Meet Ciara Bird El | Artist & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ciara Bird El and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ciara, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I needed the ability to have more creative control over the projects I was working on, whether they were of my own creation or through clients that aligned with the vision I had for my company.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

These days I call my art practice the intersection of divinity and self-care.

I have been deeply exploring a spiritual path inspired by personal rites of passage and time spent in Senegal since January 2021.

As a graphic designer my style is constantly evolving with each new adventure and client project to bring forth the vision they have presented me with. I have been lucky to have a steady flow of clients in the holistic wellness, premium lifestyle category, as well as architecture and interior design fields that lead up to the work I am doing today.

My path went from moving to LA at 18 to attend FIDM right after high school, interning at Flaunt Magazine, as well as at a print shop and 1-1 with a website designer in DTLA to working simultaneously / cross-country for a design studio called Social Gypsy based in Venice and MODE based in CLT while also self-publishing and co-founding a culture magazine called FOUR.

I grew up in a multi-cultural home in Augusta, Georgia and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina with my family before going off to college. My southern roots have always impacted my design style; clean, classy, timeless, with a little something from beyond. My work ethic definitely came from being a Capricorn – but also seeing both my parents working and helping my dad design programs and flyers way back in the day for his youth program.

After backpacking in Europe I moved back to LA to work for Jacquie Aiche at the Bungalow in Beverly Hills and after a year went on to become a full-time digital nomad where my true spiritual awakening began back in 2016.

It was certainly not easy, but I haven’t had time to dwell on challenges as the only solution is to always keep pushing through, constantly stay inspired by exploring new art medias, testing theories, and maintaining the mindset that a lot of what I am creating personally is for the future.

They say “if it’s too early, no one will get it” and that has almost always been my greatest challenge, perhaps also designing, writing and traveling with my 3 and 5 year-old little Leos — but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I was heading back to Thailand when 2020 happened and got redirected to Senegal which possibly has changed the whole trajectory of my work. Most clients find me by referrals and almost always align with an idea I was previously manifesting, allowing the opportunity to explore whatever style I’m feeling inspired by at the moment which is usually something I’ve passed outside in the village or at a narrow crowded market in the city.

My most recent project is a short romance novel about astral travel, entitled Voyage to Atlantis. I’ve just released Book 1: The Mansion of Heru with the intention of writing 3 more books to complete the set. While that is being written, I plan to also release a 2026-2030 Dreambook, as the follow-up to the first Atum Almanac released back in 2020.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m so low-key, but whenever we have friends in LA, my favorite days include a morning hike at Griffith, an afternoon driving up the PCH with our favorite playlist after a stop at the Green Goddess Collective in Venice, lunch at the Reel Inn, followed by a couple hours laying in the sun and late night Tea at Shiloh after stopping in a few galleries.

I would follow this up with a few days casually strolling through museums, LACMA, The Getty Center, Villa, and MOCA — my favorite flea markets and always managing to find a secret park or spot to throw down a blanket and read or stop time with our dreamy conversations.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to dedicate this to Queen Afua, her incredible guidance opened the way for my journey to self realization— and Jacquie Aiche who has also been a powerful force in my career, being able to continue working alongside the JA Tribe throughout all of my travels has been invaluable.

Website: ciarabird.com

Instagram: @ciarabird

Youtube: @sesenmoon

Other: modernancientfolk.com @atempleofthemoon

Image Credits
These are all my personal photos.