Mariska Nell

Mariska Nell is an artist, designer, environmentalist and host of the Mama Earth Talk podcast. The world is her home and sustainability her passion. As a painter and sculptor, her mediums include acrylic on canvas and recycled materials in both her canvases and sculptural work. Having started experimenting with trash in her artwork, she became curious about this new medium and began researching how the environment is impacted by waste, and what solutions exist. She now uses her creativity to represent her passion for the environment, by shining a light on our problems with waste and the impacts thereof. In 2018 Nell took her art to the streets, wearing trash for 30 days and becoming a visual representation of what it would look like if there was no “throwing away” and we all had to carry the weight of our waste rather than passing that burden on to the environment.

Personal Pronouns

she/her

Describe what you do for work and how your experience with it has been.

So far, it has been wonderful to continue working on my thesis and to start my own startup focused on bringing sustainability to the pet industry. I help modern dog parents simplify everyday care and elevate life with their pets—without sacrificing style or sustainability.

How did you get your job?

I created the job after working on this problem during my thesis and recognizing a gap in the market. I saw it as an opportunity to create something for myself—and I went for it.

What inspires you/your work?

Nature, our French Bulldog, and thinking about what future I want to leave behind.

How do you network yourself and your art?

Social, in person and through my podcast

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree, and what was it in?

BA Interior Design from Design School of Southern Africa (South Africa)

How did you hear about MCAD?

Google

Why did you choose to earn an MA at MCAD?

It looked like a great program that can add value to my career

What was your biggest takeaway from the program?

That everything is a system and we can not make changes for sustainability in silo

Where were you located when you completed the program?

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

What was the online education like?

It was good as it gave me the flexibility to work at my own pace and speed.

How has the MA impacted your career/your life?

So far not dramatically, but I think it really adds to the credibility.

How do you incorporate sustainability into your everyday life? What advice do you have for others to do the same?

Sustainability for me is not just a job. It is something that I live by everyday. I feel by doing it this way it makes the work that I do so much more meaningful.

What would you tell students considering pursuing an MA degree in Sustainable Design?

That it’s well worth it. It will expand your knowledge, make you think more critically about how everything affects what we’re doing, and might even be the springboard for starting your own business—one that can lead to positive change.