BAGUIO CITY — A life story has been shared with the hope of showing the path to mental clarity.
Local artist, entrepreneur, and ultramarathoner Melan Ku Marquez launched her debut book and journal, Mindful Lines, Mindful Lives: Drawing Your Way Out of Stress, bridging art and mental health advocacy.
Set at Wright Park Hotel’s creative hub, Made Here, the book and her exhibition join the roster of artists and artisans featured in the space meant to champion locally made crafts and art. The launch was held in an intimate gathering on February 7, 2026.
Marquez shares the use of creativity for emotional healing in the book-journal, saying, “We are not powerless passengers in life; each of us carries the freedom of choice.”
In the book, Marquez transforms readers to becoming spectators to the milestones, struggles, and triumphs of her life story. Set against the backdrop of Baguio City and Benguet, the narrative shared is not what many might expect, she surprises us with a silent strength and a steady character molded throughout a youth lived under a tight discipline.
The book launch also featured an exhibition showcasing nine works on canvas and prints, highlighting Neurographics, transformative creative process designed to engage the subconscious mind, making neurographic art a tool to achieve mental clarity.
The work of Marquez proves that a single line has the power to change a life using her foundation in Psychology and a mastery of Neuroart, she approaches the canvas with soothing lines and colors designed to pacify rattled nerves and give a clarity not only to the artist but also to its audience.
“Staying Afloat” is the artist’s interpretation of trust, noting that it is not about a perfect balance. “It is about awareness, micro-movements, and the will to keep going. Some days, it looks like progress. Other days, it is simply not sinking. Both are enough.” Meanwhile, “Where Joy Runs Free” is about the joy of the moment.
A similar theme resounds in her other works: Enough, Passage, Bark and Breath, Carrying Grace, and The Quiet Watch. Marquez said, “This series is a quiet exploration of presence and flow. Every line moves with intention, tracing moments of stillness, breath, and awareness.”
Each piece represents a “rewiring” of neural pathways as Melan bridges the gap between mental health and creativity, skillfully turning stress into clarity and emotional weight into visual resilience. Through this, she demonstrates that art is more than expression; it is a practical, rhythmic tool for transforming the human mindset, one line at a time.
This mantra pf of self-determination is at the heart of the book, balancing traditions with the courage to forge a personal path.
Marquez, founder of Art Heals Incorporated, an organization aiming to provide a supportive and creative environment for the public to explore and find their self-expression through art mediums.
The book launch kickstarts a series of community activities anchored in the advocacy to balance mental well-being and art. By Maria Elena Catajan