Meet Lourdes Marie Gan

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lourdes Marie Gan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lourdes Marie, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I sustain my creativity by reinventing my purpose for the things that give me my own freedom and happiness. Currently I am experiencing significant transitions and evolving through these changes, so finding my reasons to stay consistent and relevant provide me the source of my motivation. I also do my best to begin new projects or collaborations with other creatives in the community so we can inspire one another. I am always fascinated by like-minded individuals or others who are willing to expand the ways we desire to express everything we are gifted to offer to the world. Surrounding my energy with people who understand this kind of influence is beautiful and worth cultivating.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the one of the lead creative minds in OpenHeart.Spoken Word, a grassroots collective which began in Orange County now present all throughout Los Angeles. We are a conscious community and inclusive safe space that aims to amplify the work of local artists from Long Beach to the Valley-every expressive outlet from poetry, comedy and music. OpenHeart is approaching it’s two year anniversary this August and it has been a profound network and brand that I am humbled to lead towards success because of all of the people who have been integral to its growth. We have brought together an immense amount of people together through our productions and events such as Kindred Spirits, Poetry Fest, creative workshops and musical showcases. I am profoundly grateful and in awe of every person that has allowed me to my most authentic self, as well as those who have trusted me to keep the next chapter of this collective thriving. We have an abundance of work to continue in the next couple of months and OpenHeart is ecstatic to share it with everyone.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

One skill that every artist should have is the ability to listen/receive constructive feedback. Without this, the ego destroys everything that should be soulful and authentic. There is no shame in applying advice from people who are looking out for your best interests, especially those who truly want to witness you succeed and meet your full potential. This exemplifies how growth is not linear, it is a necessary process. A quality I want to shed light on is allowing yourself to rest. It sounds simple but I know many artists in the industry, myself included, that refuse to rest out of fear of looking unproductive or feeling isolated because we are not actively creating. It is a core element to our mental and emotional health to press the reset button to prevent burnout. In a world that forces the immediacy of art, there is something worthy of praise when we acknowledge that a brief pause is necessary to humble us. The most impactful area of knowledge I try to embody is working on the next poem, the next production or next creative venture in silence. Without hurry. Without being boxed in. I am learning how to commit my focus on the work itself and presenting it for others to have access to when I personally believe that it is ready. It’s okay to start over again until it feels aligned, and that goes for everything about life.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

In the past 12 months I have become a mother. That statement alone has changed every aspect of my existence and my artistry in ways I genuinely am still discovering the words to. My son teaches me more than I have been teaching him. I have learned how to be left-handed, execute my ambitions simultaneously, expanded the versatility of my creative side and most importantly, learned about the kind of support my family and I have because of the community I am in and fostered. I realized that the legacy of my art not only is going to exist in my lifetime but my son’s as well and that has been such a moving idea to me. No matter what we create, it will thrive long after we are gone and there is something eternal about art shaping people beyond our reach. Being a full-time mother, going back to work and having the capacity to be a full-time creative is no easy feat but I do it all because there is no me without one or the other. I have also witnessed other matriarchs in the community embody this too which helps me know that it is possible. The support and foundation my partner and I are creating so we can be a household full of joyful creatives is something I cannot neglect to speak on as well. He has been an inspirational person that has allowed me to fully show up for myself and provide me the mindset to keep growing and loving who I am becoming. I am excited to experience the limitless evolution of this new era.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xlunarlourdesx/ and https://www.instagram.com/openheart.spokenword/

Image Credits

Greenway Court Theatre
Poets, Tea and Pleasure
Blossom Magazine