We were lucky to catch up with Adrienne Aragon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Adrienne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My song and music video for Sun//Sui is likely the most meaningful project that I have worked on and released. The initial writing process started at a dangerously dark period of my life, and I am so grateful that time, love, and creativity pulled me out of that space.
The final vision of Sun//Sui did not come to life until I was in a place where I could look back at where I had been when first writing the song, and see how far I had come. The person who wrote Sun//Sui is so different from the one who recorded, and released it – and that to me is one of the most rewarding and meaningful processes and experiences that I have shared with the world.
The visuals in the music video were inspired by Jim Jarmusch’s 2013 film, Only Lovers Left Alive. The set design featured approximately one third of my private book collection and library, and was filmed at the Black Monarch Hotel located in Victor, Colorado.
The song lyrics are an abstract depiction of the mind in its darkest state, and represent the pull between delusion and reality – paranoia and clarity.

Adrienne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Adrienne Aragon, I am a multi-talented creative and small-business owner based in Denver, Colorado. My work fits in the realm of dark art, and is inspired by the liminal spaces that exist between light and dark.
I have been an artistic individual for as long as I can remember, and first connected with music as a means of creativity. For those who have supported my work from the beginning, they may remember when my brand was under “Adrienne Aragon Music.” I held onto this name for several years, and eventually realized how boxed in the singular creative identity made me feel.
I launched Aesthete in 2020 with the desire and intention to allow myself creative freedom through different mediums or modes of artistic expression. By extending my business brand and label to include not only music, but art, photography, modeling (and any other creative outlet that I chose), I instantly felt more inspired, connected, and eager to share each of my projects.
The name for my business, Aesthete, originates from the late 19th century noun meaning “a person who has or affects to have a special appreciation of art and beauty.” Aesthete represents an all encompassing, multi-faceted, human, creative identity – and showcases the tangible, intellectual, and emotional creative sides of myself.

My first encounter with entomology (and the art of it) was in 2018 when taking a small class taught by the owner of Atropos Curios, Jessica. Jess is a phenomenal artist and one of the most kind, and genuine people I have had the honor to meet – let alone learn from. I went into the class thinking it would be a fun, one-off experience. But I left feeling inspired, and craving more. For about two years, I created countless entomology based art pieces for friends and family. Over time, my custom work was referred to acquaintances, friends-of-friends, then strangers, and I finally decided to launch an online shop to sell my art. Working with insects, dried florals, crystals, and bones is a delicate and intimate process that honors the natural cycles of the earth and the universe and reveals the beauty of both life and death. To create from this space brings me mental peace like nothing else, and has brought me closer to understanding my own mortality, and the joy of being alive. Music is something that I have been passionate about for as long as I can remember. It has carried me through so many chapters of my life, and I cannot fathom where I would be without it. Sharing my music with the world truly is one of the most vulnerable and scary things I have ever done, but by far the most rewarding. Music comes from my heart, and makes up the innermost life force or spirit of Aesthete.
Photography is a tool that has helped me show others how I see the world. It works almost as a means of translating what I see before me, from my eye to yours. I enjoy experimenting with low exposure, heavy shadows, and high contrast which allows me to bring the areas that are lit into the forefront. My darker take on photography acts as a means of visual storytelling, and gives me the ability to guide the eyes of viewers to finer details that might be lost in bright light.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Creatives Learn Law is a Colorado-based, female-owned, online resource that gives creatives guidance and countless resources for the legal-side of running a creative business. The team at Creatives Learn Law has helped me get on my feet as a small business owner, and boosted my comfort and confidence handling this side of my work — especially come tax season each year.

https://www.creativeslearn.com/

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are two wonderfully rewarding aspects that come from sharing my art and creativity with the world. Firstly, I feel accomplished and proud each time that I complete a project from start to finish, and love the nostalgic joy that comes from looking back to admire the evolution and growth of my work over time.

The most rewarding, and indescribable, aspect of being a creative is the reaction and conversations that are sparked with others about my work. Like many creative individuals, I tend to be locked in my head when envisioning and working on a project. It is not until I share my work with others that I can see new perspectives, or watch curiosity, excitement, and inspiration spark in response to my work. The reaction and feedback of others gives my work a much deeper and more complex meaning than what it would be on its own.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.AdrienneAragon.com
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/Adrienne.Aragon
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/aragonae
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/AdrienneAragon
• Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/AdrienneAragon
• Other: For website, portfolio, all social media links, booking and inquiries: https://snipfeed.co/adriennearagon

Image Credits
Creative Direction, Artist, and Set Design: Adrienne Aragon Videographer: Gabriel Jacobson, Storyteller Creative Filmed at The Black Monarch Hotel All other artwork, photography, and images by Adrienne Aragon