Emanuel Hahn is a Los Angeles-based photographer and filmmaker whose work delves into themes of identity, culture, diasporic experiences, and the search for belonging. In this episode, Salomé sits down with Emanuel to explore the thriving arts career he's built from the ground up, driven by relentless self-motivation and discipline. They also discuss the often-challenging relationship between creativity and financial stability, reflecting on how Emanuel has navigated this balance to achieve significant milestones. From self-publishing his first book, Koreatown Dreaming, which was later acquired by a major publisher, to recently completing his first short film, Emanuel shares the many strategies that have guided his journey.

To learn more about Emanuel's work, visit: https://www.emanuelhahn.com/

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

In this episode, Salomé interviews Valentina Hernandez Botero the founder of Sana, a Miami-based skin studio redefining the skincare experience through goal driven facials, real guidance, and clean skincare. Among many subjects, Valentina and Salomé discuss the push and pull of looking for stability vs. taking creative risks, the path that led her to starting Sana, the experience of opening their doors only three weeks before the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, and how she views entrepreneurship as a creative practice.

Use the code "Reflections" to get $25 off your first sana facial.

Book mentioned by Valentina towards the end of the episode: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

Camila Falquez is a photographer and visual artist of Colombian descent based in New York who was born in Mexico and raised in Spain. With a particular focus on creating portraits and extensive experience as a fashion photographer, Falquez channels conventions of surrealism and a vibrant color palette to create images that reimagine notions of power, beauty, and liberation and celebrate social and gender diversity.

Her work has been published in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, El País, WSJ, and Vogue, among others. In 2022, Falquez had her first solo exhibition in New York at Hannah Traore Gallery, titled Gods That Walk Among Us. In 2023, she was named Fashion Photographer of the Year at the Latin American Fashion Awards. That same year, her work entered the permanent collection of the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).

In this episode, Salomé speaks to Camila about her personal and professional journey and how she's found her authentic path. Among many things, they discuss Camila's layered identity, her move to New York City at 22, and how she's built a successful career as a commercial photographer, most recently exploring a new facet of her journey as a visual artist. 

To learn more about Camila's recent artistic project Compañerx please visit: https://atmos.earth/in-colombia-a-grassroots-bill-for-the-needs-and-dreams-of-trans-people/

To learn more about Camila's work: https://www.camilafalquez.com/

In this episode, Salomé reflects on her experience of not buying new clothes for 6 months. She goes over why she decided to start the challenge, the many themes it brought up (i.e. awareness around a constant craving for novelty, social media peer pressure, thoughts on repeating outfits), and how it changed her relationship to clothes.

Resources shared:

Willow Defebaugh is a compassionate and wise writer whose creative practice is all about honoring nature and humanity. As the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Atmos Magazine, a non-profit biannual publication and digital platform, she has dedicated her life's work to re-enchanting others with the environment through captivating storytelling and stunning visuals. And though her writing often addresses daunting subjects like the climate emergency, she has a gift for offering wonder and optimism when we need it most. 

Tune into this episode for a candid conversation about Willow's unique approach to writing, how she brings magic into her creative practice, her work at Atmos, and the importance of leading with love amidst such difficult times. 

Intro and outro music by Pryces. 

The story of how artist and marine researcher Beatriz Chachamovits first fell in love with coral reefs is like something out of a dream. “It was magical, as corals are,” she says to Salomé at the beginning of this episode.

Considered the most biodiverse ecosystem on earth, coral reefs are essential for our planet. They house 25% of all ocean species, and as humans we get countless medicines from these fragile environments. Yet, for many years now their health has been rapidly declining. In this episode Beatriz and Salomé discuss how she has turned to her artistic practice as a way to bring attention to the beauty and importance of coral reefs and what everyone can do to protect these vital environments. 

Beatriz Chachamovits' website & Instagram account:

- https://www.beatrizchachamovits.com/about

- https://www.instagram.com/beatrizchachamovits/

Miami-based beach clean up organization mentioned by Beatriz: https://www.cleanthisbeachup.org/

When Jose Campos was a young child, he immigrated by land from La Paz, El Salvador, to San Francisco, California. There, he spent years living undocumented, cleaning houses with his mother, and experiencing the many struggles of being simultaneously targeted and invisibilized due to his migratory status. Today, Jose, now based in the UK, is the mind and soul behind Studio Lenca, a talented and increasingly successful artist who has shown his art around the world.

In this episode, Jose joined Salomé to speak about his journey as an artist. Amongst many subjects, they discuss his roots as a dancer, his intimate relationship with his mother (a driving force of his career), the importance of being seen, the struggles of belonging, and the artist's commitment to uplifting his family and community.

https://www.studiolenca.com/

Link to the Rutas project: https://www.studiolenca.com/rutas

https://carlfreedman.com/exhibitions/2024/studio-lenca/

Cover image photo by Zach Gates

Intro and outro music by ⁠Pryces.

LA-based mindfulness and meditation teacher Mariana Orkenyi joins Salomé for an enlightening and nuanced conversation on the subject of purpose. They discuss what it means to "discover" our purpose, and how we can deal with the anxiety and heaviness that this theme oftentimes brings up while also recognizing the many benefits of intentional living. 

Mari Orkenyi's Website: https://mari-orkenyi.com/

Mari Orkenyi's Substack: https://marianaorkenyi.substack.com/

Other resources mentioned at the end:

- When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron: https://bookshop.org/p/books/when-things-fall-apart-heart-advice-for-difficult-times-pema-chodron/9757480

- Ada Limón Poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ada-limon

- Adam Phillips, On Getting Better: https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-getting-better-adam-phillips/16726413?ean=9781250838872

- David White, Consolations: https://davidwhyte.com/collections/books/products/consolations-revised-edition

London-based artist Laxmi Hussain joins host Salomé Gómez-Upegui to reflect on motherhood and creativity. She shares how motherhood led her to become an artist and how her artistic practice is continuously influenced by her experience as a mother of three.

"I'm always going to want to be there for my kids, but also, I really want to do this thing, and, personally, I need to make it work...it calls me so strongly...and even when there are hard times, I'm constantly trying to readapt," Hussain says.

Article on artists shaping the way we see motherhood, referenced by Salomé: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-women-artists-shaping-way-motherhood.

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

Host Salomé Gómez-Upegui gives listeners an overview of Reflections.