An Inspired Chat with Juan Delcan of Upstate NY

Juan Delcan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Juan, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: When was the last time you felt true joy?
Just a few days ago, I was walking the dogs with my wife Valentina when all of a sudden the light got more muted and everything started looking bluer. The smell hit me then—that distinctive smell that tells you rain is coming. I never really thought about being able to smell water before, but there it was, strong and unexpectedly pleasant. Then I felt the first drop on my face, then another on my hand. Within three seconds, it was raining in earnest. It made me happy, that perfect moment when the everything changes in the most dramatic manner and you feel small and you just let go control.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a visual artist working across live action VFX, motion graphics, and immersive experiences.
Started in video games, then found myself creating visuals for music concerts, sports events, documentaries, and commercials. I’ve directed immersive shows, Like the one of The Spanish Painter Francisco De Goya and designed everything from urban displays to a scarf for Echo New York. Sometimes projects happen by accident—like The Matchstick People, done with Valentina, my wife, which went viral in ways I never saw coming. I refused to settle in being just one thing. I do get bored easily.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Born in Quebec, we moved to Sevilla when I was very young. I felt intimidated—I didn’t speak like the Sevillan kids, so I retreated into drawing. Then one kid noticed my work and asked me to make one for them. That’s when I discovered what I had in my hands.
When we moved to Madrid, the same thing happened. I was eight years old and already knew: draw something, share it, and suddenly you have a friend.
It felt like my superpower then. Still does

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Drawing has been my therapist. Still is.

When anxiety creeps in, I draw. Frame by frame, straight animation—one drawing, then another, then the next. The repetition is like counting prayer beads or falling into the steady pulse of a drum.

It settles something in me that words can’t reach. Frame after frame, breath after breath, until the world finds its rhythm again.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I’ve always defended the power of ignorance in art. Not knowing what you can’t do gives you permission to make the impossible possible.
When I was twenty, my friend Paco and I created a video game in my bedroom. Nine months of relentless work, competing against major game companies with nothing but determination and the arrogance of not knowing we couldn’t win.
“The Abbey of the Crime” became what many consider the best game ever created in Spain.
Sometimes the most dangerous thing you can know is your limitations.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If immortality were real, what would you build?
I recently read Saramago’s “Death with Interruptions”—a book that flips everything you think you know about mortality. We see death as the ultimate enemy, but Saramago asks: what if it wasn’t there? Suddenly you’re questioning why we cling so desperately to staying alive.

Artists have always known this secret. We try to remain alive through our work, hoping it will outlast our bodies. Architects dream of buildings standing long after they’re gone. Sculptors carve permanence from stone. Painters freeze moments that would otherwise vanish. Film directors capture light that will flicker on screens decades later. Writers pour themselves into words that might be read by eyes not yet born.

We create because we cannot bear the thought of complete disappearance—so we scatter pieces of ourselves across the world, hoping something will stick, something will remain, something will whisper our name long after the last person who knew us is gone.

What is art but the quest for immortality?

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Immersive Show #InGoya, The Matchstick People, Scarf Echo NY, Behind the scenes Direecting a Commercial for Puma

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