Mariell Guzman
Mariell Guzman is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dallas, Texas, whose work spans mixed media painting, murals, and sculpture. Inspired by nature, her bicultural upbringing, and ancestral heritage, she creates vibrant, surreal ecosystems that explore identity, transformation, and healing. Her bold, intuitive style has led to collaborations with Meow Wolf, Pepsi, and American Express, with murals across the U.S. and Mexico.
Hi Mariell! Tell us about yourself - how did you get to where you are today?
This is such a big question that I'm not sure I can wrap it up in one paragraph. But here's my best shot: I thankfully got to where I am today as a full-time artist by choosing to keep going every day for the past seven years. I tried every medium I could get my tiny hands on, I said yes to projects even when I had no clue how I'd pull them off, I leaned on my artist community, I let the belief others had in me carry me through the tough times, and, most importantly, I didn't want to let my inner child down by giving up on her dream of being an artist.
“Growing up between two cultures, I often felt like I had to constantly translate and adapt myself to the world around me. That's why my work often feels like its own imagined ecosystem, shaped by a process that's spontaneous, chaotic, and collaborative with the materials or space [...] Just like in nature, there's a bit of chaos, but everything always finds its home.”— Mariell Guzman
When did you first become interested in art and design?
I've loved being creative since I was a kid, and I was lucky to grow up in a super creative family. Making things has always felt as natural as breathing.
How would you describe your design style and how has it changed over time?
My design style is intuitive and inspired by nature, the way species find their place and adapt so effortlessly. That idea has always resonated with me as an immigrant. Since I was a kid, I've loved creating colorful, abstract, and surrealistic playgrounds filled with childlike wonder. Growing up between two cultures, I often felt like I had to constantly translate and adapt myself to the world around me. That's why my work often feels like its own imagined ecosystem, shaped by a process that's spontaneous, chaotic, and collaborative with the materials or space. Over the years, my visual language has taken many forms, from digital illustrations to sculptures and huge outdoor murals. Just like in nature, there's a bit of chaos, but everything always finds its home.
What's your creative process like? How do you typically take an idea from concept to delivery?
One of the key parts of my creative process is doodling. I love grabbing my tiny sketchbooks and letting ideas flow without overthinking. From there, I pick the doodles that have the most spark for that project and develop them further. My process always starts with play and experimentation, no matter what kind of project I'm working on, murals, installations, illustrations, or watercolors. I also take breaks to go on nature walks, which helps me recharge and let the work breathe.
What kind of clients have you worked with so far, and how do you approach creative collaboration with your clients?
I've worked with all kinds of clients to be honest. I've worked with Pepsi, American Express, Meow Wolf, Maker's Mark, Verizon, IBM, Meta, Steve Madden, Firefly Music Festival.
My approach to collaborating with clients is to simply find a way to merge both our identities seamlessly and to make sure to always stay true to myself. I've been lucky to work with brands that have sought me out for my style and gave me creative freedom.
What's been one of your favorite projects to work on so far? What would be a dream project?
One of my absolute favorite clients has been a local Dallas brand named Puzzles of Color, I created a puzzle for them. They collaborate with artists of color and it's been such a unique experience to see my puzzle in so many people's homes around the country.
A dream project would be to collaborate with an aquarium, an arboretum or a marine biologist.
Do you have any favorite tools or resources? Where do you find creative inspiration?
It's super hard to narrow down my favorite tools since I work in a lot of mediums!
Digitally, I love to experiment with the clone tool on Photoshop. In the physical realm, I would say a rainbow color pencil and an amazing watercolor brush can always give me butterflies :) I can always find creative inspiration by watching flowers and light dance on my nature walks.
What's one of the biggest career lessons you've learned so far?
Real success means being free to spend your time on what truly brings you peace.
What advice would you give to new designers and illustrators starting out in their careers?
Make time every day to go outside and let nature inspire and support you. This career can get lonely and overwhelming, and nature has always made me feel safe when I needed it most.
What are you working on now and what's up next for you?
Right now I have a couple of big murals in the works and I've also been developing a large watercolor series for the past year inspired by portraits of trees. As far as what's next, I'm branching out into doing art therapy in the near future.
To view more of Mariell's work, visit her Website or Instagram.
Mariell was nominated by Noun Project. All artwork courtesy of Mariell Guzman.