We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Khilali Marquez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Khilali, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is to bring awareness and advocacy for mental health. I’ve always loved art and being creative as a hobby, but I was also really interested in psychology. I ended up going to college to take the path of becoming a psychologist. Because of my own mental health I wasn’t able to finish. It was a really overwhelming experience for me that I now realize was because of undiagnosed autism.

I left school to pursue my hobby of art as something more meaningful to me. I desperately needed a community and an outlet to express the feelings I don’t hear people talking about.

My artwork became my source of healing and I hoped to create imagery that everyone can relate to.

My motto is “Be Mindful”, as a reminder to be aware of what others are going through and to be kind to each other.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Khilali, I am a self taught artist from the Bronx, Ny and I was diagnosed with autism when I was 23. My artwork is an outlet for me to not only express myself but help others put an image to their own feelings as well.

Often I feel like mental health is not spoken about enough or taken seriously. so when I took a step into the art field, I wanted to make a strong statement of what I came here to do; destigmatize mental health.

The first time I ever exhibited my artwork was in 2018 after a push from my partner to take it more seriously. I was insecure in my talent and needed a bit of support to get into it. Art galleries and the art industry can be extremely intimidating and invalidating – and that’s exactly what I was met with.

Instead of trying to make space at a table I wasn’t welcome at, I did it my own way. I created Khilali Arts LLC and started to show my artwork and merch at street fairs and other events. Over time I created a collection of designs that I’ve put on t shirts, hoodies, hats, ect. And started taking commision work for canvas portraits and custom clothing. My next step was to get a space that I can display all of my work.

Because of how the art industry made me feel about my art and imagery, I vowed to create a safe space for artists that is accepting of all forms of artwork and people. Thus, Mindful Boutique & Gallery was born. During my time opening an art gallery, I’ve been able to host a series of events highlighting a common theme of being mindful and aware. it has been the biggest blessing to meet artists with similar messages and create a safe community with my small business. I am so proud of the environment I’ve been able to provide for others and the people I’ve made an impact on along the way.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Mindful Boutique & Gallery is not the first time I’ve tried to open a storefront. the first time I tried, I had saved up some money from jobs and events that I’ve done and I felt like I finally had enough to make something happen. I payed for all my equipment, put up window decals, and signed all the papers I needed. The paperwork that would permit me to go into the space to start working, was taking MONTHS. I didn’t get the permit for about 5 months of waiting on the city. Then when I finally got it, a larger company offered more money for my space and the lease I had signed was essentially voided immediately. I was devastated. I had spent all my savings doing the necessary paperwork and buying all the equipment I needed expecting to be able to go into the store and start fixing it up.

Nevertheless I continued on my search for a space to set up shop and was ready to start the process all over again.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

while I’ve always considered selling on platforms like Etsy and Amazon, I decided to create a website where I can showcase more of an experience.

As an artist, I think visually, how am I going to appear to others? I wanted my wesbite to be a one stop shop for everything. I have two wesbites at the moment, one for my personal art, and one for the gallery. I think that having your own website creates a sense of professionalism for future collaborators and you’re able to do exactly what you want with it.

when working with sellers like Etsy, you are limited on how many products you can list and you have to pay per product, and it’s always another cost involved. When selling with others, you have to follow their rules, their guidelines, and their policies.

The one thing I will say about selling with Etsy, it’s probably much easier to be discovered. With a website you rely on word of mouth and for people to specifically remember you to type it in the search bar. There is a pro and con to everything but ultimately I decided my dealbreaker was wanting full control over my content.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.themindfulgallery.com/
• Instagram: @mindfulboutiquegallery
• Other: Instagram @Khilaliarts Website www.khilaliarts.com Tik tok: @khilaliarts