In the Studio with Derek Macara

November 18, 2025

Coastal New England is littered with stunning landscapes, making it a location favored by artists from all over the world who participate in attempts to capture its beauty. Portuguese American artist, Derek Macara, is following in the footsteps of those who came before him and in doing so, introducing a wider audience to the spot with his own contemporary twist.

Based in Provincetown, the contemporary painter has gained massive exposure via Tik Tok, where his interpretations of the familiar clouds and oceanic lure have reached a global audience. His videos have enabled him to find success sans gallery representation, proving it is possible for artists to find their path without needing to follow the conventional path. Photographer Cassandra Rodriguez paid a visit in his studio and got to know the man behind the canvas.

Check out the full interview below.

Photography + Interview by Cassandra Rodriguez
Intro by Abby Dillingham

Cassandra Rodriguez— What inspired you to start capturing the landscapes of New England?

Derek Macara— Well, it's my home, so I've always been inspired by all the natural beauty around here. I feel at home here and there's just something really beautiful about the winter here and how lonely it is. I'm trying to capture that in my head.

CR— As an artist, how were you able to capture such iconic landscapes in a new way that inspired you?

DM— I just want to be different and I feel like that's how you need to stand out to be successful as an artist. You can't just do what other people have done - you have to do things in a new way.

CR— What would you say sets you apart from other artists?

DM— Just from my life experiences, I have a really good understanding of what I'm painting. I feel like I'm expressing a part of myself, and I've lived a life that is like a combination of what I paint. I try to express my life experiences through my paintings.

CR— If you were to go anywhere, what's your ideal place to create - if you had no limits, no budget, you had nothing planned… you could be anywhere in the world painting?

DM— I usually paint in my studio so it doesn't really matter the outside environment. I really like Los Angeles, and working over there with a really big space so I can work on bigger boards. That'll also affect your landscape work too because you're going to feel inspired by your environment.

CR— Do you have a favorite type of cloud?

DM— I like cumulus clouds. Big, fluffy.

CR— I didn't know there was, like, different types of...

DM— They're really hard to paint, but I like the challenge.

CR— Tell me about how you started to gain recognition on TikTok - what was that like?

DM— It happened pretty quick. I mean, I wasn't really on TikTok much and then within a year I had hundreds of thousands of followers…just wow. Just from filming my painting process and making little edits. And that's cool, just set up your phone and kind of time lapse it - use a tripod and some good lighting, yeah that's all you really need in my opinion.

CR— How does social media change the way that contemporary artists create and share their work?

DM— I mean galleries are still reputable and still a thing, but the average artist can do it solo and show your work to millions of people without [a gallery]. It's the power of especially TikTok too.

CR— Do your Portuguese roots play a role in your work, if so, how?

DM— Yeah, I grew up as a fisherman and with a pretty Portuguese American lifestyle - so spending a lot of time on the water and boats really. That's why I paint a lot of seascapes because that's how I grew up.

CR— What drew you here and what keeps you here?

DM— Just my whole family being here for generations and all the experiences I've had here. It's always going to feel like home even if I move away.

CR— You've shipped your paintings to every continent but Antarctica... what do you attribute that to?

DM— Probably social media and just the amount of people that my videos have reached all over the world. Yeah, just a lot of videos going viral you can see them from everywhere.

Instead of just trying to get those views and likes, just paint what you want...

CR— What's a smell that instantly makes you nostalgic?

DM— The smell of the ocean... the salty air. It reminds me of a lot of times I've been out there.

CR— What hill are you dying on?

DM— I feel like at this point I'm going to be a painter for the rest of my life - so even if my career isn't as successful as it is now, in the future, I'm just going to keep doing it.

CR— I feel the same about photography. I just know this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life ’til I'm old. Until I can't hold a camera. How can artists use social media while still staying true to their creative vision?

DM— There's a lot of styles of painting that become trending on social media and people try to do that just to get views, but it's not really what they want to be. So I think you should just stick with what you're inspired by and what you want to do and get better at that, and eventually the better you get more people [will see]. Instead of just trying to get those views and likes, just paint what you want and get better at that.

CR— Is there a piece you have here that you would say is your prized possession?

DM— I think this big one at the moment.

CR— Does it have a title?

DM— Atlantic clouds. It's the biggest one I've ever made.

CR— How long did it take you again?

DM— Around a month.

CR— Wow. Like every day?

DM— A little bit every day. The size of that one is really why I like it.

CR— Is this something you have based off your memory or you do have a photo?

DM— No it’s like drawing combined photos and then I make an image in photoshop first, before I start, so I can see what it's going to be like. And there's a lot of improvising along the way, it doesn't look exactly right.

CR— How much is this piece going for?

DM— About $24,000.

CR— Do people ever come over and look at the art to buy it?

DM— Occasionally. I mean, if they know the painting they want to look at I'll have a look, but it's not really a real studio. It's a working space. But for the most part I just sell them through my website. [People] just buy that way, it’s kind of crazy.

CR— Did you go to school for art?

DM— Not really. I took some classes when I was younger, but not an accredited school or something.

CR— Yeah. Similarly, I didn't go to school for photography. I went for advertising. But photography, I'm just self taught. Through and through.

DM— Yeah, if you want to do it hard enough [you can]. I think that's with any kind of stuff on the internet literally.

CR— Do you want to go back to that tricky one?

DM— Yeah, I was just thinking about that. What was it?

CR— What's something people get wrong about New England?

DM— I feel like with everyone it’s the stereotype of people in New England that everyone's mean. Like miserable. Which, I mean, it’s probably like seasonal depression, but people are nicer in the summertime. People might come off as mean, but they're actually very nice.

Art

Paul McCarthy: Power in the Provocative

I do what I want—what I believe in. We’re living in a pretty extreme time, and when people say my work is getting more extreme, I think that just reflects the world around us. I’m simply moving with the current.

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, McCarthy’s beginning in the art world stems from proximal radicalization. After moving from Salt Lake City to study in San Francisco, McCarthy's work as an artist has always embodied this radicalization. Street-wise, known for being one of the most

“dangerous” artists in Los Angeles, this exhibit encapsulates that at its forefront. The artworks present provocative, scattered drawings and paintings that promote freedom from systematic censorship in the exchange between creator and receiver. His art style is distinctive in its intention of visibility over technicality, as seen in his limited color palette and intentionally imperfect techniques, but radical imagery.

McCarthy speaks about his artistic process as though the outcomes are inevitable and incredibly natural to him, given the current state of the world. Living in times of constant uncertainty has blurred the lines of media censorship; almost everything we consume is shaped by it, raising questions such as: Why was this said? Why was this created? Who is this for? Paul McCarthy’s work deconstructs this. His drive to create authentically and follow what feels natural to him results in art that inhabits the visual extremes of human experience, with the spirit of contestation serving as an added layer to the experience.

Art

The Wedding Written In Stone

April 27, 2026

Sten Studio walks down the aisle to couple with Alcova for Milan Design Week. Set within an abandoned cathedral where vows once echoed, The Wedding is a sculptural installation hosting a symbolic marriage between feminine and masculine, soft and stone, fluidity and structure. Rocks are fossilized fusions of their own ancient surroundings, built from eons of crashing waves or explosive magma. Love is based on divine circumstances, built through trials and tribulations. Love is much like stone in the way it takes form through time and pressure, relying on the invisible higher powers forcing the gravity of unity. The Wedding reflects on this permanence. The space materializes elements that are usually fleeting - light, flowers, ceremonies, romance. Registry gifts include a custom carpet courtesy of Verdi, floral arrangements from Hamish Powell, and scents brewed by Penhaligon’s, all coming together to build the intimate world.

Photos Courtesy of Ramona Balaban

Sten Studio specializes in stones and crystals as decorative interiors, expanding on natural, Earthly beauty in man-made environments. Alcova temporarily transforms raw, abandoned, and unique urban spaces into immersive hubs of design, innovation, and heritage. The featured collection revitalizes the cathedral for a final reception celebrating life and all its momentary yet abundant bursts of joy.

Art

All Silk Roads Lead to Gucci

April 23, 2026

The silk road once dominated the Asia-pacific and cultivated economical prosperity with the purest textiles, a contrast to the modern, oversaturated market of cheap goods. Gucci has never been a cheap name, and their craftsmanship could be mistaken for that of another century. The Art of Silk, curated by Demna from the Gucci Archive in Florence, pays homage to the house’s journey with silk. Ten scarves reimagine archival designs of flora, animalia, and nautical prints - motifs of the primordial garden of Gucci. These limited-edition pieces were birthed in Calabria in collaboration with Nido di Seta and Ongetta. The fine Italian silk encapsulates more than Gucci’s reputation, but the tradition of mulberry cultivation. The project revives a once-thriving silk supply chain, recovering abandoned land, fostering employment in communities, supporting small farmers, and powered by renewable energy. It’s a production that innovates how tradition, community, and sustainability can stay preserved in the contemporary world.

In addition to this heritage preservation, the campaign represents Gucci’s contribution to the world of art and education. Two exclusive flora scarves were created for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, celebrating its opening of the new David Geffen Galleries. Available exclusively at the LACMA Store and the Gucci Beverly Hills flagship store, the designs pull inspiration from Vittorio Accornero’s 1966 illustrations. In partnership with the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze, selected student paintings of each scarf will be displayed at the Gucci Rodeo Drive store in LA. Gucci supports these participating students through scholarships, reinforcing the house’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of creative talent. The Art of Silk bridges the old and new world, breathing life into past traditions and future endeavors.