My brother Nicandro Castañeda and I, Haya Cuzick, founded Nocal Mocal in 2022, just as we were finally emerging from the Covid pandemic.  My brother as an MD saw firsthand the devastating effects of the virus and the disruption to basic human connections that it caused.  He developed a line of organic soaps and called his company, Abrazos: hugs in spanish.  As his soaps started selling, he invited me to open a store with him where I could sell my art alongside his skin care products.  I have an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, so I jumped at the chance to manage a gallery and sell my art. We invited other very talented friends and family members to display their art in our gallery.  Still, something was missing for me.  I was missing the comeradery of working with other artists.  Since then, we have evolved into the working studio we are today, and we call it Nocal Mocal.

What's in a name?

Nocal Mocal means my house is your house in Nahuatl, the language of our paternal great grandparents. Nahuatl is an indigenous language still spoken in some parts of Mexico and Central America. Culturally, we, the children of Lilia and Joe Castañeda, are of Mexican, indigenous, and Spanish background, true mestizos. The idea of calling our studio Nocal Mocal stems from the belief that we are one family. As human beings whatever our backgrounds, we ultimately share the same origin. And the world is collectively our house. 

Our Vision
We see our studio as a warm welcoming space where artists of all levels may find other artists and simply be inspired to create.

Our Mission 
By providing workshops in the basics, a space without judgement, and constant support from other experienced artists, creative people can find the freedom and courage to explore their own ideas.