Joya: AiR / Marieli Pereira / ECU

I didn’t come to Joya: AiR with a specific project in mind, I wanted to allow myself to be influenced by the landscape, without any expectations or deadlines. When I arrived at Joya, I was welcomed by the most beautiful sunset. It’s a place where nature gives you various gifts, like the vast amount of clay, the intense smell of wild rosemary offering free aromatherapy, and the soft earthy tones of the natural pigments you can find in your morning walks.
For me Joya has been a nest, a safe space to create and share as I am and where I’m at as an artist. Being here allowed me to dive deeper, and tap into places within my own creativity, that I think can only happen in such a special space like this, and in fact my work started shifting and evolving as the days went by. I noticed myself being more open to explore new mediums and try new ways.
Thank you Simon and Donna for welcoming me into your home, for creating this wonderful experience for artists to flourish, and for your commitment to treat this planet with such love and respect that inspires us to make better choices to navigate on this earth.(and thank you Donna for the yummiest food)!
I am also thankful for the lovely people I was able to share this experience with and learn from. I hope we can cross paths again.

Marieli Pereira

Marieli is a designer and multidisciplinary artist from Ecuador based in Brooklyn, NY.
She obtained a degree in Design from Parsons The New School of Design and learned art from her mother at an early age. Her work has been a mix of mediums and styles ranging from painting, textile art, mixed media collage and digital illustration. Her sources of inspiration are, animals as magical beings and her culture. She is currently working as a freelance designer in the fashion industry and taking private commissioned paintings while on a journey of exploring, learning and finding new ways to express her creativity.