Queen Creek Tribune (Dec 3, 2025) by Mary-Elizabeth Meagher

When some people encounter a vending machine, they briefly scan its contents and continue on their way.

But artist Anjelica Guzman’s keen eyes imagine creative possibilities. 

They led Guzman on a mission to combine her talent for graphic design, her passion for nature, and her connection with Downtown Mesa into an unconventional project she affectionately calls Anjie’s Vending.

Her inspiration dates back to a casual browsing session on Facebook Marketplace. 

“I was scrolling… on this platform when I noticed that someone was selling these old-school vending machines,” Guzman explains. “Since I love tactile mediums for print design, I started to play with this idea of how to reconfigure one of those machines into a vessel for some of my original artwork that others could enjoy. 

“I began to consider, ‘What is something folks are drawn to, something visible that others will see and ask them about, so it provokes a chain reaction?’ Stickers fit the bill.” 

So, she bought a machine, set to work modifying its internal mechanisms to dispense stickers, then used Adobe Illustrator to create a few sticker designs. 

“All the stickers are nature-themed, but also whimsical and cartoonish, which I think is super fun. I also knew that I wanted to incorporate a fundraising element, so I chose to donate all the proceeds from these stickers to climate justice and environmental protection agencies, both in our state and across the country,” she explained.

“My name is Anjelica, which does not fit on a vending machine, so I shortened it to Anjie,” Guzman said.

But why an overlap with nature? 

“A deep love for the outdoors was instilled in me as a young kid,” Guzman said. “I am from Dallas, Texas, so there wasn’t much access to public lands near my home, but my father used to take me camping about two hours north once a month. I feel like that’s where my passion for nature conservation and the outdoors as a whole took root.

“Along with this interest in nature, I was also an artistic child who spent a lot of time immersed in creative pursuits. But I loved a challenge, a puzzle to solve. So, as I grew older, the intersection between creativity and problem-solving made sense to me in the form of graphic design. 

“That’s where I found my niche. … Design can spark so much joy, while sharing valuable information of why nature is crucial to protect.”

An example of design’s unique ability to intersect with nature advocacy is Smokey the Bear, she explained.

“Just think about this historic and iconic mascot for a second. He’s a cute, personified bear who communicates the message of wildfire prevention in a way that feels approachable, accessible, and visually appealing. He exudes joyfulness, but he also raises awareness for personal accountability at the same time,” Guzman said.

“This is the intention I had when creating Anjie’s Vending – I wanted to capture the same joy I feel spending time in nature. But I also wanted it to be quirky, vibrant, and fun, so that folks who might not have as much experience with outdoor recreation can still resonate with the advocacy piece.” 

“As residents and stewards of these public lands, it’s our responsibility to do what we can to preserve them,” Guzman said. 

“It’s on all of us to maintain beautiful spaces for outdoor recreation, protect biodiversity, and look for resourceful, creative ways to fund meaningful conservation efforts as nature faces the risk of being sold off to corporations.” 

So, she said, “It’s a gift to spend time in these remarkable spaces, but with this comes a mandate to preserve and respect the outdoors.”

“These lands are not just for our consumption. Nature is interwoven and interconnected—our diverse ecosystems help sustain life’s ability to flourish. But affecting one aspect of this delicate balance can cause a domino effect where everything topples. 

Guzman cited light pollution as one example.

“Our city lights are thrown up in the sky, which interrupts natural bird migration patterns, so certain bird species are now dying at faster rates. Without those birds, who will eat insects and contain their numbers from becoming invasive? It’s a vicious cycle that impacts human health, too.”

In college Guzman took a master’s-level course called Regenerative Graphic Design with a focus on Biomimicry. 

“Through this class, I learned how to parse out ‘wicked problems’ [complex, abstract, or persistent issues] as intricate webs that must be untangled at the root—not patched over by quick fixes. Climate change is a wicked problem, but nature has an innate way of showing us how to resolve it.” 

Biomimicry is the concept of observing how nature functions, then applying those lessons to  human systems. Both sustainable architecture and visual design are often rooted in biomimicry, Guzman explained.

 “Nature builds itself in regenerative ways—the rain falls, a plant grows, and when the plant dies, it decomposes into the soil to nourish other plants around it. There’s no waste in this process, which humans could learn from. For instance, we can adopt renewable design practices, like the use of recycled materials from local sources.” 

Speaking of which, collaboration is an integral component in her vision for Anjie’s Vending.

“It’s important to me that Anjie maintains a collaborative stake with other local business ventures in the Mesa community. Collaboration is everything. It takes more than one person to safeguard our public lands. The same is true for a collaborative design process. 

“I am not the only brain fueling this pursuit, which makes it so fun. This is a mutual effort to protect the outdoors—not just here in Arizona, but across our whole nation.”

She added, “I love Mesa, and I think embodying this love with concrete actions has the power to make it better.”

Guzman travels to all sorts of businesses in Downtown Mesa and the surrounding areas.”

Her nomadic vending machine has been hosted at the ASU Mix Center, Forge Tower Apartments, and The Well Counseling Practice in Mesa, along with the Strip Mall Coffee Shop in Phoenix and the Arizona Bouldering Project in Tempe. Most recently, Anjie was found over at Cider Corps back in Downtown Mesa.

During the first few months of Anjie’s romped around the Valley, all sticker proceeds were sent to Sierra Club. 

“But for Anjie’s tenure at Cider Corps, I focused on another nonprofit,” she said, noting its mission “centers around veteran rehabilitation and mental health, so now I am donating to AZ Trail Vets, which offers a program for veterans to help maintain the Arizona Trail, a network that stretches from Utah to Mexico.” 

In the future, Guzman wants to operate more vending machines.

“The sheer notion that public lands can be up for sale is devastating to me. But instead of feeling stuck, I want all of us to feel inspired to do something about it.”

She also envisions more collaborations.

“That could mean partnering with other artists who want to showcase their creations, business owners who want to host Anjie in their spaces, volunteers who want to help restock the machine, or companies who want to contribute funds for printing the stickers.

“Anjie runs on small, simple acts of kindness,” she said. “I set up a QR code for the machine, so someone can give any amount…and receive a sticker that brings a smile to their face.”

Anjelica Guzman’s virtual newsletter is at bashful-level-220279.framer.app. 

 

Check out the article online here.