Meet Gabriel Sorondo | Artist, Designer & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriel Sorondo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriel, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
The way I know whether I should keep going or give up on something is measured by the level of discomfort. If I’m grabbed by an idea enough to want to see it fulfilled then I know there’s value in pursuing that path. Sometimes, especially if you were to ask me this question a few years ago, I’ll get an idea and fantasize about how great it would be to see it finalized. Completed and presentable. It’s almost as if I’m viewing that idea from the perspective of unattainability. As if that idea were some sort of celebrity and I a mere average citizen. More recently I’ve been able to catch myself when this happens and ask ‘why not’? There’s no reason why ideas should remain as thoughts and not be manifested into reality. The only thing that stands in the way is whether or not you want to put in the work to achieve the goal, and to reject the opportunity to bring that idea to life simply because it requires too much work would be to settle for something of lesser value. So, whenever I encounter these moments where I’m confronted with the decision to proceed or remain stagnant and comfortable I try to remind myself of which decision would be more meaningful. I think the fundamental goal with regards to this idea of deciding whether to quit or not is to always seek the opposite state; seek discomfort when you’re too comfortable and seek comfort when you’re uncomfortable. It’s a constant balancing act between chaos and order.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’d be lying if I said I’ve arrived at my destination in regards to my “art” or career. I’m still very much exploring many paths, mostly creative ones, and I have not settled on one to emphasize on. Sometimes I feel like this may be a hinderance on my growth as a “professional”; like ‘what have I done with my life so far?’ kind of thing. On some level I do believe that at some point maybe I’ll put my focus into fewer things but for now I’m enjoying the hell out of all of them. Many things have caught my attention such as: drawing, painting, bookbinding, songwriting, poetry, sculpting, illustration, philosophy, and graphic design. Ok, so maybe most of those things aren’t as versatile from each other as previously described and most, if not all, are unsurprisingly practiced together by people we refer to as artists. After all, art is art: when it comes down it, fundamentally, creation is the common thread between those all, but they are different paths nonetheless. They are different disciplines. For now, I’m content splitting my time between these things while whatever is out there raises the volume of it’s call enough for me to hear it. I do believe that there is an infinite ocean of potentialities hovering in front of us at all times and that we just, but not easily, can put effort and focus into them, even if just to achieve the first phase of whatever it may be, so as to be on our way to self-fulfillment. Without being too verbose, the bottom line of all this, and the idea that pervades all my creative work/life, or at least the idea I’m practicing, is to focus on the present moment; because the future does not exist and the past already happened.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Honestly, I’m probably the worst person to come to for a tour of Miami. Hah! And, given the current environment of COVID, I would probably just do the same thing I would do with any of my friends: Find a place to have a beer, discuss deep philosophical ideas, go to one of our places, pick up a guitar, jam for a bit and call it a night. That, or sporadically come up with the brilliant idea to go to Busch Gardens at 2 in the morning only to end up playing “Arabian nights” from Lion King on guitar on Lido beach in Sarasota at 5 am. Sorry. That’s an inside joke with some friends. 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Everything that I’ve experienced, the people I’ve met, the family who have always been around to ensure a place of belonging, the friends who have ventured with me into profound conversation, my son who inspires me to strive to be a better person and father, my wife for understanding myself better than even I have at times; all this and more is responsible for where I am today. I could not have made it to where I am today without the big and little things. All of it is pertinent. In regards to books, there are two that are responsible for launching me in the direction I’m headed today. The first one is the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and the second is Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispensa.

Website: gabrielsorondo.com
Instagram: instagram.com/gabrielsorondo
Twitter: @gabrielsorondo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMqB61QaeYfBoLjDGN85rzA
Other: I have an apparel company. soro3apparel.com 🙂