Marlon was born and raised in Pucallpa, Peru, the base of the Amazon jungle in Peru. He is both a self-taught acrylic and oil painter and has lived in San Francisco, California since 2006. Marlon’s paintings come from his years of
experience living and teaching in Peru and Costa Rica. His paintings and drawings are inspired by his upbringing in the jungle, the vivid landscape, sunsets, colors of the jungle, animal life as well as the traditional plant medicine that inspires his dream-like healing visions. His oil and acrylic paintings give insights into the natural life in the rainforest and healing through the curandero and plant medicine. Combining his love of traditional plant medicine and nature, Marlon has developed a method of painting that illustrates his vision of the world as it is incorporated into his new life in the United States. He studied and taught at the world-renowned Usko Ayar Neo-Amazonic School of Painting (studying and training from Don Pablo Amaringo for many years), as well as studying at the City College of San Francisco, CA. Marlon also has painted numerous murals throughout San Francisco in private and public settings, and has a large portfolio of watercolor, drawing, pastels and ink.​

Marlon has presented his paintings around the world in museums, galleries and conservation programs. His paintings have been featured and sold in Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, Norway, Finland and the United States, including in private homes in San Francisco and Chicago areas. He has exhibited numerous times at the San Francisco Peruvian Consulate (juried), the Salon on the Square in Union Square in San Francisco, the Women’s Building at the University of California San Francisco, Hotel George in Union Square, the Mission Cultural Center of San Francisco, North Beach Festival, and at the Evanston Ethnic Art Festival (juried).

Marlon is both self-taught and was a student at the world famous USKO Ayar School of Painting in Pucallpa, Peru from 1991 to 2002.  Within a couple of years of his attending the school, he became a teacher where he enjoyed helping at-risk youth learn to value the world in a different way through their painting.  He taught them to value themselves and their skills and to respect the environment.  From 2003 to 2006, Marlon also taught painting to children and adults as an invited teacher on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica and in Pucallpa, Peru.