Meet Karen Reyes | Event Coordinator & Artist

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

Hi Karen, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Life is a risk- We are here to experience and pursue our desires, and all of that requires risks to be taken. The greatest risk truly is not risking anything at all.

Risks play an important role in my life, and I believe they have significantly contributed to my personal growth. I like taking risks in all aspects of my life. In fact, one of my new year’s resolutions revolved around taking risks and doing something new and out of my comfort zone every month. I started the year with skiing and taking on the slopes, and I was so afraid! It was my first time in snow and my first time skiing with no real.. instruction. It was a good reminder and motivation to continue to face my fears.

I personally love going against my fears and my own comfort zone. It feels so powerful to do things you were once afraid of. I like using my fears as a guide towards what I need to work through within myself and my environment. I see fears and risks as a path to learning and unlearning, a path towards uncovering more of myself because I know that understanding and confronting my fears will always teach me more about myself and my journey here.

Ironically, I fear fear itself far more than the risk. I fear the impact that fear has on us and our lives. I am frightened at how fear seeps into our dreams and desires, how it lingers and holds us back from unlocking our full potential. I think it’s very important to sit with our fears, to understand where they stem from, and to realize that fear is just a mind game. That it’s your mind’s way of protecting itself from whatever it is you actually fear. To remember that you are safe and that you are most likely not in any physical danger at all. There is a root to all our fears. A trigger that allows you to uncover it if you dig deep enough, and you are the one that ultimately decides whether to dig deeper or bury it within.

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.
My personal life has had a way of seamlessly merging with my professional life as I work in music, fashion, and also create and sell handmade jewelry, all of which I have been passionate about since I was a child. I am very thankful that I have been able to cultivate my creativity through both my personal and professional life.

As a multimedia artist, I love working with and exploring different mediums and forms of self-expression. My creativity is boundless, which has always made it quite difficult for me to stick to one interest, and at a point in time felt like a challenge to pursue and commit to a career. I have learned to see my curiosity and multi-faceted self as a gift, and I now follow my desire to learn and immerse myself in new hobbies and interests, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by where it’s taken me.

One thing that I have always been certain of is that music is what fuels me. It is my driving force. It influences everything I do and all that I am. It is the force that encouraged me to take my first baby steps and the same force that continuously drives me to pursue my passion of working within the music industry. I love discovering underground music and uplifting emerging artists, and it’s been so fulfilling to be able to do even more of that through my work as a lead event coordinator and vendor manager for Nothing Fest. My work with Nothing Mag has allowed me to merge my love for music, photography, and uplifting artists through the festivals we organize. It’s a beautiful feeling to bring the music and art community together in this way, as well as to be fueling the DIY scene through my work. It’s been really rewarding to be able to provide a platform for artists of all mediums to showcase their talent, as well as a space for people to discover and connect through music.

I am really looking forward to this year’s Nothing Fest which will be happening on October 21st at the Garden Amp!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are so many great restaurants in the area, but one of my absolute favorites is Thai District! I recommend this restaurant to all of my friends, and it has become one of their favorites as well, so you can rest assured that it might just be the best Thai you have ever had. On weekends, I would recommend going to Secret Island which is a tiki speakeasy that serves really fun drinks and has live music. Alex’s Bar is also a great place to visit as they host a lot of shows and themed dance nights throughout the week. Lastly, I would recommend visiting The Hangar and Retro Row for a good shopping experience.

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 have to say that the unwavering support that I have received from my parents is one of the main reasons behind all of my accomplishments. I am thankful for their unconditional love and encouragement, which has kept me going through it all. I am also very grateful for Anrea Boessler’s mentorship, she has taught me so much and given me the opportunity to work alongside her at Nothing Mag which has allowed me to grow into who I am today.

I also want to thank my wonderful friends who have supported and encouraged me throughout the years. My creative and empowering friends Zoe Bernhardt, Kayla Frazier, and Mariana Jimenez, who have all inspired and uplifted me in ways that have created momentum within my creative journey. It’s been lovely to be able to learn, grow and vend alongside them. I am also really thankful for my friend Angie Ortiz, who has always been so loving and supportive throughout my journey. It’s been beautiful to see my friends and I grow deeper into ourselves over the years. I feel so blessed to have such a strong and beautiful foundation of love and support!

Website: http://nothingmag.tv/author/karen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenreeyes/

Jewelry Account: https://www.instagram.com/lunarescapee/

Photography Account: https://www.instagram.com/indiegroundd/

Image Credits
Tomisin Oluwole, Jess Rodriguez, Robert Nuñez, Mitch