We were lucky to catch up with Jake Floria recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jake, appreciate you joining us today. Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? Can you give us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team?

Jake, 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 suppose some people might label me as more of an art collector and active community member than an artist as I do not pursue it full time, but art has always been an integral part of my life. My parents were both artists at one time and my father owned an art gallery in Aspen for 20+ years. I double majored in art and design at CU but haven’t pursued being a full time artist just yet. I have experience in various mediums such as painting, drawing, screenprinting, digital design, ceramics, etc. but I am just starting to present myself and my work and finish things when I find the time. I have worked for multiple other artists and now serve as Android Jones’ printing manager. The flexibility of my work schedule enables me to pursue other passions in my free time such as regularly attending art and music events around the Denver/Boulder area and enjoying outdoor activities. I am also an active member of the Soul Quest Studios events and art nights on tuesdays, which began when the space was called the Medusa Collective. It was recently taken over by my long time friend Alex Knuckey and local event producer Vahn Ivan of Mindbeam Productions laser company, who I have recently agreed to start working with as an administrative assistant and laser protoje. I have dabbled in live painting and intend to pursue my artistic journey much further as I find time to finish pieces and turn out new ones. I suppose my biggest role has been in propagating art and sharing this beautiful experience to the world, as I am often filming and sharing my favorite artists and musicians on social media and doing promotion for various music venues and event companies as well as assisting in astronomy tours at festivals. I feel incredibly blessed to experience such a vibrant culture and become friends with so many of the creative people I look up to. But I’m always down to expand my own horizons and see what more I have to offer.

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

One thing I am proud of has been my outlook on life and tendency to find the light despite my plight. Developing an interest in art, philosophy, psychology, and eastern spirituality early on has certainly helped me cope and understand when I went through some some dark times later in life. It was hard for my father to make money selling fine art when he began going blind before I was born, yet he still managed to keep it going for years. My mother also worked incredibly hard to support us but ended up taking her life four years ago after having a mental breakdown and my beautiful cousin followed suit one month later for different reasons. A friend did the same a year after that. It was a very hard time for me and I thought I lost most of my creative passion and inspiration. I felt lost and unsure of my purpose but was determined to not to waste my gift of life. By re-immersing myself in the wondrous art and music scene of the front range (and through a little ayahuasca healing), I came to find a renewed spirit and commitment to the pursuit of those things that make us most human and are most needed in our society. I have found community, hope, joy, love, enchantment, and also pain, in the beautiful ways people express themselves. I now feel called to add some beauty to the fabric of existence and weave as much love and compassion into its web as I can. It’s up to each of us to try to be a light in the dark.

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

I sincerely believe that our imaginations are one of the most special gifts we have. Creating utter fascination or contemplation in the mind of others through something you imagined is like working magic. Creating wonder and awe is the stuff that drives culture and builds civilizations. We all love consuming art, but for me, if I truly want to experience my life as something creatively meaningful and worthwhile, it is not enough to just imagine, I must create. “Your own creation is your redemption,” to quote Alex Grey. That doesn’t necessarily mean making great works to sell for thousands (though it could), it means finding a part of yourself that you want to bring into the world, into existence. No one’s story is the same and we all have one to tell. Art can be a platform for expression and truth. Sometimes I want to make a statement in my art, sometimes it benefits a cause, sometimes I just want to make something look dope. We can never be finished helping make our society more beautiful than it is. There is so much ugliness in our world today, but we can counteract it by finding the beauty within all of us. I don’t know if “non-creatives” are a thing because I believe everyone has a creative spirit they can tap into. Everyone needs a way to share their picture of reality, without fear of judgement, especially from themself. Whatever your medium, find time to create. Don’t worry about whether it looks bad at first because it will always stay that way in your mind if you stop. Art is a messy, experimental process. It is an act of play. An act of meditation. It is an unfolding of imaginative flow and exploration from the divine. It doesn’t need a reason. Art for the sake of art. Worthy unto itself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behance.net/jakefloria (old)
• Instagram: @excellentexistence @whatdidjakemake