Meet Ilsse Peredo | Visual Artist

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

Hi Ilsse, how do you think about risk?
I know it can be scary to step into the unknown. However, nothing interesting happened to those staying in their comfort zones.

In order to take risks, first you have to accept and embrace the idea that not everything will happen the way you planned it… and that’s OKAY!! There’s no such thing as failure. Failures are only opportunities to learn and grow, and if you’re going to learn and grow, you have to be willing to take chances and make mistakes.

In my 25 years of life, risks have played a big role in my life and career. I’ve learned that life is no fun without them, and that risks come with setbacks. But what I’ve also learned, is to TRUST. Trust that those setbacks will turn into opportunities. Trust that whatever the outcome of your risks might be, that was the best that could have happened to you in that moment. I have learned to trust in the Universe, and oh how my way of seeing life and dealing with challenges has changed… My life truly improved with its guidance. Oftentimes, the Universe guided me to the exact situations I needed to learn painful truths. Trusting a higher power, God, the Universe, is a practice, an art.

The definition of trusting something is believing in its reliability, so there’s a catch here: The universe is certainly reliable (sun comes up, sun goes down, gravity works, etc.). But the universe is also reliably unpredictable (chaos theory, Murphy’s law, entropy, the famous things that happens). So saying that you trust the universe means trusting it to be itself, which includes chaos and randomness, forces which clearly operate on affairs down here on the home planet, and in your own individual life.

There is a meaning behind your perceived failures. Sometimes, when we surrender and tell the Universe that we trust it to take us to a new place, amazing things happen. They might not happen as quickly as we’d like, but the more you believe and trust in the process, the solution to your difficulties materializes.  You will see the light at the end of the tunnel of your suffering and frustration. That light will get bigger and bigger until it surrounds you.

So my advice on taking risks? TAKE THEM. And trust that whatever happens, it’s exactly what you needed. Sometimes, NOT getting what you want is a gift. Intuitively, we realize if we don’t take the risk to be fully open and vulnerable to all of life we may never know true peace and love.

It’s going to sound cliché, but you literally only live this moment once, might as well make it exciting and risky.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Every single event in my life has brought me to where I am today. The good and the bad ones, specially the bad ones. Until today, I have lived a life where I’ve gotten to experience many different things, meet many different people around the world, and resided in many different places. These experiences have made me see the most beautiful and simple things in life, they have educated me on endless possibilities and differences we humans have, they made me appreciative of my own heritage and culture. But they have also taught me all the challenges and struggles that come with being human, and from there, from wanting to be part of the change, wanting of others to experience things I have lived and felt; is where I find the inspiration and passion to create with a purpose. The purpose of service.

My role as an artist is to be an ambassador of the human experience. My art is a platform for resistance, a tool for liberation, and a window into an alternate reality. Through it I share my own (and others’) experiences to fight taboos and stigmas that have been created through history about feminism, identity, race, culture, mental health, spirituality, plant medicine, gender, sexuality and more. My art is self reflection, every piece has a lot of me in them. But it also has a lot of you.

My art is the service I offer to everyone and everything around me. And is the space where I continue to excavate my own soul.

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?
I love that you asked this! I will reveal some of my favorite gems in the city, but to really have fun in these places I suggest doing them with me *angel emoji*.

Food:
-Mi Rinconcito Mexicano
-Sanguich
-El Turco
-Barmeli69
-Matsuri
-Niu
-La Natural

Drinks:
-Margot
-Ball and Chain
-Dantes
-Cafe La Trova
-Boho House

Art and History:
-PAMM
-ICA
-Rubell family collection
-Ancient Spanish Monastery
-Vizcaya
-De la Cruz collection
-Miami Art Society
-The Bass
-Art Deco buildings
-Moksha Arts collective

Other fun:
-Center for Subtropical Affairs
-Full Moon celebration in North Beach
-South Pointe park
-Oleta park
-Magic City Flea market
-Little River Flea market

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this moment and words to my ancestors. I thank and honor them for the struggles they had to go through and doing what they had to do for me to be here today living this day.

I also dedicate this shoutout to every single person that has come into my life. Because I know that we crossed paths for a reason and regardless what the reason is or was, it has brought me to where I am today.

Website: https://www.ilssepe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilsse_p/?hl=en