Marcela is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of DAHLO Studios, home to DAHLO Creations—a curated collection of soulful, functional products for inward reflection and outward adventure.

She designed and led each piece, blending expressive art with everyday utility to inspire, organize, and elevate life.

From journaling kits to home decor, each item features her original DAHLO artwork—crafted with heart and purpose.

Made with handmade details and trusted partners, every piece is unique and intentional.

Live artfully. Travel light. Create with heart. Be intentional.

My art stems from personal rebirth—as a woman and human—and serves as a cathartic exploration of life, identity, and the world.

I create from surreal, judgment-free spaces, speaking my truth and sharing stories from a life lived on my own terms.

My work explores the beauty and contradictions of human experience—joy and pain, love and loss, connection and disconnection. Through autobiographical themes, I express both light and shadow.

Art and music fuel me. Using mixed media—glass, paint, images, and found objects—I reveal emotional truths beyond words.

Every day is a birthday.

Marcela Cabrera earned a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design from the renowned Instituto de Diseño Neumann in Caracas, Venezuela. Her illustration work for children’s books has gained international recognition and praise for its unique style and storytelling.

She was named one of the Top 100 Illustrators in the World by IBBY.

Her work is also acknowledged by the Venezuelan National Public Library, Museum of Contemporary Art, Bologna International Book Fair, and Mr. Toy in the USA.

Featured in the International Dictionary of Outstanding Latin American Illustrators and Sweden’s National Public Library, Marcela has illustrated over 20 children’s books in Venezuela and the USA.

She is a creative with a BA in Graphic Design from the Neumann Institute of Design, a UX/UI Certification from UC Berkeley, and a Surface Design Certification from Otis College of Art and Design. A lifelong learner, Marcela has completed numerous professional programs over the course of her 35-year career.

Her expertise spans graphic design, illustration, marketing, packaging, and UX/UI product development.

She has partnered with clients such as the American Red Cross, Disney, Houghton Mifflin, Microsoft, and the SJSU School of Information, among many others.

She has shaped the visual and audio direction for franchises including JumpStart, Curious George, PAC-MAN, and Final Fantasy, as well as campaigns for Disney, PepsiCo, and the American Red Cross.

As an Art Director and Creative Director for Namco Bandai and Vivendi Universal Games—and as a Design Manager for Western Digital and IBM.

She has built and led Art, User Interface and Experience Design teams, in addition to managing outsourced art teams in Europe, Russia and Asia. She’s lead original IPs, created visual systems, and shipped more than 200 products.

She’s perforned as a bassist with family, close friends, and Bay Area rock bands for diverse audiences.

She adopted the stage name DAHLO and continues exploring various musical genres including the Blues, Latin, and Rock. She is learning the Beatles’ music catalog and intends to have a tribute band some day.

Over the years, Dahlo has played various genres, including Blues, Jazz, Alternative, Latin, Soul, Salsa, Reggaeton, and Classic French Rock.

She plans to add banjo, violin, and more piano to her musical toolkit.

Welcome to DAHLO Studios on Threadless, a curated space celebrating the power of red, white, and black.

Bold design. Redefined. Each product is a statement—clean, bold, and full of soul.

From tees to home goods, the shop blends minimalism with emotion, driven by striking contrast. Perfect for those who find beauty in simplicity and meaning in every detail.

Rooted in creativity and intention, DAHLO Studios is for those who live boldly, express freely, and speak through color.

❤️ Red for fire.
🖤 Black for depth.
🤍 White for clarity.

Marcela has worked as an Interface Designer, UX Designer, Researcher, and Motion Designer, collaborating and delivering using tools like Sketch, Figma, Miro, Mural, Adobe Creative Suite, Google, Jira, Trello, and Confluence.

She designed UX/UI for IBM Streaming for Video, later licensed by FOX Sports for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

At Convera, she created user-centered solutions for reporting, analytics, brand identity, and scalable design systems.

With Diversitech, she supported R&D of tools to streamline product sales.

At Microsoft, she developed interfaces, prototypes, and motion graphics for IPTV platforms.

As Associate Director at Hitachi, she led omni-channel strategy and research for clients like Lavazza Digital USA, unifying digital and in-store experiences.

At The Fresh Market, she directed UX strategy for checkout and payments, aligning user behavior with business goals to boost efficiency and reduce friction.

For Synchrony Bank, she developed and validated experience strategies to deliver secure, user-friendly financial tools.

At Boston Scientific, she led research to improve kidney care programs, supporting human-centered healthcare solutions.

She bridges strategic thinking with hands-on design leadership to deliver meaningful, measurable results.

Marcela is a renaissance woman who shares her journey in a weekly blog—a mix of storytelling and soulwork that chronicles the bold pivots that transformed her life and brought her back to herself.

The Inward & Outward Journal is part blog, part creative rebirth—and all heart.

Born in South America, Marcela moved to the U.S., learned English, built a successful corporate career, and achieved lifelong dreams. Her journey is ongoing.

Join her each week as she explores the immigrant experience, creative careers, spirituality, and deep self-discovery.

- Blog Coming Soon-

As a Life Coach and Energy Healer with experience in corporate and creative fields, she offers an integrative, multidimensional approach to well-being.

Her holistic yet practical work helps those seeking more than relaxation to reconnect with clarity, creativity, and capacity for change.

Whether you’re a professional seeking balance, a creative needing inspiration, or navigating life transitions, her sessions provide a supportive space to restore what modern life depletes.

She blends Usui Reiki with guided visualization, breathwork, sound, crystals, and essential oils for a deeply restorative experience.