We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cipriano Ortega a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Cipriano, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
Happiness is fleeting. I embrace the content feeling of knowing what I believe in fundamentally is creation. The opposite of creation is destruction. For me, one cannot exist without the other. I suppose that notion and embracing that makes me happy in living in the unknown.
To quit, too give up. I do not think at this point I am capable of that. Regardless of where I am in life, I know that I would find a way to express myself.
I know what it’s like to have your passions taken away. Now, that I have them back. I try to utilize each day as a gift. I know that may sound a bit derivative at this point. Seeing how many say that notion and practice it little.
However, for me it is something I take seriously. Time is finite, and knowing that someday I will die gives me the motivation to do what I wish to do now verses later.
Life is what you make of it. From years of rejection I have built my own realities and worlds I enhance everyday by being a creative being. I suppose for now that is the conclusion I have come to.
Cipriano, 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?
I play in sound. I convey best my thoughts in performing them for others. My main mediums are music and poetry. However, when necessary I am an actor. My main goal as an artist is to simply find means of communication that I see fit and appropriate for said messages. Wether that is in song, dance, painting, a poem or in a film; it just depends.
I enjoy creating things from gathered research and planned out execution. When performing to a live audience I am always in observation. I take note of what works and what needs to be refined or cut out. With this methodology I calculate my next move.
As a musician I am currently working on my Low-rock project. I am the lead singer, composer and two string slide bassist. I will be releasing three new singles on my debut EP. “A whole new low”
As a poet I am currently working on a body of work that plays well with music and performing arts.
As an actor I am currently looking for the right shows and roles I feel are a good challenge for me as an actor.
As a visual artist. I am currently working on my portrait series. Using Francis Bacon and Fritz Scholder as my main inspirations.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My main motivation as a creative is to create a body of work that represents me. There is a lack of Indigenous representation that holds space for a new definitions. I know that I am not alone in this. I wish to redefine brown identity and to hold onto my traditions and ancient knowledge.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson that I had to unlearn is the notion that there is something outside of me that would make me whole. With years of refinement and self actualization I have had to face the reality that you are the only resource you can continuously count on. One must be resilient and still hold onto compassion for oneself and others.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciprianoband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciprianolow/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CiprianoOrtega