Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Martino.
Monica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My career as an artist started by accident (literally). I was an Emmy-nominated TV producer for the Discovery Channel and for many years I specialized in filming their most dangerous shows all around the world. In 2012, while filming in the Amazon, I almost died in a terrible boat accident. I had to produce my own rescue by commandeering a rogue gold-mining helicopter and evacuating to Venezuela.
During the long recovery from multiple surgeries, I started painting and drawing as an escape. I credit this new-found passion and my dark sense of humor for getting me through a long and painful recovery. I founded Lemon Zesty in 2017 and my goal as an artist is to chronicle the absurdity and weirdness of everyday life while honoring all its messy, awesome and perplexing facets. Working in watercolor, pen and ink, gouache, and marker, my work has a fantastical element to it and my running theme could best be described as “visual sarcasm.”
Recently, I have found an outlet in the topical commentary, and my political designs have appeared in The New Yorker, USA Today, PBS Online, Time Out New York, Huffington Post and several international publications.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One struggle has been switching from the high-adrenaline world of global TV production to the solitary endeavor of sitting down with just a pen and paper to keep me company.
After 20 years of working out of tents, huts, boats, yurts and vans, I’m still not quite used to the feeling of being so comfortable! My career as a producer was filled with danger, adrenaline, accolades and lots and lots of travel. I would typically oversee a crew of 20-100 people and we would be based in some of the most inhospitable places on the planet. I did not plan to leave this career that I loved; the choice was made for me by my accident and injuries.
It was a struggle for me to accept that I needed to find another path, and then to figure out what that path was. I did not ever think I would love something as much as producing, and I certainly didn’t think that art could be a sustainable choice for me. And yet… once I started drawing, I found that it tapped into some creative part of myself that had been missing for many years. It became a habit, then a passion, then a business.
Running my own business and figuring out how to make it grow into a successful company is a challenge beyond anything I’ve experienced in the past. Sometimes I feel behind the curve, trying to do this at age 46. And other times I’m so grateful for my years of experience in a completely different field because it has allowed me to be completely fearless with my own business. I know exactly what I want my company to be, I have a clear vision of what success will look like for Lemon Zesty, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will get there.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Lemon Zesty – what should we know?
My company is called Lemon Zesty and my motto is “fresh art with a sour twist.” I sell original art and prints, as well as a range of products with my designs on them including shirts, posters, postcards, buttons, magnets and mugs (which I press by hand).
My art and illustration has a little bit of a bite to it, and that may be what I’m known for. Because I started drawing as a way to find joy during a time of deep pain and confusion in my life, art will always be a way for me to explore how light can balance dark. My work is very personal, and I don’t shy away from my fears and insecurities. If I feel it, I draw it, but I always try to find a way to make it a little bit funny or weird.
When I started to get political with my artwork after the 2016 election, I realized that people (and particularly women) needed a way to feel less alone and hopeless in our current political climate. I made it my goal to channel my own despair and frustration into images that could inspire a laugh, a smile of understanding, or a feeling of “I’m not the only one.” I’m proud of the fact that many of the posters I’ve designed for the various marches have appeared on “Best Poster” lists — one even made into a New Yorker cartoon!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Lemon Zesty is truly a family affair. I inherited my mom’s weird sense of humor, and I consider it the greatest gift. My sister Alicia works tirelessly with me to get orders out and she always jumps in to help just when I need it most.
My husband Chris is my rock. We met in Antarctica (he’s a helicopter pilot) and our lives were filled with nonstop adventure at the beginning of our relationship. Things changed quickly after my accident and after losing my job, and yet his support and optimism has never wavered.
He helped me take my business from a hobby to a career, and he has enthusiastically supported me every step of the way (even when he doesn’t quite understand why I feel the need to draw cat butts or flying pigs). He built my studio, helps me with orders, presses mugs late into the night, and attends every festival with me.
Most importantly, he dreams with me and then he helps map those dreams into realistic steps.
Pricing:
- Buttons & Magnets – $2-$4
- Mugs – $15
- T-shirts – $25
- Art prints – $25
- Original art and commissions – $100 and up
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lemonzesty.com
- Email: hellolemonzesty@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellolemonzesty
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hellolemonzesty
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/hellolemonzesty
Image Credit:
Lemon Zesty
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