Story & Lesson Highlights with Rachel Camacho-McKee of North Phoenix

We recently had the chance to connect with Rachel Camacho-McKee and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
My new puppy and my daughter are becoming friends. My daughter is only 3 years old, and our new puppy is only 5 months old. So I now have two feral toddlers in my house, one of them I can’t reason with, and the other is a dog. But it brings me joy that they have each other, and I get to witness their mischief firsthand.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Rachel Camacho-McKee, and I am a visual artist in Phoenix, AZ. I create art of varied media, subjects, and levels of whimsy. Most recently, I hand-painted a watercolor and ink mandala that is morphing in my mind and on the page into different applications. I am considering how it will be viewed and what it will evoke from the viewer.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds are broken when communication breaks down and trust is severed. Especially when either or both parties are ready to go to war but not prepared to engage in a rational discussion. In my experience, the only way back from that is humility. You have to put aside your feelings, even when you know in your heart that you are right; it’s not going to put the train back on the tracks. You have to come to the table ready to listen, and I know that is difficult. We, as humans, don’t like being made to think we were wrong or could be uneducated/ignorant. I just can’t see any other way that 2 people or groups could find their way if they both are hanging onto the very feelings that broke their bond in the first place.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Being yourself is not going to scare away the right people. Your true friends and family will find you.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
The project I will carry with me until either it is done or I am gone is the children’s book I wrote based on my late dog, Delta. She was a fantastic dog for 12 years of our family life, and she will be with us in our hearts for the rest of our lives. I have been having issues with getting her likeness the way I want it to be in the book before I release it. That is holding me back from finishing it, but I will never abandon the project.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I think I am doing what I was born to do. I feel the most alive when I am both teaching and creating, and I have been trying to incorporate both into my personal and professional lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://rencartllc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renc.art/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelcamacho/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RencartLLC
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rencart

Image Credits
Colin McKee