We were lucky to catch up with Rico Padilla recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rico thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I am a store owner for a shop called NIDO. Nido means nest in Spanish. The space is meant to invite artists of all sorts. To feel inspired, to do work, to connect with other artists, to connect in general and have a safe space to grow their wings in whatever that may be artistically. I think my mission moves towards the idea of humans wanting to feel safe in their environment. Of course this comes with financial and physical structures that give you safety, but humans need emotional and expressional safety. To have conversations that they feel safe in; to connect with individuals that see them for more than their occupation or race or even hobbies. Just as a human. I think we are needing this more than ever and my route to myself and others has been creating art for some time now. Making art is vulnerable in itself. When you make it with others, it allows yourself to be seen a bit. Even through abstract art, we can see sides of someone. At NIDO, we hope that art is a vehicle to your higher self, to connection with others, and to a higher relationship with a defined or undefined God in or outside of you.

Rico, 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 have always been a fan of art in movies, clothes, paintings, music, photography, conversation, story telling. For a long time I have seen them all as vehicles to connection. Which to me are a connection to ourself and God; I am not religious, but I have been finding more of a connection to God lately and myself through all these wonders and awes placed in the world. I think if we slow down more and pay attention to more of the beauty in the world we can see the perfectness of our existence and our past.
I want to have people feel this connection to others, their own existence and, the universe through whatever vehicle that is. The big question for me in all of this, was “Are spaces important?” This was an important question for me because I also believe that we can create paradises in our mind. We can do meditation or praying and maybe reach the same outcome.
What I want to do is lead people to expression. At the end of the day, I believe in the collective and humans as a whole. If I can get people to connect through the vulnerable act of making a piece of art, then so be it. If it is with yourself so be it. If it is through the Christian or Muslim or Jewish or Hindu church, so be it. But I want people to feel the magic of the universe. The wonder of the world, the beauty of it all. As cheesy as all of this sounds, I want people to feel hope and enjoy their existence. I want people to feel connected to themselves, to others, and to the universe. I want this space to create memories, to inspire, to feel safe for expression.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think the story is maybe as important as the good within this community type of social event/ market space. People want to buy quality stuff, but also love hearing what the story is and who they are supporting. I don’t know how to speak on myself very well, but I think I come off as someone who tells the truth to people. I see things pragmatically, but also acknowledge other peoples emotions. I am an honest person that likes to have fun, I pay attention to details, I like connecting with people, and seem to have good taste in art. Also willing to learn and admit that I was wrong. That’s a good one.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I have battled with this. I think it is the devil that I have to dance with eventually, but I think once I hire more employees and see a market for it I will lean into it more. I really enjoy the community aspect of businesses in the current age. I think we want to be in the lane of forming connections with the people that come in. That they walk away with not just an item or good. They walk away with energy from the space, or from a conversation, or from the art they did here.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nidogr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nidogr_/

Image Credits

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