We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aldea Gerard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Aldea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’d have to say the work I do for the Native American Heritage Association has been some of the most meaningful to me. We took them on at Hey Alec Productions a couple of years ago to manage their social media, and it’s been an incredible journey ever since. Creating content that truly speaks to a cause takes a lot of research, and through that, I’ve learned so much about the culture of the Lakota Sioux. Honestly, I’ve always rooted for the underdog—but more than that, I’m drawn to what’s real. There’s a culture out on the plains of South Dakota—a way of life built on community and resilience—that I’ve really connected with. It feels like something rare, something the world has forgotten. Helping to raise awareness, funds, and essentials for the reservations has been some of the most rewarding work I’ve done.

Aldea, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hello, I’m Aldea, and honestly, I’m just an artist at heart. Over time, I’ve found it harder and harder to fit what I do into a neat little box because it’s always evolving. At the core of it, I love to create and I love to learn. I’ve always been a creative person, but I’ve never been one for rules just for the sake of ruling. I’m all for moral rules — the ones that matter — but when it comes to creativity, like being told this is the only way to sew or that is the only way to paint, I’d rather explore, experiment, and see what’s possible.

Some days I’m painting custom shoes, other days I’m making videos for livestreamers. Sometimes I’m designing graphics, other times I’m mentoring interns on software design. I chose this life because I love the versatility — I love that I get to do and learn so many different things, not because I was chasing a specific label.

One of the things I’m most proud of is my mini bus, The Friz — named after Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. I stripped it down, rebuilt the engine, and turned it into an RV. It’s almost ready to hit the road, and it’s been one of my biggest and most rewarding accomplishments.

When I work with clients, I bring a lot of heart and authenticity to what I create. Whether it’s shoes, graphics, or a big project, I’m always focused on connecting the brand to the audience in a way that feels real. The world’s beautiful as it is — I don’t think we need to cover it up.

Right now, I run Aldea K Creative, where I do all things art. I’m also co-owner of Hey Alec Productions with my business partner, Laura Thorne. And I recently started an offshoot called Souls n Skins — that’s where I focus on my custom wearable fashion like painted shoes, leather jackets, and (hopefully soon) things like collars. I also wrote a book called Unfilter: A Radical Guide to Loving Yourself First. It’s more of a do-book than a read-book — filled with meditation prompts, doodling, journaling, and lessons I’ve learned along the way about becoming who I am. It’s available on Amazon.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Oh man, resilience. This path isn’t for the weak. The last few years have truly been a test, let me tell you. There came a point where I just felt like everything was wrong. I had finally reached a place where I was making a livable income, but I was miserable and stressed. Honestly, I broke. I left a job I loved — a job that had given me so much — and that was incredibly hard. But the truth was, it wasn’t serving me anymore. I was unhealthy. I was unhappy.

Not long before that, I ended a 12-year relationship. I’m not even sure what was harder — the changes themselves, or feeling like everyone thought I’d lost my mind. But I kept going. I started to build my business with Laura. I’ll never forget when she said, “If you give half the effort to our company that you give to the one you’re working for, you’ll always be okay.” She said that the day before I gave notice at the local café chain I’d been with for years.

Then about a year later, my son asked to move in with his dad, about an hour away. That was tough — it was a hard adjustment. After that, I realized the house I was in was just too much: too big, too expensive, and more than I needed. So I sold it, moved in with my parents, and bought a bus to build into a home. And of course, the bus needed way more work than I expected — so I had to learn. And now, it’s almost done.

I guess I tend to choose the path that teaches me the most and brings the biggest reward — but it’s never easy. It takes a lot of resilience. There have been so many times I’ve wanted to give up, but I don’t. Because I believe in the dream. I believe in love, in authenticity, and in building a life that’s true to who I am.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Hire them. Hire artists and creatives. Bring them into your business, your projects, your world — and don’t just hire them to check a box. Ask them what they can bring to the table. Give them creative freedom and a clear goal to work toward. And honestly, be creative yourself.

I think creativity is one of the most important skills we have, and so many people have lost touch with the confidence to create with that kind of reckless abandon we had as kids. But being creative regularly stretches your mind — it helps you think more creatively in all parts of your life. To create is magic, and it’s so important, now more than ever.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aldeakcreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aldeakcreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AldeaKCreative/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldea-gerard-631882101/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aldeakcreative