Meet Cayden Martin | Artist & Outdoor Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cayden Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cayden, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
The most important thing I’ve done as a parent that has significantly impacted my kids would be making sure we(my husband and I) are continually getting them into the outdoors and in turn, new experiences. My goal as a parent is to encourage and nurture their love for adventure, a sense of self sufficiency, and an understanding of the impact they have on the world around them. I hope that I have sowed the seeds of a great love for the outdoors and all that it has to offer.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I grew up in an Ad agency, always surrounded by creatives and design. Naturally, I ended up choosing art to study when I went to college and later created fine art off commissions, usually paintings and illustrations. When I met my husband, he was chock full of energy and excitement for getting into the outdoors more, it was a perfect match. During the years we dated we lived for the weekends and getting outside, one summer we even moved to Wyoming so we could live and work in a National Park for a summer. At one point my husband starting asking me to make designs based on the places we had visited so that we could have something to remind us of our adventures. That was the beginnings of Destinations by Design. I started small and have grown slowly, trying to stay as true to what we love and are actively involved in doing. My designs are my own based on the places our family goes. I hope that my work brings back memories for others of adventures they enjoyed and find themselves thinking “hey, we should get out and do that again!”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, this should be easy. I live in one of the best states in the country for getting out and into some seriously memorable fun especially when given a week to indulge. Here in Arizona we have the Grand Canyon N.P. which is a must for jaw dropping views and dizzying heights. Petrified Forest N.P., Monument Valley, and Saguaro N. P. aren’t too shabby. We have multiple lakes with rock walls of every color, rivers with wild horses and little tucked away mountain towns that offer fresh air as well as solitude for the tired sole. You would be amiss to skip Sedona and a trip to a vortex…that’s only after you splash around in Slide Rock State Park. Oh! And you cannot miss a stop in Williams, Arizona to get a taste of early Americana on route 66. So, say you find yourself really craving the sounds of crashing waves and sandy beaches…just a four hour trip south from Phoenix will land you in Puerto Penasco, Mexico where the beaches run for miles and the people are happy to have you. Clearly my heart is in the outdoors because there are still many many many other wonderful features our cities and towns offer in the way of nightlife, culture, restaurants and entertainment that I have neglected to mention.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to recognize my husband, Charlie. He is the most positive person I think I have ever met, he offers support without even realizing it. He is the best person to bounce ideas off of, his genuine excitement is reinvigorating. I would not have started my small business without his gentle nudges and belief in what I can create. Thank you for being you babe, I love you Charlie.

Website: destinationsbydesign.live

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationsbydesignaz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Destinations-by-Design

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Destinationsbydesign?ref=seller-platform-mcnav