We recently connected with Mariel Robles and have shared our conversation below.

Mariel, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

For over a century, Art and Education have been valuable pursuits for my family; from designing their clothing to metalworking to educating in rural communities, to visiting and learning in museums around the world. My formal career as an educator started when I was in college. Since then, every project in the education field has been meaningful. While working as a Museum Educator, I was inspired to create a community program for a local, non-profit organization that helps immigrants and asylum seekers from different parts of the world, Posada Esperanza. In 2018, the STEAM & Literacy program served immigrant families from Latin America, Africa, and Russia. Students and their mothers created contemporary art, read, practiced STEAM concepts, and visited museums. Working with Posada Esperanza was especially meaningful because we brought happiness to immigrant families during the arduous journey of migrating to the United States. Additionally, my family was delighted to help and enjoyed working with those families.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born in Mexico and moved to the US twenty-three years ago. My love for math, science, and design inspired me to pursue and earn a degree in Engineering. In 2006, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Right after graduation, I started working as an engineering educator for a suburban district in Dallas, TX. In 2014, I obtained a scholarship and earned a graduate degree in STEM Education from The University of Texas at Austin. Attending graduate education courses with distinguished professors enhanced my pedagogy and curriculum development skills. Since then, I have created STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Math) programs and curricula for schools, universities, non-profit organizations, and art museums. In 2018, I started the STEAM & Literacy program for Posada Esperanza, a local non-profit that offers shelter to immigrant families from different countries. With the purpose of healing through education, we visited the students and their mothers once a month to work on STEAM projects. When I could not continue this work due to restrictions on visitors to the shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded XX Apothecary. I was able to create art at home, teach STEAM classes, and even bring families from Pflugerville to The Blanton Museum of Art. From teaching in rural communities to leading community education programs in central Texas, I have overwhelming evidence that those interactions have helped the students nurture their love for learning and creativity. I currently live in Austin with my family. I love to create/curate beautiful art, hike, and make delicious meals for my family.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think creativity is everywhere; from working with clay to developing curriculum for STEAM workshops. The most rewarding aspect of being creative is being able to help people; either helping them find joy in learning or creating a piece of art that will bring joy into their life.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I am passionate about promoting the advancement of art museums as centers of innovation, learning, and cultural diversity. I believe that all students have the right to a well-rounded education that includes access to world-class museums and programs that can provide meaningful educational experiences. Art museums are enlightening, meditative spaces that provide aesthetic experiences and extensive learning opportunities. In addition, art museums offer a unique educational experience that fosters an appreciation of the arts, enriches their classroom learning, and increases their cultural awareness. These students, in turn, will educate their families/communities about their museum experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mariel-robles.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marielr0bles/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariel-robles-4695a4172/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarielR0bles