Sketches By Marcela: The Miami Marketta Artista

By Niall Roeder

How many 19 year olds do you know that have their own art studio? Since leaving school, Marcela Regalado has opened a workplace in the creative commune, Miami Marketta. It goes by the name of Sketches By Marcela. So now you know one.

Regalado hails from El Salvador. She moved to Australia from the tiny Central American country with her family in 2001, when she was just a wee tot. Her mother thrust a paintbrush in her little hand at the age of two and the rest, as they say, is history.

We caught up with Marcela and ran a few questions past her about art, Miami Marketta and life as young artist on the Goldy.

What is Miami Marketta and how did you get involved in it?

Miami Marketta is a cultural precinct, a community of entrepreneurial minds that run businesses in the entertainment, hospitality & arts industries. It comes alive every Wednesday, Friday & Saturday nights for the public to enjoy. Most studios are open on Friday nights to showcase what we do. I got involved because my parents run the Latin-Mex stall, which trades every night Marketta is open. They are one of the originals at Streetfood, & once the Miami Marketta staff knew that I was an artist I was offered wall space to exhibit at Studio 13. My space has evolved since then, & continues to do so.

How would you describe your style?

My style of art is hard to be categorised under one specific style as I love experimenting with different medias & I am an innovator at heart.

Are you influenced by Latin artists?

I studied the concept of life & death while I was at school. This is what started my fascination with skulls & lead to me looking back at my heritage and the festival, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). I haven’t stopped painting skulls since then! Anything creative inspires me, so in that sense, yes I am influenced by other artists. Not any particular ones, I don’t constantly follow up on what other artists are up to, but every now & then I see things on social media, techniques on how to use different medias & that inspires me to try it out! I am always up for a challenge & that’s why when you look at the things I do, there’s a range of different medias being used. I work a lot with inks, acrylics, charcoal & shellac combined, spray paints & posca pens!

Who wins, Frida Kahlo or Diego Riviera?

Frida Kahlo wins. Everything she went through, all the challenges she faced and conquered, and all the things she accomplished through her art.. Wow. I admire her.

Where can people buy your work?

My work can be purchased at my studio on Fridays. I also have had people contact me through Facebook, Instagram and emails about my artworks and they have come to pick it up at my studio throughout the week.

Send Marcela an email or contact her on Facebook.