inspired Disneyworld’s princess castle. For those who haven’t been, it takes a walk of about 30- 40 minutes to reach the entrance of the castle, and on the way up, my husband-to-be knelt down on one knee by a river brook and proposed to me! I could have died from bliss. Due to the foggy weather that day, my SLR film camera refused to operate, so I have no photos, only my vivid memories.
I never have fulfilled my dream of buying a castle (but some other people have- I’ll post on them later), but my visits to see them in all their splendor inspires what I draw. There’s something fascinating about being able to see how people lived and what they treasured. I love history and it is a connecting thread in my art.
So when I was brainstorming ideas for a business name, I knew the image would be that of a castle. A cute, small cottage-like castle that I want to live in one day 🥳. Let’s DAYDREAM A LITTLE, ok?!
As an interior design major I studied how to make your home reflect who you are as an individual. As a dreamer I carry in my head the desire to live in my home as if it were my castle. In reality it is a far cry from being so, but when I create ART that reminds me of life in beautiful castles and palaces, I am transported to the land of dreams. These expressions make me genuinely happy and optimistic.
My tagline, “Cherish the Life You’ve Been Gifted” is to encourage each of you to love the life you now live. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Embrace where you are. Be thankful for the little things in life and focus on the good. Sprinkle beauty into everyday life by celebrating in tiny ways.
Bye for now,
Rachel