MarYSoul Expression Studio & Gallery in Dayton embraces creativity, possibilities
MarYSoul Expression Studio & Gallery is not for everyone, and owner Marcela De La Trigg knows that.
From the time she got the keys to her Front Street studio space in January 2023 to its official opening three months later, De La Trigg discovered that much of the diverse art and events MarYSoul would eventually host — like burlesque classes and sensual “rope jams” — might be a bit too provocative for more introverted visitors . But ostracizing is not the studio’s intention; De La Trigg says everyone is invited.
Originally a Texan, De La Trigg , fresh out of college, took a job as a sex education teacher in Ohio in 2020. She’s a certified health instructor as well as a certified yogi. But when she couldn’t find a yoga studio to commit to, she decided to own one instead.
The idea for MarYSoul stemmed from a donation-based yoga studio, promoting community rather than excluding the folks who couldn’t afford $20 for an hour of guided practice. As the white-washed walls and worn hardwood floors hosted yoga alongside eclectic events, De La Trigg realized she had the keys to more than just a traditional studio; she had 1,000 square feet of possibilities.
The MarYSoul name comes from a merger of De La Trigg’s Afro-Latina cultures: “Mar” in Spanish is “ocean,” doubling as the first syllable of Marcela; and “sol” is “sun,” though the homophone “soul” is a stand-in for her African roots.
MarYSoul structurally appears to be a long hallway, giving the illusion of a never-ending room. By that same token, that interminable feeling is similar to the studio practices De La Trigg chooses to employ.
Since its yogic beginnings just shy of a year ago, MarYSoul organically began to identify as an expression studio. But what does that label mean?
“(An expression studio) is a place where I come and help people to realize that art is everything,” said Marcela. “We are all art, art is everywhere, everyone is art, everyone’s an artist.”