Speaker 1: 0:00

The Journey Talks podcast, your favorite podcast to reconnect with gratitude and inspiration, hosted by Jorge Gonzales. Greetings everybody. This is Jorge Gonzales, your host. With a brief trigger warning before we begin. The following episode briefly addresses mental health issues, panic attacks and depression. Please continue with discretion. If you are struggling with these dynamics, we encourage you to seek professional help. Let's begin Alright. Hello everybody and welcome to Journey Talks podcast, your favorite podcast to reconnect with gratitude and inspiration. My name is Jorge Salero Gonzales and I am your host.

Speaker 1: 0:46

I am convinced that behind every gratitude, there's a story waiting to be told, and through this podcast, I want to create a space where we can share these stories and inspire one another. As humans, we all share one thing in common, and that is the experience of being alive. We're all together in this journey we call life and along the way we meet people and go through different situations that they leave somehow a footprint in us. Some have a very short stay and others hang in there for a little longer. Now, who are the people or situations that have opened doors for transformation in our lives and helped us become the person we are today? Through this podcast, I will be interviewing guests with stories of gratitude, and my hope is that our willingness to reconnect with these stories will help us celebrate our shared humanity and give us an opportunity to reconnect with the unconditional love that we all have access from within. This is our very first episode and I am beyond excited.

Speaker 1: 1:47

In this episode, I am inviting a very special friend. This person is an amazing artist and graphic designer. We have known each other since middle school. We go way, way, way back. None of us had gray hair and we were very naive, but with a desire to live this journey that we are in, we have known each other for about 15 years.

Speaker 1: 2:08

This person has developed a very cool and great following through his street art. This is what my friend gets at us. Check this out. He is an artist and he paints street art as well, but then he has this really cool idea he presents a scavenger hunt for people. So he places his art in different places around the city Through social media, he gives a hint to people and then he lives that there. So whoever finds it first, voila, it's yours. And with that he has developed this wonderful following and presence in Puerto Rico, with a career of over 15 years under his belt. You can see his and his wife's art on the streets of Olsen, juan, santurce and many other areas in Puerto Rico. Please join me in welcoming my very good friend, aslan Uno Aslan. Welcome to Journey Talks Podcast.

Speaker 2: 3:03

How are you man? Very good, Thank you for inviting me and being part of this project.

Speaker 1: 3:10

Well, aslan, this is your artistic name, but you and I know that I call you Kike. Can you tell us a little bit about how this name came about and where does Aslan Uno comes from?

Speaker 2: 3:21

Well, aslan Uno comes from. The name comes from a book called the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. I read that book when I was in college and I don't know if you remember, but when you used to have a messenger, you can put whatever name you want it on the top right. I used to have that name, aslan. I used it. And when I started working at Long Time ago in Noctambulo, I met all these street artists and graffiti artists and they all had another name, a pseudonym, right, an artist name, and so they asked me like, what's your name, what's your street name? And that's the one that I started using Aslan, because that's the one I used in Messenger and because I really like the character of Aslan in the books, because he's such an incredible character, you know.

Speaker 1: 4:20

That's so cool. No, I remember you've been carrying this name for forever.

Speaker 2: 4:25

Yeah, well, since then it's more than yeah, about 15 years or something like that.

Speaker 1: 4:30

Well, you know, if you're listening, I have to share this about Kike and I, so our friendship and actually Kike you as a person. You have opened so many doors for me for transformation. You know, you and I have shared very pivotal moments in our lives. We have actually gone through coming of age experiences together, right. And so this whole idea of, as I was reflecting, what can I do, I need something to connect with people. I need something where I can use all of the tools that I have learned over the years, and I understood and realized that sharing stories is a powerful thing to do, and so you have been one of those figures in my life that have been with me in this journey. You being so journey with me, I couldn't help but making sure that you were the very first guest in this show, and so a juicy piece of information for people that are listening to know about Kike and I is that we were in a band together. Okay, we were in a band. We were in a band together, right, long time ago.

Speaker 1: 5:37

Kike was the OG of content creation back in early 2000s, just so you guys know. Okay, he would be our content creator. He will make sure that there are videos about us. He will make sure that we had the right presence when we were presenting and performing live. So these were the days where there was no Facebook, no Instagram, none of that stuff. Do you remember that, kike?

Speaker 2: 5:57

Yeah, I remember that I recorded it on Minidisc, all the songs through the console, and that, yeah, yeah, I remember that. Actually I have some of the tapes still, some of the recordings.

Speaker 1: 6:10

That is really cool. So I ask you to be here because you and I share many great memories, and the truth is that I believe your journey is inspirational, and so the whole point of bringing guests to the show is to really create a space, you know, to create a space where we can unpack those moments in our lives that really are the pivotal moments, where they make us or break us right, and so I know that you and I have shared moments like that together and you have had your own journey. So I wonder if you will be so willing to share with us those stories of gratitude with us. So let's get at it, okay. So, kike, first question If I ask you what is the value of gratitude in your life, what would you say?

Speaker 2: 6:57

What do you mean by value of gratitude?

Speaker 1: 7:01

Well, maybe. Thank you for reframing and asking another question, so I can unpack it. What happens when you are in a mindset of gratitude for you, or what can help you to get to that?

Speaker 2: 7:10

place. Yeah, it's good that you say that, because I've seen it in myself that gratitude is not always there. It's true. It's always there in a good moment, like for me, for instance. I suffer from depression. I've learned to know that it's part of who I am right, and when I'm in those moments now I can recognize it. Right Before maybe I didn't even recognize it in it and that explains a lot of things that happened in my life. But now I know when it starts happening I'm like whoa, you know, and those moments gratitude is not there Because in those moments my mind or I don't know how to explain it really, I guess just goes towards negative stuff and doesn't really have that thought.

Speaker 2: 7:58

But when my mind is in the right place, you know, gratitude comes. But it's weird. Gratitude is weird for me because gratitude Like, for instance, the moments that I felt the most gratitude is like very quiet moments, like very like right before I go to sleep moments. It's really weird, like moments. It's not. It's very subtle moments. Like, for instance, I'm like just laying there and I say to myself I'm so lucky to have this life and have a wife and have a kid, a healthy kid, like when those moments and I felt, I felt that gratitude to a level that I get scared because I'm like. I get scared because I'm like whoa, I have everything. Like from here on, I can just lose everything. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 8:51

It's weird. Why don't we stop there for a moment? Because I'm hearing certain things that I think we can unpack a little bit right. Which is this whole? First of all, thank you for being so honest with your journey with depression. I think you know if the more genuine that we can be in conversations, the more access to healing we find in our lives, so it's. I have discovered that when you learn to love yourself the whole package you develop an ability to relate to those aspects of your life that are healthier, right, and so when you talk about, this dynamic of gratitude can be tricky for you, right, because there there's this pattern of thinking, this thinking pattern that shows up, that can be triggered for so many different reasons, right, but we don't realize that it's very easy for us to overlook the things that trigger that pattern of thinking right, or it's very easy for us to think that it's you.

Speaker 1: 9:52

Uh-huh, uh-huh, same way.

Speaker 2: 9:55

I know I'm going to get very deep right Really quick, but Go for it. This is what this word it's your body, it's not you, it's your body. You're not your body, you're not your brain. You know what I mean, right.

Speaker 1: 10:05

Right, right right right.

Speaker 2: 10:07

So it's like, it's like the seasons, it's something that just comes, and you, you as a person, have the responsibility to look at yourself long enough for you to say, oh, I understand me, so you know when that comes. It's not that you know, it's, you just know. And so, well, you have to take the steps. I mean, uh, I don't know, a psychologist might say, well, you should take pills. Or maybe I would say, is that when you feel like that, you should just try to talk to somebody that already, for instance, I have a best friend that he suffers from depression too. I just call him up and say, bro, I'm feeling so blue, oh I'm, I'm depressed, and he's like. And he's like, he's like, oh, again, okay, so what are we going to do? You know, you know what, and it's not so, you should just like learn to deal with it, you know but again you're, you're.

Speaker 1: 10:59

You're mentioning things and tools that come as a response to self-awareness, right, and so the checking up with a body, you know that's very similar to supporting groups.

Speaker 1: 11:10

They use that technique, right, Because it helps when you remember I mean you said it earlier and not, and you said that you were getting a little deep, let's get a little deeper, right.

Speaker 1: 11:19

You know, any 12 step program recognizes that whatever condition you have, it's not just you, it's it's it's an illness, it's a struggle that we go through, right, and so, depending on whatever situation is understanding and looking at yourself with different eyes can help you access a new mindset, right.

Speaker 1: 11:38

And but I want to go back, Kike, to what you mentioned earlier, because it was so subtle but it's so profound, which is when you all of a sudden, before falling I mean going going to bed you have a moment of realization for the day and you realize that you have a partner next to you that loves you and loves you unconditionally, that you have a healthy son, that you have a family, that you have a job, that you get to the things that you like to do, and those are moments, in all of a sudden, you realize I have so much to be grateful for, and right there. And then you also get a little anxious because you think that you can lose it, and so that goes back to all these narratives that we have constantly running through our minds, and so I find it very interesting.

Speaker 2: 12:23

But it's not that I fear of losing it, it's like I fear that, like I'm like I could just die right now. You know what I mean. Okay, I, I've achieved this, but it's scary because you think that it's scary because I know that I'm I'm grateful because I'm living the best years of my life, but it's a little bit scary because I know they're the best years of my life and then you know it's not going to. I mean, that's also a mindset. I mean, the best years of my life are always going to be now, because it's always now, yeah, but you know that those thoughts come to mind. But yeah, I mean, I've had very profound moments of gratitude, like, oh my, it's how I like, and it's weird because in those moments I've had like, but I've had a lot of thoughts about who I've had the question but where do, where do I address this gratitude to?

Speaker 2: 13:21

Because, okay, well, okay Now, because I've thought, sorry, I don't, I don't pray every night, I don't have this like verbal connection with God, with my spirituality, I don't do that. But when I've had very great moments of gratitude, I sort of feel like, ah, this I have to be grateful to something. You know, you know what I'm going to be grateful to myself? No, half of these things are not even in my power, so I'm going to. So I could say, well, I'm going to be grateful to chance. Am I going to be great? You know what I mean? And that's that's weird. That's weird because that that shows something, that shows that that there's something more, that there's something spiritual, that there's something bigger than us. That all that, yeah.

Speaker 1: 14:15

I agree, listen. I mean, this podcast will hopefully will be a safe space to have all kinds of conversations, and so the an awareness of spirituality and the fact that there's something, that we're just part of something bigger. I love those kinds of conversations, so we can definitely expand on that. But let me ask you something, kike. Can you think of someone or remember a situation you went through and now, looking back, you realize that you know yourself better because of it, and would you say that you're grateful for that situation?

Speaker 2: 14:48

I can say that bad situations are usually the ones that I've learned most from. Hmm, it's just, it's just good situations. You get comfortable. In bad situations, you reflect more. It's just weird like that. It's bad situations that really maybe it's because those situations are the ones that you have to reflect upon, like to heal better. Heartbreaks are have been teachers, mistakes, things that that have been painful have taught me things, and that's weird. I think the other day I saw like a meme or something that said, uh, gifts can be dark things too, or something it's actually a quote from Mary Oliver, okay, and it says.

Speaker 1: 15:43

Someone I love once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.

Speaker 2: 15:53

Yeah, yeah, and I think it's true. I mean it's not, but what's the gift, right? I?

Speaker 1: 16:00

mean, could the it's not really a?

Speaker 2: 16:02

gift. It's something I think it's the way you. You have to make it a gift is what I mean, because somebody else can have the same experience and think that it's a bad thing. You know what I mean. Right, and I don't want to get into my personal huge mistakes of my life, but what I mean is that the things that I've done wrong in my life, somebody could see them and just see them as something wrong, but I chose not to do that. I chose to see it as that's not the end of my story. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 16:37

Right right.

Speaker 2: 16:39

And from that story I learned something. So you know, and the good moments it's more about living the gratitude. You know what I mean. When everything is good, you're just like oh man, I can't, oh, it's amazing. But when you're going through something bad, it's like you learn.

Speaker 1: 16:59

You know, one thing that I have come to like, embrace and accept over the years is the language that I used, the vocabulary that I used with myself, and the ability that I have to look at things from the past and try to find again new vocabulary that can help me heal and look at myself with compassion and love. Right, because it's very easy for us to continue to repeat those narratives that honestly, they have a negative tone. We, as humans, we are prone to just focus on the negative, but the truth is that if we learn and we're intentional with the words that we use about our lessons and experiences, we slowly but steady stand and find new standing ground. You know what I mean and so, at least for me, that has been very helpful. You shared that you have struggled with depression. You know, I have myself. I have struggled with self-doubt and I have struggled with the need to be accepted with people, and so understanding where they come from and how that compulsion or that need shows up in my life has been one of the greatest journeys. And teachers. Right, because I have to realize how much the motivations behind my actions were rooted in my insecurities, you know. And so understanding that guess what I am grateful for the fact that I was blessed, or very fortunate, to be exposed to tools that can help me put my finger on it and spot that right and discover, explore what's behind all of that right. And so, yes, if I look back, I can be grateful for those moments because it has given me truthfully and I don't know if you will resonate with this, kike, but I have found liberation right.

Speaker 1: 18:52

Some people can call it salvation, you can call it whatever you want, but the moment that I can access those old narratives and look at them with compassion, wow, I find inner strength, I find the courage to continue to go forward and, more importantly and I don't know if you will resonate with this I can have compassion for other people, because I know what it has cost me, I know how far of a rabbit hole I can get into, and so you know it gives me an opportunity. Actually, you know I will echo this with you Suffering and pain can hopefully create a bridge for more compassion between humans, I think. But anyways. So, kike, let me ask you this you are an artist and before the end of the show, I want to make sure that I get an opportunity to show people what you do and what you're about in terms of your art, but why don't we just talk a little bit about the role of art in your life? So what does creativity do for you? Right, and how? Creativity is a path for you to connect with yourself.

Speaker 2: 20:09

Well, creativity or art I mean, or do you want to use both terms?

Speaker 1: 20:16

Both terms, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 20:21

The thing is that art for me is like something that, or creativity, is something that has been with me all my life. You know like I literally started drawing before I could like remember, so I don't remember when I started, but there's videos of me drawing when I was really little, so something that I started doing for film when I was really little, so it's been part of my life, all my life.

Speaker 1: 20:42

So what do you channel when you are in that place? What's happening?

Speaker 2: 20:48

When I do art in my own space, that's like the biggest thing. It's a place that nothing can touch, like no rules, nobody can tell me what to do in my art. It's like my safe place. Like when I was in school I didn't pay attention to classes. I got good grades but I didn't pay attention to the teacher. Like visually, I was always drawing in my paper, I was listening to the teacher but I wasn't looking at the teacher. So that's part because I have ADD, so I can split my attention, you know. So that was like sort of my escape, right. So I was drawing. So now as an adult, it's just like the place where I can express myself. But it's really a safe place.

Speaker 1: 21:40

So are you grateful for that space? What happens when you're in that space? How does Kik is in the best version of himself when he is in that place of creativity flowing? How? What does gratitude looks like when you're there?

Speaker 2: 21:55

the thing is that I Don't think in art is a place where I felt the most gratitude. Wow, no, because Because it's, it's man-made for me, I don't. I, for instance, I felt more connection with gratitude through with being in nature or Other things. I mean, for me I'm grateful. This is really weird because I haven't thought about this, so it's like for right, right now I'm thinking like, hey, I've never really thought about this because for me, my art is so second nature, it's I don't even it's an extension of who you are exactly, so it's not even something that I see as grateful for it, because it's just like there I don't know even how to explain that really, this is who you are exactly. It's maybe because I've, it's come to me so effortlessly. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 22:51

It's not like those other things that that I have no control over, and they're there, like, for instance, having a, a health, a healthy son. Let's say, I have no control over, no control over that. So there's the feeling of gratitude like you know what, and it's not that I don't deserve this is like oh man, there's some people that don't have this, this blessing, so I'm grateful because I have it. You know, it's not, it's not. I've never felt that I don't deserve it, because I think that everybody deserves health, everybody deserves Blessings. So it's not that it's like more like oh, you know what? Not everybody gets blessings, so I'm grateful for that. But in terms of art, it's always. It has never been like that. It's never been like oh, I'm grateful that I do art. It's just that I do art, you know right, and do you?

Speaker 1: 23:42

feel like your art helps you. What is that? Can you, can you talk a little bit about the relationship of your art and in the relationship that you have with your followers and the people that appreciate your art in?

Speaker 2: 23:52

In terms of the art that I do. My, my art is very playful. Art, I mean I, the things that I, I Since it's my safe place, the type of art that I do is fun art for me, it's, it's all. It has to be fun for me. I have to like it, I have to be enjoy it. So that's why I've done scavenger hunts, that's why I've done that kind of interaction, which is different maybe from traditional Art, but it's more playful and that's what I like to do.

Speaker 2: 24:23

I. That's what that's. That's how I want to use art. That's something I tell a lot of people like you can use art however you want. You can Literally paint just to. For instance, there's been studies that if you do art, you start developing other parts of your brain, right? So maybe you do art in the weekends just for that, and that's it. That's what you do art for or Whatever, something to do with your spouse.

Speaker 2: 24:50

You go out in your paint and you don't have to be the label of an artist, whatever. So you can use art for other things. You know. You can use art in churches, you can use art in anything. So a art like there's this really I don't think he used this phrase for this, for art. But the row has this phrase that says all good things are wild and free, and I love it because it's true, art is a very beautiful thing because it's wild and free and you can't put a label on it. I mean people, some people try to be like the the oh, art is a museum. Well, no, art is not a museum. Art is even broader than museums, even broader than Selling your art, even broader than a statue, I don't know, in a public place. It's like, it's very broad, it's so broad that it's can be even like really named.

Speaker 1: 25:47

So you know one thing, one thing that I to be get back when what you're saying. You said that you use your art to be playful with it, and and I I think that's really cool because you have developed a following of people. People connect with you and not only they can see your art, you know, in a mural or whatever. They through social media, your ability to put yourself out there and connect with them. You're developed a closing relationship with them and I think that's really really cool. I have to say that I am grateful for you because our friendship has granted us so many beautiful moments. Right when I think about your art, I see the progress that you have made over the years and it's astronomical.

Speaker 1: 26:31

Kike, when I moved to the States, you gave me two beautiful things. You gave me a picture that you took in somewhere in Europe of a cellist. It's a black and white picture. I still have that picture right. And then you get me what is a prototype of all the art that you have been able to perfect over the years. And, listen, I Am super proud of the fact that I that I get to have one of those original pieces of yours. I have kept it in places that where the corners are still intact, because I believe that in the future, that's good. It's not that it's gonna worth money, I don't care what it's. What it's worth for me, yeah, it is the meaning that it has for me, right? And so, again, gratitude. You are here because I am grateful for our friendship and I'm grateful for the doors that you have opened for me In terms of the space that we create for conversations like this.

Speaker 1: 27:25

You know what I mean. I am one of those people that believe, and I'm convinced of it, that we are meant to. We are Animals that live in community. We're smart animals that are meant to be in community, and so the partnership, the friendship that we get to share because the universe, god, whatever you want to call it this live chance has Brought us together. I think it's fascinating, and so creating and creating a space that we can have these conversations is crucial. I wanted to ask you another question what has caused you to step up on your game in life? What has caused you to change your approach in Life in order to grow? Can you think of maybe one or two moments that that you find yourself in a situation and at a crossroad and and you, you have to. You have to change your mindset. You have to change the way of when you were in what you're doing things, any, any moments, any recollection of that crossroad that you are now here because of that.

Speaker 2: 28:36

Yeah, I think when I turned 30, I think that that was a crossroad for me, like I, I I started to see like, oh, like that old moment, like oh crap moment, I'm 30 and my life changed in that moment too, because that was a moment that I I Also got divorced from, from my first wife. So that was like a traumatic moment right there. But, like what I said, like traumatic moments like that are the moments that get you like, oh crap, I got a move. You know what I mean, because at that moment I had a son that was really little too. So it's like stressful moments usually Get the fire going. You know what you have to, you know what I have to. Like, do something.

Speaker 2: 29:22

Usually when, when moments are a little bit calmer, you don't you don't have to, you don't have to push it, but but apart from moments like that, it has it all. It has always been like this inner voice that always says that I have to do better, I don't know where, like therapists say it's like your ego or whatever, but there's this little voice that's always like saying, oh, you could do better, you could whatever. I've learned throughout the years. Like, just like, ignore it and say you know what, calm down, what I'm doing my best, and stuff like that, because those kinds of thought can really mess you up. What I mean? You can start thinking that you're like what you said, doubt yourself, stuff like that, and that I mean as an artist. You, the thing is like being an artist. It's really weird because you usually artists tend not to separate themselves from their work. Okay, so when you say to an artist, hey, your work sucks, they think you're saying they suck, but that's not what you're saying, but that's how it feels to artists. So for a long time it's been really tough for me as a person or to understand that.

Speaker 2: 30:41

You know what, just calm down, it's, for artists have to understand that once you make your artwork and you put it out there, it's no longer yours, it's everybody. It's weird you made it, but the piece is not only you making it, the piece is somebody looking at it. It's like that story you have ever heard that saying that says if a tree falls in the forest and there's nobody here, does it make a sound? So if you make art and nobody sees it, do you make art? I don't know. So you need people to see your art for you to be an artist, so it takes time for you to understand that you have to. That needs to happen, because another thing artists are really jealous of their artwork. Oh no, it's my artwork. Oh, you can't see it. Oh, you know what? You know, sai? You need the viewers to complete the whole experience. But that has been it's tough. It's tough because you put yourself out there, you know.

Speaker 1: 31:43

I recognize how I struggle, believing in myself and my ability to tick the bull by the horns and just go out and figure it out. I recognize that it's not that it's easy. In my personal case, in my personal story, it was very hard for me to access confidence right In myself. But I have noticed what you have noticed as well, which is that in moments of pain, in moments of trauma, in moments of difficulty, the human endurance comes in, the human resilience comes and kicks in. And whatever tools you have whether you have a psychologist, I mean tools in psychology or psychiatric knowledge or spiritual tools that help you you find this inner strength or you have this ability to por el te para cosa. You know, like we say in Spanish, you know and just do it.

Speaker 2: 32:44

I have the tiger kind of thing. It's like it's that kind of moment, you know what I mean. It's like oh, I'm down, they knocked me down, but I get up. It's a story, it's an archetype. It's an archetype story. It's like the story of the guy who gets up and wins. You know what I mean. It's yeah. So I think that people, I mean it's unfortunate. There have been, okay, there have been times where I have learned things, but it's been like deep reflection. You know that kind of thing Like, for instance, another tool that I use is diary.

Speaker 2: 33:21

A diary Just write it, like, write it down. Writing down stuff in a diary helps you reflect upon things, you know, because you're gonna say, oh shit, look, I was depressed right here, but then here I was in, depressed, that's funny, you know. Or get really into it. Like you start jotting down everything you're observing about yourself and then you can reflect upon it and then say, ah, look that. But that is a little bit more difficult because that you have to do it like a little bit. When you have a trauma or something difficult in your life, it's right there in your face. It's not like you really can ignore it. But when you observe things, it takes more will, your own will, to do it. You know what I mean. Because let's say, you're fine, everything's fine in your life. So why the hell do you have to write anything?

Speaker 2: 34:12

No, because you know, you still have to observe yourself.

Speaker 1: 34:16

You know what I mean, so I've always been amazed at your courage. I've always been amazed at this unapologetic way of kike being kike. So to me, that's something that I have looked up to as your friend, and I'm grateful because the truth is that it was looking at people like you that gave me also courage to me to pursue my dreams and to pursue my true self and to be honest with myself, right, and so I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for the fact that you never hesitated and being your, you right, and those are for good or bad, right. And that's when you said earlier that your mistakes. I was like kike, maybe there's a different way of looking back at those memories. There may not necessarily be mistakes.

Speaker 1: 35:14

I actually believe that your ability to be true to yourself and at all moments in life, whether it's moments of fear or struggle or doubt, or courage and confidence, it's a powerful thing, and so I am grateful because I have seen in you your growth.

Speaker 1: 35:34

You are a father, you are an artist, you are a husband, you're an excellent friend. The way you carry your persona as an artist and the community of peers that you have, I think is fascinating. The way you are involved in the situations back in Puerto Rico and what's happening there for social justice and all of that. To me, they're remarkable and fascinating, and so it's interesting, right? Because I believe that when I look at your story, there's tons of reasons to be grateful for it. But that's my view on you, right? That's what I see in you. My hope is that we can continue to create spaces like this and that we can look back at those situations that have helped us continue to grow. Kika, why don't you tell us a little bit about your presence in social media and how do you carry this aspect of who you are and your art?

Speaker 2: 36:25

Right. Well, right now the majority of my work is I'm doing a lot of work on ceramic pieces tiles because my wife is a ceramicist. So in our house we have a ceramic studio, so I've taken advantage of the ceramic studio we have. So that's why the majority of the stuff there like the materials that I have accessible to me freely is our ceramic materials. So that's why there's a lot of ceramic stuff. This is like they call this kind of scavenger hunt. They call it like a stash and dash, because I stash it somewhere, I put it somewhere and then I leave. So it's like that kind of game, if you wanna call it that way. But there's another type of game, that scavenger hunt, where people have to find my tiles and if they're the first person to find it, they get something. When I started doing a lot of art, I started just painting on everything that I found. So one of the things that I did was record labels.

Speaker 1: 37:32

So what is this art, kika? I mean, obviously these are fictional characters, but these are fictional characters from your imagination. What is? Is there a story behind this?

Speaker 2: 37:44

I mean, what kind of art is it? It's a. I mean the name that people use is like lowbrow art. It's like an art inspired in comic books and pop culture. So, like all the stuff that I, all the art that I do is just like fun little things that I come up with. I mean I do have like serious, very serious pieces too.

Speaker 1: 38:07

I mean there's some pieces that are like basically like philosophical and like why don't you tell us a little bit more about the new Somo Naturalesan?

Speaker 2: 38:19

right, well, yeah, well, like there's two, like I was talking to you, that I have like two sides or two passions, right, art, and the other passion is nature. Like those are the two things that I've been in contact with all my life because, like I've been an artist of my life but since I was little, I've been exposed to nature and to animals and I studied pre-vet in college and I finished my bachelor's in animal science, so I studied biology. Like I'm an artist by nature, by nature, but by my career, whatever what I studied was biology and animal science, so that this page is basically where I put all the stuff, all the content that I create when I'm out in nature. And a lot of my hobbies are in nature. I do scuba diving, I do surfing, I do fishing, I do whatever camping, all kinds of bird watching, anything I can do in nature. I love it, I love being in nature. So why?

Speaker 1: 39:28

don't we let's, why don't we? I wanted to make sure that people get an opportunity to follow you, so if you're interested in Kike's Art or Aslan's Art, this is where you can find it. This is SomosNaturalesapr. His other account is Aslan, aslan, uno, all together A-S-L-A-N-U-N-O. I would love to ask you one last question, kike. The major theme in Joseph Campbell is this whole idea of the journey of the hero, right, but he has this really cool quote and he talks about follow your bliss. If you would have, if you would interpret that, how would you interpret that for you and how do you think you try to pursue that in your life?

Speaker 2: 40:20

I guess, for me, follow your bliss is like blissful moment is like that, that moment where you don't need anything, where you're in bliss, right. So I guess for me it's those moments of gratitude for me. So, and when I think about what makes those moments of gratitude, it's just simple moments with my family. It's not, it's not Multiple things, right, yeah, and it's always shared moments. It's never like, it's never a moment where I'm the, I'm like the center of attention or something. It's always something that I could share, like if I have an exhibition, yeah, but that my family was there or my friends were there or my wife was there. That's what makes it incredible, because if none of them were there, it would have been like it wouldn't have been anything, you know.

Speaker 2: 41:16

So it has to do with what you said, that we are a community species. We're a species that needs that interaction. So, yeah, that would be. My answer would be that it's like looking for moments of gratitude, and I think it's a little bit. That's not something very easy either. I mean, that's nothing easy because, first of all, you have to understand who you are and all those kinds of things in order for you to really know what you want in life, because that's a very complicated thing, because we've been programmed to think that we know what we want in life, but really in the journey of life is where we really got what we want.

Speaker 1: 42:04

I cannot disagree with you. I totally agree with you. So I wanna honor people's span of attention and our time and we have plenty more to say and plenty of more conversations to have but I think this is a good time for us to finish and close our first episode, I think. Aslan, thank you so much for being with us tonight. Well, it is tonight.

Speaker 1: 42:31

It is evening right now as we record this first episode, if you're a listener, thank you so much for hanging out with us and for opening your hearts and your minds to these conversations. We hope that your attention to gratitude will be a blessing for you as well and an opportunity for all of us to reconnect with the things that we talked about, the simple things in life that remind us that, at the end of the day, this is a true gift. So thank you so much for being in here on Journey Talks podcast. We look forward to the next time or we can connect again. Thank you very much. Take care. Thank you for listening, make sure you like, follow and subscribe to our podcast, share your feedback, hit that notification bell and let's keep the conversation going.