We recently had the chance to connect with Raquel Marón Alfaro and have shared our conversation below.
Raquel, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
At this point in my life everything I do is so enjoyable that I don’t live for weekends or holidays. The work I do doesn’t feel like work, so weekdays/weekends are not divided in my mind as “work days” or “fun days”. So usually I will flow with the day, but there are a couple of things that I try to do every morning as a personal ritual to honor myself.
Wake up early and slowly
Most days I wake up early and stay in bed a few minutes, looking our the window and cuddling with my adopted and very loved dog Minka. It feels like slowly landing from a flight, letting myself return to consciousness, giving thanks for a new day, analyzing my dreams (if any, but usually I have very vivid dreams), and going through my day in my head.
Physical activity
Twice a week I have an exercise class, so I get ready quickly and go out and sit in nature a few minutes before it starts.
On days when I don’t have class, I take a longer walk with my Minka. This moment is very important to me because it really makes me connect with nature. I walk along a path lined with lush vegetation, birds signing, and sunlight, and I cannot describe how much it inspires my mind and soul. I like to do it in silence. It is a moment to lock in peace and inner balance, as well as to take photos of nature or interesting things I see, which is my wordless way to communicate with others.
Coffee
I really enjoy my simple little ritual of warming up water in my red kettle, measuring the right amount of coffee, preparing it in my French press, and sipping it slowly. At this time I might scroll through social media and share the photos of my morning walk. This moment helps me to relax, set my thoughts in order and focus on the sequence of my tasks.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Ever since I can recall, I wanted to do beautiful graphic/artistic things, mostly printed, that would make others happy. I am grateful for having been able to study my career of choice – graphic design – and to continue working as a graphic designer after more than two decades.
RAQUEL MARÓN DISEÑADORA GRÁFICA
Although my main field of work is brand consulting, and especially logo design and graphic brand development, I also do and enjoy a wide range of artistic and creative activities.
As a graphic designer, my work covers areas like editorial design, social media, printed materials, mass media communications, promotional merchandise, and personal or institutional image consultations, along with my main brand consulting projects.
-Painting
As of last year, painting has entered the scene with various commissions from diverse clients. Many of the basic graphic design principles apply to artistic work, so I find myself very comfortable while developing this line of work.
-Photography
Another one of my childhood passions has been photography: portraits, urban, nature, details that sometimes go unnoticed. Sometimes I feel as if these really random situations or objects cross my path on purpose so I can take a photo of them! Recently I have been accepted as a contributor for Getty Images/iStock Photo, and have also worked photography projects on commission.
-Video
In 2024 I was awarded a Honorable Mention for a short film I entered to the ESCINE Short Film Festival, in El Salvador. Based on a text message from a friend, “Primera Semana de Noviembre” explores the universal internal plight between heart and head. It was written, performed, designed, produced, and directed by myself, and I also composed the music on my piano. It was a great new experience that I will definitely continue pursuing. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/HjyG7PZ64Lo?si=jMweihs55ExDwoHo
-Editorial
I have been part of small publications before, but now have a coffee table book on my portfolio. “Antigua Living” is a beautiful book about Antigua Guatemala, and I had the pleasure of being part of the editorial team as the Visual Advisor and cover designer, as well as developing all the graphic materials for the book signing tours.
LUXIOLA PORTRAITS
A project that is very close to my heart, though it moves slowly, is Luxiola Portraits. With it, I am trying to prove that there are no beauty standards, as every person is uniquely beautiful. Luxiola is a collection of portraits taken with my iPhone, using natural light only, with a gray wall in my dining room as backdrop. Although small and a bit homemade, it makes me very proud.
TEACHING
The amazing energy that goes back and forth while teaching is definitely one of the best experiences in my professional life. It is an honor to have the chance to share the knowledge I have acquired as well as my experiences, and be part of the learning process of young people.
-University
For many years I was a professor at Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado in El Salvador, teaching subjects like Responsible Design, Artistic Techniques, Color Psychology, Fundamentals of 3D Design, and History of Graphic Design. I was voted “Best All Around” teacher one year, and had brilliant results in my yearly evaluations. I have great memories, and feel very proud when I see my former students going places in life.
-Speaker, workshops and conferences
The first TEDx event in El Salvador found me in the midst of creating awareness for local design (more of that later), and gave me the chance, as one of the speakers, to bring a spotlight on this topic that has now come a long way.
There was also my personal branding workshop called “La Mejor Marca” (The Best Brand), that built itself up from classrooms and became an event itself. A combination of self-discovery and branding basics helped participants navigate my 9-step conceptualization process, resulting in their own logo design.
Other workshops dwelled on subjects such as my 9-step conceptualization process, poster design, event organization to support local design, and freelancing.
-Online course
There is an online course on the platform PRISMATTICA about my 9-step conceptualization process.
DESIGN WITH A PURPOSE
As a designer trying to start my career in times when design was not really a “thing” for businesses, I wanted to help emerging fellow designers by giving them a platform to introduce themselves and their work.
BazArt was born in 2008 with that purpose, and grew exponentially until 2014, when my graphic design business required more of my time.
BazArt did not only support local design, but also charities like breast cancer awareness, childhood cancer, and cerebral palsy, among others. I can proudly say that BazArt set the style and pace for the vast amount of local design markets that currently exist.
I still support breast cancer awareness with pro-bono work.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Probably the part that I am very happy to see released is the need to make others happy.
This does not mean that I am mean and inconsiderate, it just means that now I am aware of the value of myself and my work, so I am no longer negotiating that.
Probably in the past, in the time frame in which I had to pursue my freelance dream and open my way with a profession that was not very standard, pleasing others was benefitial.
However, at this point, considering my work experience, my portfolio, my trajectory, my role as a pathfinder and trendsetter, it is very clear that there is no space for undervaluing my work.
This permeates over to my every-day life, and it has been life-changing.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes!
June 2, 2022.
I decided I would no longer be a designer.
This was obviously a crazy idea since, as I have said many times, the line between design being my job and my life is practically non-existent!
But it was after COVID, and things were tough, AI was knocking at the door, and young designers were literally giving their work away with super low prices and downloading pre-made logos from digital platforms.
I felt defeated.
Me, the old-school designer who will design from scratch, takes the time to see the details, is willing to go the extra mile, seemed to be fading into a fast-track world where all of that was not being paid for or appreciated.
I said my good-byes, let go of my expectations, began an anthological collection of posts on my social media, and started to consider other life choices.
And all of a sudden, a new client.
Then, another.
And another.
Long story short, it is 2025 and I am working more than before.
I guess it’s true what they say about letting things go, and if they are yours they will return.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I am very proud to say that there is no public version of me, as there is only one real me.
Through time it has been clear to me that as long as I stay genuine and true to myself, and present myself as such -be it in business, teaching and learning, supporting causes, being a customer, connecting with others, or being a friend- I will be going in the right direction.
Sometimes this has meant leaving jobs, projects, or relationships that do not align with my values or light a spark in my heart.
Being genuine and disguise-free has allowed me to build long-lasting bonds with clients, as well as with the people I see or relate to on a regular basis. Also, it keeps me grounded, trying to understand the paths of others, and offering work with a soul.
It must be tiring to have a public persona to keep up with, or to set your worth on other’s approval of such persona.
So yes, what you see in public is the real me.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Something that is easy to forget in business or professional settings is that one is dealing with people.
It’s not only work, it is the wide (and wild) range of emotions, opinions, experiences, trains of thought, good days, bad days, etc., of the humans we work with.
One thing that remains at the top of my list of things to remember on the first approach with a client is that this person is trusting me with something that is very valuable to them. Whether it is a new business venture or an idea, they have put time, thoughts, energy, hopes, and expectations into it.
I try to imagine how they feel about meeting me and while they’re working with me, the days waiting while I show them progress, or the questions they might have.
It is not about a logo or a stationery set or a sign, it’s also about all the emotions the process of design conveys.
Do they seem intimidated with terms they don’t fully understand? I will gladly explain whatever they need to know.
The proposal was not 100% what they are looking for? I’ll work on it until it makes their heart flutter.
Are they unsure about things that go beyond my design offer? If I can help them make a decision, I’ll be there.
I am convinced that seeing the person behind the client has been the key to successful graphic design solutions and business relationships.
And it has to do so much with being transparent and genuine, connecting, and letting go of control.
If someone can take this little piece of knowledge as a legacy, I will be very happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.raquelmaron.com
- Instagram: @raquelmarondg, @luxiolaportraits
- Linkedin: Raquel Marón Alfaro
Image Credits
Photo 1: TATO ESCOBAR
Photo 4: PRISMATTICA
