We recently connected with Agustin Equihua Ortiz and have shared our conversation below.
Agustin, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Finding your purpose is an evolving thing. My purpose was very different when I was a 20-year-old in college to when I became a father. At first I found my purpose by reading. My strong interest in books and curiosity then led me to want to travel. So I traveled with like minded people who had similar interests. In my case my friends were into art, writing, filmmaking , and music. We decided to travel to Mexico and Central America because we wanted to see a place that was culturally relevant. I learned so much from those experiences where I met other artists and creators who were older than I and had already established their careers. I then decided to extend my stay in Mexico and develop my craft. Things were not easy, but I really wanted to develop my art, my skill, and subsequently my voice.
My purpose was to learn what it meant to have a voice, a perspective on life, and how to share it. As a visual artist you interpret the symbols and moment in time of your culture and people. You take responsibility for it as you would take responsibility for your actions. Now my purpose is more refined, I still cultivate my voice, my skill, however I now feel the need to create imagery that will withstand the test of time.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Finding ones purpose is an evolving thing. My purpose was very different when I was a 20-year-old in college to when I became a father. At first I found my purpose by reading. My strong interest in books and curiosity then led me to want to travel. So I traveled with like minded people who had similar interests. In my case my friends were into art, writing, filmmaking , and music. We decided to travel to Mexico and Central America because we wanted to see a place that was culturally relevant. I learned so much from those experiences where I met other artists and creators who were older than I and had already established their careers. I then decided to extend my stay in Mexico and develop my craft. Things were not easy, but I really wanted to develop my art, my skill, and subsequently my voice.
My purpose was to learn what it meant to have a voice, a perspective on life, and how to share it. As a visual artist you interpret the symbols and moment in time of your culture and people. You take responsibility for it as you would take responsibility for your actions. Now my purpose is more refined, I still cultivate my voice, my skill, however I now feel the need to create imagery that will withstand the test of time.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My advice would be to be dedicated to your craft, be adventurous, and learn about running a business. Dedication to your craft or skill will help you develop it to your fullest capacity. Mastery in ones craft or skill takes time so don’t rush. Instead invest your time and enjoy the process. Get involve and learn from others who have more experience than you do. Your journey is solely yours to take on your own, but that does mean you’re going to walk it alone because you cannot learn in a vacuum.
This is where being adventurous comes into play, be willing to put yourself out there. I know it’s a catchy phase, so what that means to me is meeting new people, exploring different venues that offer relevant experiences, activities, conventions, or gatherings of people who are in the same field. Being adventurous also means taking risks to see what works for you and what doesn’t. You really don’t know unless you try.
Let’s say you are dedicated to our craft or skill, you’re meeting new people and going to conventions and meetings. Then you realize that you’re going broke because your investment in time and effort has no monetary returns. In other words the numbers don’t add up. So be smart about your expenses. Learn to create a business plan, marketing funnels, and budgeting. You either sell a service or a product to a certain audience, so pin point who your audience is and how you can reach them. Remember that your audience is your base. You serve your audience and they will serve you.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I’m always looking for folks to collaborate with. As a matter of fact, I’m involved with many folks whom I already collaborate with and work with here in southern California. I have worked with folks of all ages and walks of life. I recently participated with the Eastside Print Fair which gathers artists/printmakers like myself from the east side of the greater Los Angeles area at one outdoor event. The fair took place at the South Gate Art Museum. Last year it was held at the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College. Other folks that I collaborate with, are themselves involved in bigger projects and we provide creative solutions for stakeholders, architects, teachers, designers, filmmakers, store owners or organizers. I did a presentation at Omgiving in Chinatown about eco-friendly art and sustainability. Many years ago I worked with indigenous artists in Mexico who were fabricated recycled paper from an invasive plant species. We used the recycled paper to create our art and prints. In the recent past the DTLA Film Festival had me create their key art for their film event. Now, I’m part of an art collective to help revitalize downtown San Bernardino along with Parks and Rec. from the city office, it’s called DTSB Culture Walk where we host monthly cultural events: art shows, musical performances, demos, and more at the Enterprise Building. Our next step is to start art classes and workshops for the local community.
If you have an idea and want to make it come alive with artwork you can reach me through instagram: @eastside.press or email: eastside.press100@gmail.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eastsidepress.etsy.com
- Instagram: @eastside.press
Image Credits
black and white Portrait picture by Sergio Ortiz
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
