We had the good fortune of connecting with Gavin Kelleher-Marciello and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gavin, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
My ultimate dream is to cultivate a collective of creatives that serves to put beauty into the world in every way possible. In simpler terms, I would love to eventually own a storefront/some sort of brick and mortar where I can work on my designs while allowing other creatives to use the space for community outreach, hosting events, and really everything in-between. I have always had such a deep affection towards community and the importance of creating spaces for “grassroots” activism. As I am still so new in my career I like to leave room for my career goals to shift and hopefully grow with me. Something I’m currently working on to move in this direction is collaborating with my close friend who is a potter to highlight her vessels by using them for all my floral design. In addition I will be working with a local regenerative farm to source my product. In doing this I hope to create connections between other creatives and develop a co-operative of people that can bring light to the importance of communal spaces. Community over competition, that’s something I’d like to guide me towards my end goal.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Prior to the pandemic I was in school and working full-time, I was moving at such a fast pace at all times that when I was forced to slow down because of the lockdown I realized how burnt out and unhappy I was. I felt so deeply uninspired in life at only 20 years old, I slipped into such a heaviness that felt so debilitating that I began reevaluating what I valued and most importantly what I wanted my life to feel like. After a long chat at a coffee shop with one of my best-friends she suggested I look into a floral job, she thought it would be fitting as I’ve always played with “arranging” things I found on my dads farm. The next day I stumbled into a floral job where I worked with flowers at a coffee shop very casually. After a short three months I knew this was something I wanted to pursue and I left my job to work for a large floral design company, which I recently left and began working on my own company in addition to working as a freelance designer. Since starting my job working with flowers I’ve come to find such a sense of solace and passion. Flowers have helped me celebrate every second of being alive, mundane and extraordinary, and all the in-between moments when it moves you and makes you feel.

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 would take them to my home, Ocean Beach. Specifically sunset cliffs, the cliffs hold such a special place in my heart and always will. A burrito by the water, simple and perfect!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friends, I have such an incredible, loving, and unwavering support system. Without question my friends have helped and supported me in a million different ways. Knowing I have that type of support system has given me the confidence to pursue a career that terrified me a bit, regardless of outcome I know I won’t ever have to question how supported I am, even in the lowest moments.

Instagram: Solace Floral