Meet Marc Marcel | Marc Marcel – Author | Poet | Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marc Marcel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marc, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
It really depends on how you measure success. There’s a quote I live by, I’m not even sure if it’s originally mine or something I heard along the way, but it goes, “If you can touch one, you can touch them all.” That’s how I see being an artist.

Take someone like Vincent Van Gogh, he only sold one painting in his entire lifetime. He could’ve quit, but he didn’t. He kept painting, relentlessly, never knowing the recognition his work would receive long after he was gone. Today, his art is worth millions, but he clearly wasn’t creating for the fame or the money, if he had been, he would’ve stopped. That’s what made him a true artist.

So for me, success can be measured by simply making a difference to one person. You never know who that one person might go on to inspire. I’ve been fortunate to hear from people who say my work has changed their life, and that, to me, is success. It’s an ongoing journey, not a fixed destination. The only time you truly fail is when you quit.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m involved in a number of things, but at the core of it all is my company, Cosmidelic Productions—an umbrella for everything I create. Whether it’s my animated series Gurus, my spoken word albums, my books, or my podcast The Cosmidelic Download, all of my work is rooted in consciousness, metaphysics, social awareness, and self-discovery. I’ve always believed that art flows from the same source, even when it takes on different forms. My goal has been to create content that awakens, heals, and elevates.

What sets my work apart is that I don’t just create for entertainment, I create with purpose. I’m a psychonaut, and my own explorations into plant medicine and higher consciousness deeply inform my art. I want people to feel something, think differently, and walk away more aware than before.

The path hasn’t been easy. I’ve taken risks most people wouldn’t, sleeping in my car when touring, sometimes on the road for 5 to 6 months at a time before I made it back home to rest. I remember the first time I did it, my father told me he thought I was crazy. And though, his encouragement is usually what drives me, his doubt in that moment did as well. But these moments shaped me. I live by the story of the Chinese Farmer—we don’t always know which moments are blessings in disguise. As a writer, I see every experience, good or bad, as material for insight and growth.

I’ve learned that determination is everything. That voice in the back of my mind saying “keep going” has carried me through. Supporters’ encouragement fuels me just as much as the doubts from others—I’ve learned to turn both into motivation.
The biggest lesson along the way has been this: lead by example. My own son learned by watching me write, not by being told to. That’s how I live my life—by doing the work, not talking about it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
You’re about to get me in trouble. But, honestly, maybe I would plan the week around a weekend musical event, where we would be out until 5 in the morning, and if they have the energy for it, definitely one of the after parties that can go on and into the next day. LA has one of the best after party and day party scenes in the country.

Though, for the after parties, it would be good to be in the ‘know,’ with some of those people, as visitors wouldn’t know where or what was going on unless they knew someone in that scene. So, more than the attractions, I find what makes LA, LA, are the people. I really enjoy the different demographics, all nationalities, all thought and different viewpoints, but on the same wavelength as far as advancing their interactions with each other.

But before we got started, I’d first take them to my favorite mediterranean restaurant, Al-Wazir, and make sure that I get them a chicken shawarma. Most people can’t wait to get to In-N-Out. But I find that the lesson known national recognized spots are what give this town it’s heartbeat. Then, of course, some of the more widely known things, such as Runyon Canyon, the Observatory, Venice Beach, would be on most of my friend’s ‘to do list,’ if it was their first time here.

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?
My father is my greatest inspiration, and educator, though I have gone on to exceed his initiation, and stretched beyond what he has expected. He still is the one who believes I can do anything. and that carries so much weight.

Also, my supporters, those that have encouraged my art. The compliments I’ve received from supporters telling me I’m making a positive impact have been powerful motivators. But just as much, I’m fueled by those who’ve doubted me, those who didn’t want to see success come my way. I’ve learned to use both encouragement and discouragement as fuel, just from different ends of the spectrum.

Website: https://www.cosmidelic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcmarcel/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/marcmarcel/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcmarcel/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cosmidelicdownload/

Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4SGPmJ4jibeGJpYHdpXO

Image Credits
For the shots with myself wearing the tan shawl, credits go to…Eliyahou Bialobos