The Story Behind Stellar Phoenix LLC
The Girl
Get a more brief overview from my About page! I am currently 28, and have spent most of my adult life working various corporate and office jobs—from front desk hotel work to waitressing, reception, small animal vet tech, DNA lab technician, product specialist. I’ve changed my college degree track several times—Biotechnology, Business Administration, Veterinary Technician Certification, Business Management; and I never completed any. I realized that I was unhappy trying to pursue a “socially normal” academic career, even though I have an interest in a vast array of fields. Coming to terms with putting happiness above social acceptance is not an easy concept, but I feel like it is a necessary step to at least try taking.
So, with that, I am slowly working on developing things outside of my bubble of comfort. I have been part of the equine art and writing community since age 11 (having been involved with and riding horses since age 6). I have made lifelong friends, and curated skills I otherwise would not have tried pursuing. It is important to me that people feel safe enough to walk a path that makes them happy, not just one of survival. The little space on the internet that I found and became part of did just that for me; now, I want to find a way to collaborate and give back.
The Name
Why Stellar Phoenix? I am in love with love, whimsy, pink, and all things sun, moon, and stars. ‘Stellar’ is derived from that celestial adoration; I wanted something a bit more layman’s terms and easy to remember than ‘celestial,’ despite also wanting to sound grand and spectacular. Stars are often symbolized as a means of wish-making and dream-chasing, which is exactly what I’m doing here. I like to believe that there is a touch of stardust in all of us, and that we are all capable of making wishes and dreams come true for ourselves and others.
I chose ‘Phoenix’ as the motif behind the business because I relate very personally with the mythology of the Phoenix legends. Substituting ‘death’ with ‘trauma,’ a new version of me has been built out of the remnants of each traumatic experience I have faced. Every past ‘life’ of mine is still part of me, and inherently I am the same as I first was, but each rebirth thereafter—each moment of survival—has created who I am now. And that is something to be proud of.
The Dream
Stellar Phoenix is created with the small artist in mind: individuals who do what they do for the love of doing it, for the happiness it brings them and for the desire to share that with others. With the advancement of technology and rise in Artificial Intelligence in the art space, it is especially important now to keep supporting those that pour their hearts into the pieces they create. The environment we live in does not exist to work in the artists’ favor, and many people must spend their full time at jobs to make a basic living. I am fortunate enough to have the means to try to break down this barrier, and to try helping others at the same time.
My goal is to collaborate with small artists who are interested in combining their digital work with my physical production. Proceeds from each sale are then split between the artist and myself, to act as a constant source of income for both parties. Maybe one day this will grow and can replace the need for us to spend so much time doing things to simply survive; maybe this can be a way to offer a little bit of reprieve, and a little support to do the things we love doing. To find happiness.