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

Aaron, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

For years, I used to beat myself up over not having started my current creative path much sooner. I often felt that I had wasted years of my life. Wasted time is one of the hardest losses for me to get over. I like to say that I started on my current path in my early 30’s. That is to say, its when I became serious about what I wanted to pursue and experiment with creatively. I spent my 20’s on a different trajectory. I spent a decade earning two art degrees, and worked several years in a marketing position at a small company. I know that I am where I am today because of the choices I’ve made, and I feel extremely fortunate. The greedy side of me always wants more and that’s where the feeling of wishing I had started sooner creeps in. On the other hand, I gained an incredible amount of experience, traveled the world and learned so many skills all because of education and other opportunities available through my previous day job. All of those things have shaped me to be who I am today. And today, I feel primed and ready to receive so much more of what I dream about in life. So, while I wish I could’ve started sooner on a lot of things, the only thing I wish for is more time because what we are actually given in life never feels like enough.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

It is difficult to pin myself down sometimes, but I’m an artist at heart. There’s no denying that my purpose is to create, and it took a while to arrive where I’m at. After finishing my Masters Degree in Fine Art, I was lost for a few years. I got tired of the art world and started making body jewelry for myself. I have a background in sculpture, so my jewelry work became more sculptural and I eventually started selling to festival goers and celebrities. With time, I started exploring other creative endeavors that had always been goals of mine. One thing naturally gave way to something else. Shortly after selling met jewelry work, my dedication to fitness got me into modeling. Modeling got me into acting, and then I decided to create music. I think what sets me apart from other artists is that no matter the medium, I explore the same themes which helps create a strong continuity through all of my work. I’m proud that my body of work has grown from art to jewelry, film and music.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Historically, influential and powerful civilizations have taken great pride in their artistic innovations. Art is everywhere, all around us. We experience art every day. Art not only enriches our lives, but many artists have the ability to offer new propositions, and ways for us to think about ourselves, our existence, and to learn about each other. However, some art is simply beautiful to look at. For some time now, the arts have been getting cut. A society cannot continue to succeed without a constant investment in the arts. A dead society is an artless one. The life of an artist is not an easy one. Aside from the physical creative process, there is an incredible amount of emotional and mental investment. I pour myself into my work and many times, I become consumed. It is a cycle that I think feeds many artists.I don’t think artists are as appreciated as they should be. It can often be seen as a frivolous career choice, but it’s essential.
Greater funding of the arts is necessary. Creation doesn’t exist in a vacuum, so with more programs, and more support and funding for artists, we are able to continue to innovate. Art and technology have really become enmeshed recently. Suddenly, if tech isn’t a part of the equation, being and artist gets a lot riskier.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I’m not a big fan of NFTs. I prefer something I can touch or share physical space with. Technology has helped artists create what would otherwise be physically impossible. For all the tech innovation, it still feels like we are at the beginning of exploring what is actually possible. I guess you can call me sentimental, but I crave the physical.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aaronvalenzuela.xyz
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/aaronvalenzuela
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronvalenzuela/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/valenzuelaaaron
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/aaronvalenzuela

Image Credits
Mark Hill, Jordan Service, J Andre, Brian Fowlkes, Ian Spencer LoPresti