Meet Mariela Cartaya | Artist & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariela Cartaya and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariela, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
“Caminos” make me happy and bring joy to my life. They are what I refer to as long trips, usually a week to a month long, that start somewhere and end elsewhere. So not your typical trip to the beach. I named them “Caminos” after completing my first one, El Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James), which is a pilgrimage, today a network of pilgrimages, that date from 1492.

My brother and I finished our first one, the Coastal Way, walking over 180 miles in 12 days from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. After we finished we promised each other to do it each year. Caminos don’t necessarily need to be done by walking. Sometimes we drive, we fly, we walk, we sail, etc. The essence of the Caminos is to get out of your daily routine long enough to re-wire you again.

Caminos are like life, at the beginning they are hard – your feet hurt, or you get lost at night on a road in the middle of nowhere, and your mind keeps going to your usual thoughts of worriedness, past situations, and future uncertainty. But the Caminos guide you to be in the present moment and with the passing of the days you start to enjoy the landscape, your tranquil mind, the conversations, the synchronicities, and then you gradually feel free, allowing yourself to be overcome with joy.

For me those Caminos are miraculous. Two months after the first one, I started Mar&Ella, a dream that was inside of me for a long time, waiting patiently for the right conditions, which I realize were nothing more that high levels of happiness inside of me. The second Camino brought me the smallest of the loves of my life, my nephew, which was a product of the magical emotions that brought together my brother and one of my best friends during our 24 day road trip through the the Western half of the USA. We traveled through 11 states and more than 11 National Parks.

Last year, the Camino checked off the first box on my bucket list, traveling to and through the Greek islands. That Camino was a huge inspiration to all the best selling products that I create and sell on my shop. The joy of the Caminos brings out the best of the human mind.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe the essence of life is inspiration, in all shapes and forms – inspiration to do better, live better, be healthier, be kinder, more artistic, etc… That’s why all products on Mar&Ella are made with the purpose of getting people inspired. They are what I call, “things with soul,” because they are not merely for decoration, or simply to be worn. Rather, they have the objective to bring people consciously to their inner self, to feel inspired, motivated, happy, and at peace.

My first period of inspiration was studying Industrial Design. It taught me how to bring to life the ideas in my mind. After, my second true inspiration came when I started studying the philosophies and teachings of motivational and spiritual thinkers. Mar&Ella is the fusion of these two periods of my life.

The name Mar&Ella is inspired by my name, Mariela. I added an L in order to created two words in Spanish, Mar and Ella, meaning the sea and her, because I’m an ocean lover as well.

The Lucky Eye is an important symbol of Mar&Ella. I always liked the shape and colors of “The Eye,” but more importantly, the meaning behind it, as a symbol of protection and good vibes. When I first created the Instagram account for Mar&Ella I hadn’t decided on a logo, and so I uploaded the symbol of “The Eye” on my profile picture temporarily until I finished designing the logo. I thought this would bring me good luck on this new journey. It took me a while to create the logo, and as I was doing so people were already beginning to associate Mar&Ella with “The Eye.” Since it was popular amongst my clients, I decided to incorporate it with most of the items I was creating.

After the first year of Mar&Ella, I took a trip to Greece, where I discovered “The Eye” was part of their culture every island I stopped at. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I visited a place where “The Eye” was so commonly used. I don’t believe in coincidences, I believe it to be part of a bigger plan, or what I now consider my third period of inspiration. The third of many more to come.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There is a place in Miami that has captivated me in such a way that I have to dedicate this whole question to this special place. I’m talking about the oldest house in its original location in Miami-Dade County, The Barnacle. Today, The Barnacle is a State Park.

Located in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, it represents one of the most fascinating parts of the history of our city, “The Era of the Bay.” It gets that name because it was a time when streets didn’t exist in the city and all travel was done by water. This explains why the front door of The Barnacle is oriented toward the bay.

Ralph “The Commodore” Munroe, the owner-builder of the house, was a New Yorker that had developed a love for nature first as a child. That love grew and was reinforced with his study of Emerson and Henry D. Thoreau’s philosophies of the “simple and genuine life.” This philosophy was based on the love of nature and the virtue of self-reliance. Together with “The Sailor Paradise,” these influences led him to leave this cytidine life behind and be one of the founders of Coconut Grove, the first community on the South Florida mainland.

The Commodore was self taught boat designer and photographer. His photographs are the only ones in any quantity that document that era. He founded the first Yacht Club and created the first campground in Miami, besides many other local accomplishments. I think it’s safe to crown him as the first entrepreneur of Miami Dade.

The Park has several tours per day that go further in-depth into his life, the era, and the beautiful house and it’s surroundings. They also offer yoga classes on the front yard facing the sea each Monday and Wednesday at sunset. One of my favorite scheduled events is the sound bathing meditation which takes place the second Tuesday of each month at the same time and location. Watching the sunset, smelling the grass and the salty ocean, all while listening to the Tibetan Bowl and the sound of the wind moving the palm trees is something truly magical.

The Barnacle also hosts concerts, movie nights, and dog contests, all at a fair price or sometimes just by donation. They are open Sunday to Wednesday and are never too crowded. I try going once a week, sitting on the porch of Ralph’s Workshop and starring off at the sea, my thoughts wander, and I am at peace.

The image of a city founded by drugs and crime completely changed for me when I found this place. These pioneers created a community based on the love of nature, the simplicity of life, and the cooperation between human beings. They were fearless – deciding to leave everything behind in search of a peaceful life. They were adventures, ocean lovers,  good neighbors, dreamers, and creators.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to give a shout out to everyone in my Ascended Masters collection, which is a series of portraits of influential individuals that have stood out to me throughout my life. Each portrait comes with a quote from the person. I have one of Frida Kahlo, who inspired me though her art and essentially gave me this “woman power” attitude I have today. I also have one of Wayne Dyer, a self-help author and motivational speaker that gave me the emotional and cognitive tools to begin the path of a spiritual life. Then there is the one of Mother Teresa, who inspired me to expand the love message to humanity. Gandhi, Avicii, Chaplin, Dalai Lama, Maya Angelou, are just some of the others in my collection. I figure this is an endless collection, because I’m always discovering people that being new meanings to life and/or create special works. As human beings, we should strive to keep finding others that we feel deserve shoutouts!

Website: https://marandella.com

Instagram: @mar.and.ella

Facebook: @artmarandella