Be Your Own Muse
You don’t need to become someone else to succeed as an artist. You just need to become more of who you already are.
But no one taught us how to do that—
To hold the center in a world that doesn’t just value talent, but demands constant productivity.
To stay rooted when the pressure is to be perfectly filtered.
To protect what makes us artists in a culture obsessed with performance and popularity.
Be Your
Own Muse
You don’t need to become someone else to succeed as an artist. You just need to become more of who you already are.
But no one taught us how to do that—
To hold the center in a world that doesn’t just value talent, but demands constant productivity.
To stay rooted when the pressure is to be perfectly filtered.
To protect what makes us artists in a culture obsessed with performance and popularity.
Hi there!
I’m Mariana Durst.
Mexican street corn lover, Dance party instigator, and hype-woman for artists pursuing their dreams.
And I’m also a brand strategist, creative coach, and witness to the artists you’re becoming.
I help fine artists reclaim their voice, refine their vision, and build a business that protects the creative fire while sharing it with the world.
This space isn’t just about websites and professional branding.
It’s an incubator of personal and artistic liberation.
You see, I’ve been where you are.
I have a BFA in ceramics and over two decades of creative online entrepreneurship.
That’s twenty years of making, testing, refining—sometimes thriving, sometimes questioning everything—but always returning to this: a creative practice is also a compass.
I’ve never seen artistry and strategy as opposites. Nope. In my book, they’re co-conspirators.
And when we treat the creative wellspring as sacred and integrate all our versions, the business that flows from it becomes sustainable, aligned, and wildly alive.
And listen, I know that online it looks like everyone else has it all figured out.
But what you’re seeing when you scroll isn’t necessarily the truth—it’s polish.
And what you need isn’t to catch up.
It’s to come back—to your own rhythm, your own way.
And maybe… just maybe… it’s believing that
You’re Not Behind.
You’re Just Not Performing.
My Clients are
Exquisitely Seen
They don’t just walk away with strategic branding, story-driven copy, and gorgeous websites…
They walk forward with something deeper: clarity, self-trust, and a grounded sense of direction.
Most marketing advice starts on the outside: your niche, your grid, your content strategy.
But my work begins deep beneath the surface: your fears. Your fire. Your why.
That’s why my clients don’t say:
“Mariana made me a website.”
They say:
“You helped me take up space I hadn’t taken before.”
“She inspired me to delve into self-reflection.”
“She gave my art legs.”
They come in hoping for traction. They leave with liberation and their creative compass realigned.
“If you're ready to get serious about your business as an artist—and are ready to go to the next level—there is no one else I'd recommend.
You will be seen, you will be heard and you will be held. I consider her not only magical, but after this magnificent journey, a dear friend.”
—RACHAEL RYAN • FINE ARTIST
The MDS Principles
Integrity over influence
Artistry over algorithms
Courage over… complacency
Creativity over competition
Compassion over comparison
Connection over transactions
I’M NO GIRL SCOUT, BUT I’VE GOT BADGES.
Some of the links I share may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase through them. I only recommend things I genuinely love and believe will support your creative journey. Integrity first, always. 💫
Personality Quizzes:
More Than My Love Language
Back in the 90s, I was the girl with the Lisa Frank notebook she passed around to all her friends, complete with a handwritten quiz for everyone to answer. I’ve always been obsessed with understanding people.
And well, the kid who hoarded personality quizzes, offered heartfelt advice at recess, and led her high-school besties in therapeutic bonding sessions?
Yeah, she grew up.
Here Are the Receipts:
-
Feel it, grow it, refine it, own it, scale it.
StrengthsFinder Top 5: Empathy. Developer. Maximizer. Responsibility. Strategy.
This is the magic combo that lets me tune into where you are and see where you’re going—then map the steps to get you there in a way that feels human, honest, and wildly aligned. -
Heart of an artist. Drive of a CEO.
Enneagram 4w3
I crave depth, beauty, truth—and I will call out the self-doubt hiding behind your “I’m just figuring it out.” -
Responding through deep alignment
Human Design – 1/3 Emotional Generator
I learn by living. I trust the slow knowing over the instant fix. What I share? Hard-won, real, and deeply felt.
-
Visionary introvert, intuitive strategist, quiet space-holder.
Myers-Briggs: INFJ
I’m the partner who will organize your launch plan, help you reframe your doubt, and gently suggest that maybe your inner critic is full of it.
PERSONALLY SPEAKING…
I MARRIED MY SOULMATE AND WE HAVE AN EPIC INTERNATIONAL LOVE STORY
WE HAVE 3 PRETTY AMAZING BOYS
SOMEDAYS I WONDER if it’s not too late to get A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE
I LOVE NATURE & SPACE DOCUMENTARIES
KITCHEN DANCE PARTIES ARE THE NORM IN MY HOUSE
I use “find my iphone” 984 times a day
I COLLECT VINTAGE PAPERS AND BOOKS BECAUSE I LOVE THE YELLOW GLAZE THEY GET WITH AGE
I’m an awe-junkie and that’s why I work with artists
I’m an artist too!
Featured on Episode 147 of
Art Juice,