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

Hi Eder, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

In the beginning, art was a game—just a pen and a piece of paper. I never imagined it would one day become my profession, my livelihood. It has been a long road, not made easier by the fact that I had to navigate it without formal artistic education, and in a language that was not my own. But passion has a way of carving its path, even through uncertainty.

Over the years—decades, even—I’ve taught myself not just the techniques of the forms I now practice, but how to see, think, and express through art. I’ve grown in many directions, through many versions of myself, learning and unlearning, shaping and reshaping my approach.

Today, art is no longer just something I do—it is how I live. What once felt like a hobby is now a full-time profession. And yes, that means learning the business side, learning how to monetize creativity without losing its soul. That’s a delicate balance. I’ve learned when to capitalize on my work, and when to give it freely because creation, at its core, is not just about money. It’s about expression, connection, even survival.

Art, like destruction, is something intrinsic to being human. It’s deeply personal and entirely relative—it changes depending on the eyes that see it. But from my perspective, this journey, born from nothing more than the joy of making marks on a page, has grown into something I never expected: a life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico—a place known as the birthplace of Spanish-language hip hop in Latin America. It’s a city brimming with culture, folklore, and especially urban art, where graffiti is more than just paint—it’s a voice. That’s where my journey with colors, shapes, and self-expression began.

From a young age, I was drawn to cartoons and drawing, but it wasn’t until my teenage years that I truly discovered the power of art. At 19, I moved to the United States chasing the “American Dream.” I couldn’t have known then that years later, I would reconnect with my roots through urban art and rediscover the magnetism of creation and knowledge.

Hip hop became more than music—it became my philosophy of life. It pushed me to explore, to reflect, and to express. That fire led me to start my own company, where today I offer a wide range of creative services: from murals, theatrical and face makeup, body painting, and fire dancing, to fine art, gastronomy (traditional and infused), portraiture, music, and mixed media art.

I work with entertainment agencies and participate in festivals across Atlanta and the southern U.S., always staying rooted in the passion that brought me here. The pandemic was a turning point—it forced me to reinvent myself and take the leap into full creative independence.

Being self-taught and insatiably curious has been key to my growth. I believe in lifelong learning, community, and doing everything with intention. My journey is one of resilience, expression, and the constant pursuit of new ways to share the gift of art with the world.

My human relationships, the books that I read, the documentaries that I watch, and other artists all inspire my artistic style. My work is directly informed by my life experience and my life experience is directly informed by my art.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Art do:*it unsettles, it awakens, it shakes loose what’s calcified inside us.** Awareness isn’t always a comfort. Often, it’s a disruption — but a necessary one. The discomfort that comes with it is what makes transformation possible. Through that lens, discomfort is a kind of compass pointing us to what needs to be questioned or reimagined.

And then, beautifully, there’s **gratitude** — this surprising grace that emerges when creation touches another life. That ripple effect, where something you made from a place of truth opens something in someone else… it’s humbling, mysterious, and immensely human.

Art, then, lives in this tension: **between disturbance and healing, between confrontation and connection**. And that’s what makes it so vital.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My own life story is a testament to resilience. I left behind everything familiar—my language, my people, my home—to pursue a dream in a place where I couldn’t even communicate. I became a stranger overnight, surrounded by a world that didn’t understand me, and at times, didn’t want to.

I’ve faced racism and discrimination, endured isolation, and had to learn not just a new language, but a new way of surviving. I left behind those I loved most, uncertain if I would ever see them again. I started from zero, learning a new trade, adapting, reinventing myself while silently carrying the pain of everything I had lost.

There were moments of deep darkness. Depression took hold. I spiraled into chaos and self-destruction, not because I was weak, but because the weight of it all became too heavy to carry alone.

The greatest blow came when my mother passed away—and I couldn’t be by her side. I couldn’t leave the country. I couldn’t say goodbye. Grief became another language I had to learn, in silence.

Inside me, ideas clashed like storms. My past and present fought for space, threatening to destroy the fragile bubble of hope I had created. But I held on. I kept fighting—not just to live, but to become someone I could be proud of.

Every scar, every setback, every story has shaped who I am today. And I am proud of this version of me. To live is to risk everything. Life demands courage, because even death envies those who have truly lived. Death tries to steal what we’ve lived, but if we live fully, with no fear, then even death cannot win.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sereart.portfoliobox.net/
• Instagram: @eder6325
• Facebook: Ceresureal