Join me, Wesley Hamilton, for a heart-to-heart chat with talented visual artist Ayala. Ayala's artwork tells her personal story of reconnecting with her roots and her love for painting, and it's so powerful that big names like Coca-Cola and Comcast have taken notice.
We'll dive deep into how teaching herself and embracing her Latino heritage have shaped her work and life. Ayala's art gives a voice to those often overlooked, highlighting the challenges and beauty of identity in today's world.
We'll also explore the healing power of art and how Ayala uses it to understand herself better. She'll share her beliefs about staying true to oneself, dreaming big, and connecting with the past. And for a fun twist, we'll find out which three artists, from any period, she'd love to have dinner with. Curious?
Take a listen to the episode.
Show Notes:
Guest: Ayala
Topics Covered:
Connect with Vanessa:
Feedback & Questions:
Your perspective enriches our discussion! Share your feedback, or forward your questions to our email.
For more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Stay Connected: For the latest updates, follow us on our podcast Instagram
Thank you for tuning in, and see you in the next episode!
Join me, Wesley Hamilton, for a heart-to-heart chat with talented visual artist Ayala. Ayala's artwork tells her personal story of reconnecting with her roots and her love for painting, and it's so powerful that big names like Coca-Cola and Comcast have taken notice.
We'll dive deep into how teaching herself and embracing her Latino heritage have shaped her work and life. Ayala's art gives a voice to those often overlooked, highlighting the challenges and beauty of identity in today's world.
We'll also explore the healing power of art and how Ayala uses it to understand herself better. She'll share her beliefs about staying true to oneself, dreaming big, and connecting with the past. And for a fun twist, we'll find out which three artists, from any period, she'd love to have dinner with. Curious?
Take a listen to the episode.
Show Notes:
Guest: Ayala
Topics Covered:
Connect with Vanessa:
Feedback & Questions:
Your perspective enriches our discussion! Share your feedback, or forward your questions to our email.
For more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Stay Connected: For the latest updates, follow us on our podcast Instagram
Thank you for tuning in, and see you in the next episode!
In a world where success often steals the long light, the stories that truly inspire, that truly matter, are left behind in the shadows. I'm your host, Wesley Hamilton. Welcome to the Out of the Shadows podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm kind of being the best be original, and that's like putting yourself in your own lane. No one can touch you if you do that.
Speaker 1:Yo, what's up everybody. This is Wesley Hamilton. This is another episode of Out of the Shadows. I'm here with my guest today, which is Vanessa Ayala and man. We're just really going to talk about art, culture and all things that represent who we are, and the most important part, at least for me, is identity. I think that that's just a powerful word that a lot of people don't use, and from just looking at content from Vanessa recently, and I just think that's a strong topic that has been being pushed, and so I really want to speak about that and really figure out what's your narrative around it. What's up, vanessa?
Speaker 2:Hey, thank you so much for having me. It's good to see you. It's been so long, Probably a couple years actually yeah for people that might not know, I'm definitely now Vanessa.
Speaker 1:prior to my accident it's been like what More than 10 years maybe?
Speaker 2:Oh it's been. Yeah, I was in middle school. Were you happy?
Speaker 1:I was in middle school. I feel like I was in middle school, when we actually first met Whoa.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I was barely 15 years old. Yeah, it seems.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great. So it's a beautiful thing when you've grown up with people and maybe paths have changed. You went out and lived life and you get to sit back and watch somebody that you've known from your past and see them evolve and coming into their purpose, and it becomes something that you're motivated and inspired by. And I feel that way about your story because I've seen you grow. So let's just kind of get right into that, as I've seen you grow, and I guess we could start with like who are you, what do you do, so people can actually understand what this conversation is going to be around.
Speaker 2:So I'm a visual artist. At Yala. I go by Yala. Even in high school everyone called me Yala. But I'm a visual artist. I have been painting for maybe one in 10 years, 15 years, since, forever, and I've been all over the place. I've had a lot of support in New York. I've had a lot of support from female entrepreneurs and they were sort of like the backbone of how my business got started and now I'm full time. I call it entrepreneur and it's amazing. It's been amazing. I've been able to just create original work. I've been diving into art that embraces representation and I really kind of want to create artwork that has more of like feminine energy and just like I call it the divine feminine, and it's just been like driving my work full force.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that. I mean, I love all of that because you embody art. So it seems like everything around you, even your business model, speaks art. You know, entrepreneur, right Like I think that's powerful. So how long have you been passionate about art?
Speaker 2:I feel like, well, my father is an amazing artist. He's actually a woodcarver and I, from a young age I remember seeing him work and create all these beautiful floral designs and I feel like I kind of had whatever he had like his artistic gift since a really young age. So I would always draw and then, luckily, by the grace of God, like in high school, I was able to go to a performing arts high school, which was Bissell, and that just changed my whole life. So, like from 15 and on, forget it. Like it was just like art forever nonstop. This is my life. This is the best thing ever.
Speaker 2:But what was funny is that I ended up going to art college but then I quit painting. I quit art for a very long time because I got I just got a little bit discouraged of where my purpose was in all of that and everything's meant to be, because they always say that like life makes sense backwards. But I learned graphic design, I learned animation, I learned I was even like messing with music and stuff and it just it's funny how, like all of it ties into like what the business is. Now you know what I mean like knowing how to edit, knowing how to sell yourself as a business or your business, and and all of it ties in together. So I just feel like I've always been pulled towards anything artistic, like in film, and anything that's creative and I think most creative people can understand that or have this in common Like we want to try everything because it's so fascinating, but but it all came back to where I started, which is the art, which is I'm grateful for it, because I made like a full circle here.
Speaker 1:You know, when you think about at least for me, ever since I'm knowing you, you were into art and I like the fact that you shared being discouraged at times, because I think we all start to pursue a certain path, but sometimes that path isn't actually your path, right, and so say, like art. I'm not putting words in your mouth or anything, but just necessarily, when you look at your art it's so visual, it's vibrant, it has a direction, it has a purpose, and so some people get into art and maybe they're just drawn, right, like, and maybe they're just drawing things that really you know they could have something more inside of them, but it's more of the simplistic things, the things that society wants. But it's not actually your narrative when it comes to art. And when I see you, you've actually created a narrative towards your art, like. Your art speaks something that is above the norm, right Like, it takes away.
Speaker 1:Now, when people look at your work, it actually speaks purpose and so, like you know, I mean you have to follow Vanessa on a lot of her social media and things and we'll make sure that we share that. But you know some of the recent jobs that I've seen you work with, like Coca-Cola and Comcast. It seems that not only did they want to hear your story, they asked you know for you to have like to create a piece, and so like, talk about that, of like, how does that make you feel to know that, like, this creative process that you have came up with is now really like catching a lot of people eyes and they want that. They don't just want your story, they want that.
Speaker 2:I think that when you create work and this is, I think, in any field, but I feel like I put a lot of my soul into what I do, I'm not just like throwing stuff together and just like calling it a day you know like I feel, like I put so much time, literally time and effort into, and thought and concept into every single piece that I really feel like when you put that much energy into something, it just it just reads to people's souls or spirits or energies or something like that, and I honestly feel like it's to very time consuming. But it's the best thing that I've been able to put in my work and I appreciate that I really do feel that people feel connected to it that way, Like they really feel that sense of detail or attention to detail, and not just like in the way how it feels, like the drawing and everything but the whole picture together, like it just it resonates. And I think that I always kind of try to share like a little bit of the concept, which is probably the biggest part of it too, Like I really like to share like where the ideas come from. What made me think of putting all these different elements together to make one piece of artwork, and that's one of the biggest things that my art college taught me.
Speaker 2:It wasn't about so much about what things looked like, but it was how or what concept did you come up with to make an image what it is? And I think that that I think that's like a little thing that I might have that other artists may not have picked up as much that, you see, Because a lot of I feel like a lot of artists are a lot of entrepreneurs. They're like self-taught, which is amazing. You know what I mean but at the same time, like there's a few little things that when you actually study fine art and things like that that you take with you that may not be as important or may not be as noticed for other artists. So I would say that that's probably another one of the biggest things and it makes me feel proud to share it and that other people respond.
Speaker 1:I love that. You know knowledge is power, and so you know, as you shared earlier, tapping into different things to try to perfect your craft and being able to go back and get to it. It's the same way as studying more of the lane that you're in getting into the books and educating yourself because there is content. There's power in being self-taught, but there's even more power in actually understanding what you have taught yourself Right. So I'm a firm believer that you know there is enough knowledge in the world for us to continue to be better every day.
Speaker 1:So even though you're teaching yourself, you know you should go and explore whatever type of literature or something that's out there. Rather, it's a course that you could take for six months or six weeks, like perfect your craft, learn your lane, and elevate it right.
Speaker 2:I feel like I've been doing the reverse. It's like I spent so much time learning and like studying art and now it's like I have to learn and study the business side. Now I really need some courses and stuff, but you know, at the end of the day, it's like it's a learning process, right.
Speaker 1:And you know. But that's the thing about business too. You know, I think some of the world of business wasn't shared with a lot of communities to the way that it is now, and so there are certain groups and communities that have that no business from the back of their hand, right Like, and it's it's passed down from generations to generations. And then you have individuals like you and I that are exploring something that is setting up for the generations after us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. And we were like what are they called Generational?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, we're the first generation that's going to create Entrepreneur.
Speaker 2:And that's a really big deal. And it just kind of reminds me of, like, why I even got discouraged in art in the beginning because I feel like there was no representation from what I saw. I went to art school in San Francisco, so can you imagine, like how high end you know like everything, seeing the galleries and stuff, like I really At that time I saw no representation whatsoever. So I honestly felt like I didn't really see where I had a voice in this world and I kind of tapped out and made my own thing happen for a while. But it's funny to come full circle and understand that, okay, just because I didn't see representation at that time doesn't mean that Well, that means that I have so much more of a window to be a voice now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we have to be the change we wish to see in the world. One of my favorite quotes always says that I'm the representation that I couldn't find.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that when you have shared that.
Speaker 1:I think that's you right, like you explore something and we get discouraged. I got discouraged and I see people representing the lanes that I'm trying to be in, and then it was the power that you get from it of knowing that. But there are so many people that need to see somebody and if I've already understood and acknowledged that there's no one, no positive representation, I think the job is mine Right, like it's power in knowing that you can be the one that you wanted to look up to. Yeah, like that's it right.
Speaker 2:I think I saw somewhere that it said something like instead of being the best, be original, and that's like putting yourself in your own lane. No one can touch you if you do that. And I feel like that really stayed with me, because I was just like, of course, you know, when you do something, you try to be as good as you can be. But then I started thinking, especially when it came to the art, like being a voice of representation in my own way, like my own voice. It's like you, and you definitely are in your own lane. You know what I mean Just as much as you are in your own lane.
Speaker 1:I think I made a post this morning on, like my Twitter feed, or something I said you know, once you're able to own your story, no one can beat you. You know, and it's because you know your story, your lived experiences aren't something someone else can duplicate. You know, and so you've been able to take ownership of that. It creates your own lane, because you actually know how hard it got, how hard it took for you to get there, that nobody can actually follow that journey Like they can't. They can't go through the emotions you went through when you were down and out and discouraged, and they can't. They don't know what sparked the fire for you to get back up there, right Like. Instead, visually, I see success and maybe that's what I'm going to chase. But if I? But the story is where the success was came out of, and that's something that no one can can write Right Like. That's your own story, and so, once you understand that, it creates such power within you. And so, yeah, be original. And being original means that you're not perfect, you're just you.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about that a little bit of because I think about art, right, Like, and I think about you know, I'm going to just shift it a little bit, but like if everything isn't perfect, right. Like have you ever had experience of like your artwork Right, like how somebody else might have thought it was perfect, but you saw the flaws in it all the time. And how do you be able to find a way to accept it and know that that piece is still beautiful, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean, I can tweak my paintings till the end of days, like I will always. I feel like I can always find something to tweak and I'll just be like there and then you know you really have to stop yourself. I guess it's like the artist you have to also have like an editing eye or knowing when to stop, because sometimes they're really are stepping away from it.
Speaker 2:Obviously, there's so many, there's so many things that are beautiful in all the imperfections. So, stepping away from it and coming back with a fresh eye, I feel like you really you really start seeing it in a different way every single time. And so, yeah, I feel like, I feel like that happens a lot, but it's really, really good sometimes to. I wonder you know, it's a really good question, because I don't even know when that started but I feel like somehow I learned how to see the beauty in the imperfections, and I'm not really sure how that happened, but I think it just comes with practice, Like when you do consistently do something all the time, you can kind of like appreciate it in its most minimal form. I don't know if that's any sense at all.
Speaker 1:So when you say that because this was like a life lesson for anybody, that's not even like understanding why I threw that out. It's because it definitely, to me, is a life lesson until I was able to kind of start to look in the mirror, go back, go back in the mirror. I still seem the same thing, but I had to see it differently, right, like I see myself differently, I embraced the imperfections which made me accept that I wasn't perfect, but I could make myself better, right. And so I think, like when people look at or at least for me, when I look at art, I'm always looking at it with a different eye, because it's going to be different than the artists themselves. But there's to me I feel like the pictures are perfect, but there's no perfect picture.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, most definitely, I like that. That was a T-shirt.
Speaker 1:And so, like, no, that's so good to just for people to understand that and people to get like, everything isn't going to be perfect, but you do. You take a step back, you go back and you look, and then you take a step back again, you go back and you look and sometimes there are things that you'll edit and then there might be things that you just find a way to accept. I can't fix this anymore, as much as I can make this look better, like, and making this look better makes this look even more perfect and yeah, so that's the creative ability. So, thinking of that, your influence of culture, how you've been bringing it out, you talk about just being proud of you know, really understanding your identity, right, like, and so to me, like, speak about identity. Why is your identity so important to you now, right Like, and how are you making that be an influence to your artwork?
Speaker 2:I love that question. I feel like I've been answering this question for a long time now, so let me see if I can try to tackle the answer. Obviously so, for those who may not understand, for people that are born into what's known as like Latino culture, it's not a race, it's a culture, and it comes from so much history of mainly like. This is the key points. It's like native people in the Americas. What we know is the Americas now and the Spanish conquest and the mixture of the African diaspora. So what I always say, or what I usually say, is that like Latino culture is the result of how black and brown people survived colonization. And this is kind of interesting because racially, they say that not a lot of well, there's no, there's no race. So like, if you say like well, this person looks like you know you can't really say that, because a lot of people that identify with Latino culture are mixed race, right? So a few years ago, and.
Speaker 2:I always kind of knew that my family was native, we had some kind of like indigenous ancestry, but I was curious to see what the actual numbers were, because I didn't know, like if there was more mixed in us or something. But I was surprised to see how high the numbers were just damn near like 80% native, right. So, just, you know, within the culture there's so much, there's so much internal oppression that even families like my own or so many other families, nobody truly embraces being native Unless they're like awakened. You know what I mean. But within the culture there's so much oppression that it's almost what would you say? It's like shameful, almost shameful, to be native or to identify as being native.
Speaker 2:And so when I think about my family only specifically, I think about how, in a way, we were born into what's known as the Latino culture, but all that we really are like, you know so much that has to do with race is so there's just so many little things that are just innate and I say like wearing bright colors, or like I remember being a little girl and being drawn to doing like beadwork, and I feel like this is like an innate connection to like the ancestors, without even having to know, or you know, like to be introduced to your own people or your own culture, and it's in you, it's going to be a part of you, because it's that's what you are.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. So it's funny because I feel like I had been on this journey for a long time of self discovery, where it's more so like, while I appreciate, you know, all of the support that I've gotten throughout the community, because obviously I'm born into this community, like we speak Spanish, like I understand all the little innuendos and the jokes and the songs and and the art, and you know people can, can relate to me in that way but I see a bigger thing here, where so many people don't even identify with being native, and to me that's such, that's such a huge problem, because it's like not only have we been stripped completely from any type of culture or or identifying with who we are, but there's no, there's no representation whatsoever when it comes to like you know what you can identify, or you you should identify as being native first you know, because that's what we are and and I feel like within the artwork it just started to to like resonate with more and just come out even bigger because there is such a lack of representation.
Speaker 2:I feel like there's a lot of. There's a lot of representation when it comes to what I call like northern cultures are native, because there seems to be a little bit more there has to. I feel like in TikTok and stuff like that, there's been a little bit of support with native representation, but people who are actually, like connected to cultural heritage, there's so many people that identify with Latino culture, who are native, who are not we think it's called the tribalized that don't get a voice because we haven't completely stripped from any type of culture. So supposedly there's this like, there's this thing where you can't identify as native because you don't have that. You know that, that cultural connection, but in a way it's just, it's like you can't take that away too, like no, so in in art and in representation, I really, really want to be able to create a voice, you know, especially for women, embrace that identity and bring, bring up the conversation because it's so important.
Speaker 2:It is so important and I feel like if I would have had a little bit of that direction when I was younger. It would have made me, it would have made me understand things a little bit better, because I I was really confused, like can you imagine, like you know, your family is not telling you like who you are and you seeing like a native people, but you don't understand that that's what you are? There is no representation whatsoever and it is. It's. I'm like very passionate about it, sorry.
Speaker 1:It's to me, you know like, because goodness, identity and the power of it, and I know for me I'm just now owning my identity in the last few years of being a black man. First, you know, I took ownership of the disability, but I had never owned who I was before and I had never owned disability. And it's similar to what you're saying of like being brought into the world and your identity already being stripped away.
Speaker 2:Right or just told what you were.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's, yeah, it's the narrative that you were directed and then what was portrayed or put into your parents and their parents? You know, and as you know generations and we think about you know generations we have more access to knowledge and content these days for us to actually find our identities or be more knowledgeable of how history used to be. But I would say, like what my mom and them know, I'm teaching my mom and my dad things today and you know and if their parents were still alive, I'm dead I know that I would probably be showing them something different as well, because during their time period, a lot of knowledge and information was held back from them, so them trying to find an identity or think that it was different than what they were used to. It wasn't so like for us to be brought up into this world. We were brought up with just the information that they had and over time, as we start to evolve in a world, become something different, we started to feel lost.
Speaker 1:You know, like well, this isn't me right, like this doesn't speak me. I'm doing all of these things, but I'm living my life like this person that has no relation or a relatability to my lifestyle. It can't come to my house and sit at the table and understand the way that we're about to eat dinner, right, like because they don't understand it, but I'm living my life based on the same way they're living theirs. That's their identity, and I'm just speaking from the sense of when you don't have an identity, you gravitate and you start to see other cultures. Some cultures actually have an identity where, as we spoke about business earlier, there's so many things that's taught within generations that we might be lost in here in this era. But most people, you know certain cultures. They aren't lost, they have figured it out. They had built in blocks and so we're finding ourselves at this time and, like you said, it is important to push it out and it is important to know your identity, because that allows purpose to actually speak more.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I like that.
Speaker 2:Well.
Speaker 1:I like that. You like my little quotables. That's what my friends always they always try to tell me like I always have these quotables. So, of course, my show is called Out of the Shadows, and I love like this conversation because I'm learning a lot more about you myself and I think that these things can always be brought more to light. So I was listening to a video that you did of an interview and you said step outside of the box, that you were going to be into, and so I feel like that's what we were just talking about.
Speaker 1:But when you finally got out of that box, right, like when you finally announced, as you are artists, as you are an entrepreneur, entrepreneur, like, what have been some of the challenges now that you face because you are going against a certain identity, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, most definitely.
Speaker 2:That's such a huge question and it's kind of like you said.
Speaker 2:It's like you know, you think about your parents, or I think the hardest thing is coming back home, if that makes sense, like when you have to be around, like the inner circle. Sometimes they haven't, you weren't able to take them with you on this journey that you've been on, so little by little, to have to share those things with them. Sometimes it's like you won't be able to get through, but at the same time it's like I try to share a little bit here and there and it may not be understood or absorbed or accepted, but I think a big challenge is to maybe build another inner circle, if that makes sense, of people that are like-minded and step into a different phase. Because I know that even now, like within my own family, there is, like I said, that internal oppression that sometimes gets broken down a little bit, but I still see it and it makes me very sad, but it also kind of pushes me to continue to do the work that I do, because it's just very important and it's needed in this world.
Speaker 1:But that's important to even share, that you do have to create a new circle. I do feel like if I didn't have the circle that I confide with, at times, share ideas with, I don't know where I would be or how I would feel, because you do have to have someone. At least it's good to have someone around you. That kind of gives you confirmation that, yes, it's hard, this direction at your own, it's different, it's not people, is not relatable to the people around you, but it's destined for you.
Speaker 1:Right, that's the hard part being a vessel because if we don't do the work, it's not gonna get done.
Speaker 2:It's funny that you said that, because I always make a joke about the vessel, like, always, like, sometimes, like as women, like we critique ourselves. We have a look, you know, and I'll like look in the mirror and I'll be like, oh, vessel. Like you know, I'm talking to my vessel, like, oh, vessel.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:Like a morning vessel and it's just funny because, like I am, I understand that I am a vessel like. This is my meat suit and I am a soul talking you like it through. Yes, yes, it just happens to be my meat soul and this is what it looks like and this is what I'm drawn to and this is where my life has gone, you know, and it's interesting that is so.
Speaker 1:Oh listen, I talk about vessel all the time and sometimes I don't feel like it's relatable.
Speaker 2:I think a lot of people maybe are kind of understanding that now so much more, because it's like I'll talk to people, even like you know my own family and I'll be like you are so much more than this alone you know what I mean Like you are that spiritual soul inside of you, like you can do the next thing, or it's like sometimes I feel like people really do get so wrapped up in the physical and it's like you know. I don't know if you've seen my artwork with like the whole third eye and everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, oh, I love that I feel like it goes a little bit deeper than that. You know what I mean, like it really just is about, like your inner self and like tapping into you know the spiritual awakening of that.
Speaker 1:When people think about my story and they look at a lot of people always ask, like, what was the shift? What was this and what was that? And it goes back to looking in the mirror, looking at your imperfections, like when you realize that your body isn't perfect, like for me, like being paralyzed made me have to accept, like my body is not the way that I think normal should be, or, but at the same time, my mind is even way more than what I ever thought it could be.
Speaker 2:That's actually an incredible thing. I mean, like I know that the way that you just verbalized it is like I think that people kind of understood that a little bit, but for you to just verbalize, like you know now, it's like okay, this mind is like the real muscle. You know what I mean. Like this is the real thing that I have to be exercising all the time, and that's crazy.
Speaker 1:Like if I could create this life with this mind alone that my legs couldn't do, then how important is the physical body as much as the mind? And what can the mind? And where can the mind lead you? Where can the mind create for you? And how do you find yourself being here even when you aren't anymore? And a lot of people don't understand the power of that. But, like, for me, it's like your mind creates your legacy. Your legacy is how it creates a ripple effect for generations, right Like when you think about, when we talk about George Washington or Ben Franklin, like these people created their legacies.
Speaker 1:They're not here on this earth anymore, but they had understood of a vessel that they were using to create such a large impact by them being themselves and following their passion that now they're still here on this earth, right Like. And so it's like when you do understand that you're a vessel. It's like man. Spiritually, I've always been here. I might not have known what form or shape that I actually had came at first, but this is the form and shape that I'm in now. So every time I'm looking in the mirror I'm like I look at my body a lot and I'm just, I get it On, I'm uplifted. I'm proud, like I get excited about looking at my image in the mirror because I see how powerful I am, with the limitations that most people accept first, wow, and understanding. That makes you really understand the power of being a vessel and that all of us and so I always tell people I'm like people could do everything all day and they live in this perfect world.
Speaker 1:But what happens when something alters your body? What happens when your life alters? What happens when you get the diagnosis from a doctor? Like sometimes these are tests for you to actually understand that you are more powerful than what is being shared with you. There's someone that can't see in this world but is moving around like they have vision. There's somebody that can't hear, but they're listening to everything people are seeing. There's power in the things that we can push past. Like there's power in understanding that our bodies are literally just that, but the power of the mind takes you to realms outside of this earth, like and that's just real. But until you start to listen to your like all these people, like my subconscious guides me into the way that I live my life now, like I literally listened to my mind and that voice that I used to hear, that I always question. That voice always told me to make the right decisions.
Speaker 1:I just never listened to it. And now that I've listened to it, I find myself very successful in my life. I find myself very healthy in the way that I wanna be. I find myself all on my own purpose and passion, because I started to listen to the inner voice inside of me instead of worrying about the outside voices that judge me. That's really inspiring.
Speaker 2:I was curious, was there a book that you read that kind of kicked it all off for you, or was it more so? Just like you just really started to tap into, just like self re-self, evaluating after?
Speaker 1:You know definitely a lot of books. I'm an avid reader. Now I didn't start to read books.
Speaker 2:I thought you had books that sound like a few books and I remember like, oh yeah, I think I read that one and it was just like I was just curious if that's how it happened for you.
Speaker 1:I think too. I always say that I had a love of awareness. Right, we all have that awakening period, and so I think me becoming self aware and had created this awakening period. But becoming more awakened made me start to explore different. Rather, was podcasts or literature that spoke these things, and one of my favorite individuals is Dr Joe Dispenza. That talks about, like getting out of your body, how to break the habit of being yourself.
Speaker 2:I think.
Speaker 1:a lot of his literature allows you to just think beyond your physical body. It makes you take into manifestation even more. It makes you be more intentional about your words. I mean, I think that was it Like for me. I started to guide myself into books and things that I didn't feel really represented me, but it shared a level of knowledge that would allow me to figure out who I was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And so how to Own your Own Mind by Napoleon Hill was another one, and I always tell people like I read that book before I really even became who I am. And there was a passage in there that said of course, you know, think about old literature, so don't knock the way that they put it. But it was like right.
Speaker 1:It's like you know, the man that wants to convert his life from poverty to riches is similar to a farmer trying to convert a forest into a productive field, and I think that always sat with me when I think about success in a journey, because this is a philosopher, this is someone that literally just gave you a different perspective. Life isn't going to be easy and you're going to have to face some type of journey to get to where you want to be, or to even become who you want to be, right, like. You're going to be tested in so many different ways. But at the same time, it's following that path and understanding that if I'm going to be something that I haven't become before, or it's not trinkled down, generational, then I might have to chop down some branches, I might have to clear a field, I might have to get some tools to get these weeds and stuff out so that I can start to make it, and then I have to figure out what season is proper for me to plant the seed right, like and see. So it goes, and so that's what I kind of got from.
Speaker 1:That was like man. There's such a process in knowing you, but when you figure out that process. What happens is, not only do you become awakened, not only do you find your identity and you own it, you now become an imposter, you influence to other people. Now you become an organic impact, right, like I always feel like when you know yourself, you're impacting people organically. It's not forced, it's a lived experience, baby, I know who I am right Like. So, just thinking of that, like, in what ways do you feel or do you hope that your artwork and your message around your artwork inspires and impacts the world?
Speaker 2:I mean, hold on. I just want to feel like there was like a lot that you said there that was really really well said, and I just want to say that I really can understand and agree with everything that you said. I think that's such a powerful journey that you've been on to even be able to share all of that. But I'm still kind of figuring out what that is. But I do feel like two things mainly. One of them is like this idea of creating a voice of representation and feminine energy, what I call like the divine feminine, and another would be a little bit of like what you just said. It's like kind of like tapping into yourself or like your soul.
Speaker 2:I asked you earlier like if there was a book that kind of like started to kicked it off for you in a way. It kind of that's what happened to me where, like, I had read a book which was like the power of positive thinking, which is also like old literature, like that's how they were talking back then. But the main thing that stayed with me was like following things that you are naturally drawn to right, or like what is it that you want in this world? And that completely changed my life, because it was like I don't think I ever really really asked myself what do you want or what are the things that your intuition is calling.
Speaker 2:And so I feel like one thing that I would love to leave with people or for, when I speak to people, to for them to take with them, is that same idea of, like you know, my life has taken me to following art as my purpose, but it's because I listened, you know, to, like you said, that little intuition voice.
Speaker 2:When you listen to that thing, it kind of leads you towards your purpose and mind just happens to be art. But for other people, I would love to challenge them to think, to take a moment and think, like you know, what are the innermost truthful things that I'm drawn to, and to have the courage to follow those things, because most often it will lead you to something that has a purpose or your path in this life. And I really do feel like we all have a gift in one way or another. We really do, because we're human beings, are just so incredible and it's just so sad that society in general doesn't support that type of spiritual awakening as a culture, and I hope that it's going to shift, you know, in general, just like I kind of feel like there's a tiny baby shift happening, but there's so much, there's so much room left for growth.
Speaker 1:No, like. I mean, I love the way that you put that, but I think, living your life in the direction that you want, following your purpose, you impact people organically, like I'm impacted by your life, right, like. And I'm impacted not just because I've known you, but it's even more stronger because I've known you and watched your journey. But I'm not an artist. I'm not going to go grab a canvas and paint.
Speaker 2:Good.
Speaker 1:Right Like. But at the same time, you following your passion makes me continually follow mine, right, right. So it's kind of like going back to what you're saying. It's like you going after your dreams. Yes, it can inspire artists to follow that same purpose, but hopefully it inspires the person that might not can resonate with your actual purpose but can see someone actually pursuing theirs and know that, hey, whatever is in my soul, let me go pursue it, like this person. And this person is doing it by being their own photographer, videographer, sometimes sound artist, right Like that's the journey right, like it's not the results that you see.
Speaker 1:it's how I've created these results and can I plant that seed in you for you to go after your dreams the same way?
Speaker 2:A really good point to make, too, is that I've kind of picked up on a little bit. Is continuing to create those opportunities for yourself, or like creating these things is a challenge in itself and it's also a skill. Don't you think right To like create these types of opportunities or create pathways for yourself, because nobody's gonna do it for you? You know, like you've got to figure something out.
Speaker 1:And it's the power of manifestation and it's the power of knowing you, right Like. Because once you know and believe yourself, believe your path and your purpose, when you manifest, your manifestations have a better effect of becoming real, because you believe so much in your life already, right Like and so like, when I think about my life and I think about even what I've been on, you know, like we talked earlier about just traveling and being able to not be in one place, because you know we're serving all of these different areas, coast to coast, right Like. And it's because I guess, when you see it in such a bigger way, it all just comes back into almost just that purpose driven, knowing that one area isn't where you are but you have this impact everywhere you go, right Like. I'm not even stationed in one place, but I believe in my life so much that I know that my impact can guide me.
Speaker 1:Anyway, I always tell people like I'm in LA and I'm like I know I have a house on the hill, I just don't know where it is yet, right, right, I don't speak like I want it, I know that it's already there and even if it's gonna be a vacation home, because that's how I'm manifesting it. I'm not gonna be in it forever, but I speak with intention, knowing that it is already existing. I just have to guide myself to that. And how do I guide myself to that? It's by believing and then manifesting. But you have to believe in your journey. You have to believe that, whatever you see as that end result, even if you haven't made it yet, every day you wake up, you're pursuing that journey. You're pursuing that destination right, and that's what I see with you and that's why I see like that impact.
Speaker 2:So just oh, I feel very inspired Because you don't hear those things a lot just from people in your, I would say, just like in our circle, like you don't hear that, and I feel like that's really important to just for me to listen to. And I can really say that I feel inspired by that, because I was just talking about that the other day. I was just talking about, like, the whole believing in yourself and it's harder than it. It's harder than what it seems really, because there are so many times, especially as an artist, you are very critical. I think, in general, creative people can be very critical and sometimes it's like you just have to stop and say, like I do believe that this is what this is worth and this is what it is, and that is definitely something that I'm gonna take away from this. It's a good reminder, it's a really good reminder.
Speaker 1:Thing is like, yeah, it is, know what's for you and then just do the work and that belief, that belief is strong, like I believe in my life, I believe in what I'm creating, even if it's not in existence in front of me, like it's, you know, and what I've seen is everything come into reality. You know, even LA was once manifested. Oh, I'm gonna go to LA, I'm gonna live in LA, but I'm gonna make sure, like now I'm here, right, like, and I'm gonna do this and then that comes, I'm gonna have this and then that comes right.
Speaker 2:It just made you suffer, because it reminds me of another thing. It reminds me of this. I remember where I heard it, but someone said, like you know, we are constantly developing or in this cycle of like wanting things, getting it and wanting more, wanting things, getting it, wanting it more. So it's like when you understand that that's like the normal, like human response, that it really really is important to understand how to just really be happy with what is in the present and that's something that I've been thinking about recently of like the journey of appreciating the present and what is in this moment here, but not to stop, you know, from like wanting something and then like reaching that goal and continuing that cycle. But I think there really is also something powerful in that, you know, like you said, like the manifest part of it.
Speaker 1:Of course Dr Joe dispends it. That's my guy. I'm a drop down man.
Speaker 1:But I think he says, like, if we go to sleep with the thoughts of the past, we're gonna wake up with the thoughts of the past. If we wake up with a vision of the future, we can live in the present moment and know that we are growing into what we vision for the future. And I know that he said it in a different way, but that's the way that I perceived it was that, yes, live in the present but never dwell on the past, because the past isn't here anymore but the future hasn't came yet. So whatever you do in the present, whatever you manifest, whatever you believe will actually start to form the future for you. Like, your future is not created yet. It's created, but the path of your future is up to the thoughts and perceptions that you embody today.
Speaker 2:I truly believe that too.
Speaker 1:Because my path, my future, was different before I became disabled and now the path is focused on the way that I vision, and now I'm going in alignment with that, which has made me one of the first people in my family to create a level of success. And now I'm lucky to say we'll have a ripple effect for generations after me, like that wasn't the path that I had at first, right, but I would have lived that path. That I would have lived going, being dead or in jail or whatever I believed in at that time, because I wasn't seeking more or better or I didn't believe there was more or better.
Speaker 2:So I committed. I don't think I could say it enough, but I really do.
Speaker 1:No, this has been good. We're going to definitely wrap it up in a second, and so I have like two other questions. We have the last one to kind of be like an icebreaker, but you know my work in a disability space, really speaking about diversity and inclusion. What I've learned from you so much is that there's still so much representation needed and is needed from all different communities, right Like there's a lot of oppression that is formed from generations before us, and so conversations like this does bring that understanding. I guess. My next question okay, it's like as a visual artist who focuses on themes such as native representation and feminine energy, how do you think your art can be utilized to raise awareness about disability and promote inclusivity within the art world?
Speaker 2:I think it kind of goes back into what we were talking about, because when I say like divine feminine energy, it's so much like of the spiritual right and kind of like what we were talking about earlier of like your body is one thing but your mind is something else. So to keep that idea and that belief alive and to share it with people is definitely a way that I feel like how my art could affect this community as well, and not only this. I'm just like human beings in general. Right Like that is definitely. I can see that.
Speaker 1:I definitely feel like it's helped. I think that your art is therapeutic when you play around with your colors and things. I don't know if people ever told you that, but it does capture the eye. It brings like a level of warmth and feel. And, just so you all know, I'm definitely an investor in art. This is one of her pieces behind me that I had to be custom, so it wasn't full of all the colors, but she did do it in a sense of what I wanted and which I loved, and this has been years ago.
Speaker 2:I loved that one. It was a new year. So much for this old man.
Speaker 1:So it's things like that right, and so I feel like even with me. No, go ahead.
Speaker 2:No, no, I was just going to say kind of like a little bit of what you said earlier, the colors and stuff I really do feel like it's like an innate connection to the ancestors, because I feel like if you look at native art or anything like the regalia that they would wear, or even like black and brown people, we would wear colorful things, Like we are vibrant you know what I mean Like that is just in our nature to be colorful and I feel like it just comes out, Like it comes out in the work and it's like you're filling that color. You know you're filling the ancestors.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and if y'all, if anybody ever know you, put on some fresh color, boy, listen, you feel good. I'm telling you my favorite color is orange and a lot of people don't know it until you see it. But you see me in orange a lot and probably never know it's my favorite color, but orange really makes me feel good. My last question is you know, to me it's just really just kind of knocked the edge off, it's not really, but it's to know, like you know, people that possibly have inspired you and maybe why. So anyway, here's the icebreaker. If you could have a dinner party with any three artists, living or dead, who would they be and why?
Speaker 2:Living or dead. Oh my God, I think mine's kind of funny. Ok, don't laugh. One of them will probably be my living favorite artist right now. His name is Kehinde Wiley. I have always loved his artwork, ever since I was in art college. The other one would have to be like Selena and Keith and yeah, of course, and I think the third one would maybe be maybe my grandma, because I didn't really get to know her for real because she she lived in Colombia for the majority of my life and then she passed away, unfortunately, but I didn't really get to ask her questions about, like what her life was, like what her grandparents were. Like Selena, because I just feel like she was just such an incredible icon in so many ways, and also like of native ancestry as well. And I also feel like you know, because my my artist that I love Kehinde Wiley, like I just want to like tap into his, like where he goes with his artwork and his whole everything.
Speaker 1:But yeah see, that was a good question, Just to really know like people that inspire you, without having to ask who inspires you right Like, I just want these three people at the dinner table because I can gain so much, and so I think you know to leave this. You know, I challenge everybody to think about what three people would you be surrounded by at the dinner table? What three people influence you so much that they have impacted your life that you want to learn more, or even share with them on how you've become better because of them? So again, thanks everybody.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for listening and thank you so much for having me. I had a really good time.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. As we conclude another inspiring episode, I want to remind you that success isn't just about the spotlight. It's also about the shadows. It's about the struggles we conquer, the unseen battles we fight and the silent victories we claim. I'm Wesley Hamilton and you've been listening to Out of the Shadows podcast, where we illuminate the stories of often left untold. Join me again next week as we venture back into the shadows and bring another amazing individual into the light. Until then, remember, no story is too small to inspire. Keep fighting, keep winning and stay out the shadows.