Marco Zamora is a digital creator known for his interior design, DIY, and art-related content. Amassing an impressive following on TikTok, Zamora spreads his passion for art and design and empowers his audience to express themselves creatively.
Welcome to our Inner Worlds series, where we step into the personal realms of art lovers from all walks of life, exploring the profound ways in which art is integrated into their lives.
Can you introduce yourself, your background, and what you do for a living?
I am a content creator and artist that lives in Los Angeles. My content focuses on home and interior design. My background is a little different than most in this field, as I went to school for civil engineering, and worked in the corporate and tech world before diving into my current domain. Ever since I was little, I’ve always had a passion for art and architecture and I was always very creative. But when it came time to choose my major and consider my career, it was a toss up between stability and the unknown. Being raised as a first generation Mexican-American, you want to hopefully support your parents down the line and, there is thus an idea of what a proper career looks like. So going the engineering route just kind of made the most sense at the time. As mentioned, I was in the corporate world almost five years, but I was not feeling creatively stimulated or fulfilled. So that’s when I moved into the apartment that I have now. It was this blank canvas for me to create, and I began creating content around it. Since, it has grown and I’ve been able to leave my engineering job to transition full time to content creation.
Does your experience with civil engineering influence the way you view interior design?
Yes, definitely. Initially, as an artist, I wanted to create beautiful things. I don’t think I necessarily gave enough credit to my engineering side, which provided me with not only technical knowledge and the ability to think critically and problem solve, but also how to navigate as an entrepreneur. Design and engineering play such a strong role in creating something that is both aesthetically-pleasing and functional. In a lot of my projects, I like to include a clever architectural moment; something visually appealing yet design forward.
How would you describe your living space?
I like to think of it as my little canvas, a place for me to express myself. It’s always changing, and I think it is very important to allow flexibility in your space and to be open to experimentation. I try to think beyond conventional ideas of what a home should look like, and focus on my personal design interest.
What kind of artwork do you create?
I most recently collaborated with a Brazilian artist to create a collection of four artworks. They are very colorful, in pastel and mixed media, and inspired by our beautiful and vibrant Latin heritage. I also just partnered with a Mexican florist and dear friend to create a floating Christmas tree, which has been replicated so beautifully by many people across the world. Typically, I would say that my style is closer to realism. I also started exploring oil painting to create rich and moody pieces.
How do you view your role in sharing and promoting art with your audience?
When I left my corporate job, I ended up taking a trip to Mexico City. My parents were born in Mexico, and I grew up visiting the country a lot. They are both from smaller pueblos, and that was the Mexico that I was familiar with, very different from America’s mainstream view of Mexico. I was particularly enamored by the architecture, art and culture of Mexico City, where there are a lot of talented artists.These travels were very inspiring and motivating in my own journey and I want to encourage that for others. It’s important to share your experiences and uplift others. I’ve been trying to incorporate more of my Latin heritage in my work and inspire others to do the same with their own cultures. It feels great to be able to highlight other creators, whether they’re furniture makers or artisans. I think it’s important that we bring visibility to different cultures and perspectives. That is the message I want to share with my audience.
Tell us about your daily routine.
Being an artist and content creator brings different challenges each day, which I think is exciting for me. Overall, I love being creative in the morning, so I am definitely a morning person. I will usually start with editing content for a few hours. I try to film only in natural light, so I film during specific hours depending on which room in my house I want to capture. Then business emails, meetings, etc. When I’m not working, I like to make time for staying active. I love going to the gym. I also play pickleball with friends as a fun distraction.
What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting out on their art collecting journey?
Art can be kind of intimidating when you’re first starting out. Not knowing where to look or what to buy. There are a lot of independent artists out there, and many are on social media. The beautiful thing about social media is that you have access to countless artists around the world in so many different styles. It’s a great resource. I would recommend starting there to find artists that speak to you. And art does not necessarily have to be super expensive. A lot of artists create prints, which are more accessible than originals and still very beautiful. Overall, search for work that you resonate with on an emotional level.
