The Road Trip Mercantile Showcase exists to present artists whose work uncovers the allure of each travel destination.
Mabel M. Agüero is an art/photo director, graphic designer and illustrator living in the New York metropolitan area. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and raised in USA, Mabel loves to be inspired by her travels. We asked her to share a little bit about her artwork and some of the travel stories that inspire her.
What type of art do you create and what motivates you to make it? I consider myself an illustrator. My work is whimsical and colorful. I draw from past and present experiences using various materials. Most of my creativity stems from my childhood (and adulthood)travel adventures. I can travel to a place I haven't seen before and create an imaginary story that can take place there. Maybe my story will be about a bug or maybe I just want to paint the feeling I get when I'm there. Traveling is a big part of my creative inspiration and I mix it with the day-to day experiences of home life. 
How does your passion for art, travel and nature tie together?
When I was very young my parents moved us to the USA. They both loved the outdoors and so we spent most of our lives in the car traveling to as many national parks as possible. We fished, hiked, camped, it was always very adventurous. I always carried around my drawing papers and crayons, I was always drawing.
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork? Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art?
My style had changed from realism to whimsical and though the ladder didn’t come naturally, that is where I can be most creative. I let my subjects dictate how a piece will be executed. Every medium gives off a different energy and so I do not like to pinhole myself using only one constant medium. I do have my go-to’s which are inks, watercolors or oil pastels, but I have also tried my hand in 3D art like, clay, Paper Mache, collage with natural found objects, and needle felting. Honestly, I never know what I am going to end up with. I only have the starting idea and let the creative thoughts evolve as I work on a piece. Often times the end result is surprising to me. So to answer the second question, yes there is a connection.
Getting back to road trips, there’s a common saying “It’s not the destination but the journey.” Every aspect of a road trip can be enjoyable, what’s your favorite part of a road trip?
My favorite parts are when you drive around the corner and suddenly you are viewing the earth from a super high altitude with a sunset or a moon or stars and you can pull over an absorb it all. Or when you get to see strange stores or museums that are in the middle of nowhere that you would never have known existed had you not driven there. There is also a stretch of land that has these speed reducing bumps that make music when you drive over them.... that is really cool.
Have you had the opportunity to travel from a young age, or has it been more recent?
I started road tripping at an early age with my parents. We also lived in a camper for a few years on-and off and spent many a night in the deep woods. When I became old enough, I continued the journeys. I have traveled all over USA by car, hoping to start a South American trip soon.
What has been your favorite road trip destination of all time?
Most of our journeys have been amazing. My most memorable one was Florida to Wyoming, making stops in New Orleans, Texas, Santa Fe (unexpectedly) and Denver. Talk about scenery changes, each state had something completely different to offer and we stopped to visit friends and family along the way. We had some wacky adventures on this trip including our car breaking down in the middle of the new Mexico canyon desert. The views were spectacular and reaching Wyoming with the height of those mountains...breath taking!
Author: Maria Lane
Maria Lane is Co-owner of The Road Trip Mercantile. She enjoys the creative process of designing merchandise to promote the FREDERICK, MARYLAND. View and shop her latest creations HERE.