Today we’d like to introduce you to Jq Cervantes
Hi Jq, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
A big life transition actually catapulted me into the life I’m living now, that is more aligned with a deeper, authentic version of me. In “version 1.0” of me, I was following more of what I thought I “should be” doing and being based on what other people would want or expect of me.
And in the years where I was figuring out who I was, there was a lot of trial and error, and fumbling my way through. I was revamping my life on all levels. Personally, I was trying to find my authentic voice, style, likes/dislikes, boundaries, and interests. Sometimes, that journey was fun, and other times – exhausting and challenging. A lot of healing was required during this time period where “version 2.0” was coming to life. I was basically on a 24/7 self development journey.
When it came to work, I was finding my way into my purpose and passion as well. I followed intuitive hits, inspiration, things that lit me up, and feedback from others on what they saw as my gifts. There were so many ideas, that a lot of them never even made it out of my head. But with the big ones that felt right, I would take steps to make them happen, while also noticing all the blocks that showed up as well. Being an entrepreneur was new to me and didn’t come naturally. Learning all the skills required to make a business come to life is so much more challenging than anyone talks about, and I had no idea what I was getting into.
I still struggle, to this day, with the tasks that take me out of my flow, but are required for me to do what I love. I do feel blessed that I know my unique purpose and that I’m so passionate about it that I wake up eager and excited everyday to do that. I’m even the person who hates the weekend and can’t wait for the work week, because when I’m doing my work, that authentic and passionate expression feels so amazing.
Now that “version 3.0” is emerging – more confident, aligned, powerful, and tapped in – life feels different! I have clarity on what I’m doing, where I’m going, and who I am! It feels exciting with an under current of peace because I know I’ve got me. I am clear about my mission with Art as Alchemy – helping people use artistic expression as an access point for powerful transformation & empowerment – while also open to seeing how things evolve over time. And, I also know that I will always be evolving and growing, so who knows how many more versions of me there will be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I wouldn’t change that at all, because that’s where you learn and grow and gain all the good bits. I’ve experienced many blocks along the way. Self doubt and censorship have been (and sometimes still are) a big struggle for me, as a recovering people-pleaser. Being concerned with how others are going to perceive me has really stifled my authenticity, destroyed my ability to put myself out there, and even killed a whole idea before it was able to get out to others. In fact, I have an entire book that I wrote that is still, to this day, sitting unpublished on my computer. Before I put out a post or any content, I would first, mentally run it through a filter of about 10 people (who aren’t even my target audience, by the way) and then psych myself out or change the content to make it more “palatable”. This one block is something that has hindered me the most I’d say, even over financial and technical challenges.
Another challenge has been the “solopreneur” dilemma, where you are wearing all the hats and doing all the jobs within your business. It’s not easy and after going through this now a dozen or more times, I’m realizing that it might be better to get a loan and pay the people you need to pay to do the jobs that they know how to do. I will say that I’m proud of myself for learning how to start a business, complete legal documents, build my own websites, manage the email list, and also be the social media planner, marketer, content creator, advertiser, accountant, as well as the person who actually delivers the product. This challenge is more about optimizing my time. I could be doing so much more and be so much further down the road if I had a team of people helping me out.
A couple other obstacles I experienced over the last decade have been: (1) Needing to have a job and bring in money while building a business which limited how fast I could grow. (2) Having my son and becoming a stay at home mom, which limited my availability to do this work.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I feel really excited about where I’m venturing now, because I haven’t seen it out there in the way I’m bringing it. With Art as Alchemy, we are utilizing specific art experiences that are backed by neuroscience and psychology, to make actual changes in our body, mind, and lives. The methods used in Art as Alchemy have been designed specifically to utilize your artistic expression as an access point for transformation and empowerment. In 2016, I crafted a unique artistic empowerment experience called the Art Flowshop®, where people use art, meditation, and music to tap into their flow state – ultimately, leaving more powerful, connected, and peaceful than when they arrived. In the Art Flowshop®, you not only get flow state training, which you can use for accessing peak performance, but you also get to experience being in the flow while creating a unique piece of art. It’s a magical event and I love hearing the unique stories of what each person gains from doing it.
In the last year, I expanded the impact I was making by also getting certified in another powerful art method called Neurographica®, invented by Pavel Piscarev, where you use specifically-designed algorithms of drawing that help access the subconscious and rewire the brain. I had stumbled upon this drawing method via social media, fell in love with it, and knew immediately that I needed to get trained so I could incorporate this into Art as Alchemy. The power of this method of art has brought me to tears, knowing the profound positive impact it is making in people’s lives. I’m still in the process of completing my Specialist Certification, and once complete, this will be another method of alchemy.
I have big plans, including online courses, live sessions, monthly memberships, retreats, in-person events, a podcast, and private coaching. As I’m gaining momentum right now in the building phase, I’ve already created a number of really great offers for people to experience our magic. I created a “Self Reflection Coloring Book” with 25 themed mandalas to color, with correlating journal pages, including self-reflection prompts for people to go on a journey inward while easily doing art at home…and it’s free to download. On top of that, I’m doing weekly live streams on YouTube for each of the coloring pages in that book, where we color each page together, while I create deeper introspection with coaching into each topic. People can then come over to our free community portal to upload a photo of their artwork, share about their experience, and interact with other alchemists. I’ve also made our flagship experience, the Art Flowshop®, available as an online course, so you can experience your flow state through artistic expression, from the comfort of your own home. For those who want to dive deep and get custom-tailored support to release blocks and align with their highest self, I offer one-on-one private Art Alchemy coaching packages.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Even though AI is having a profound impact on the art world, and even taking some opportunities away from artists, it can’t take away the benefits that people get from actually creating art. I believe people are craving new ways of doing self development, and accessing the things that are blocking them from living as their best self, and art, in the ways that we’re doing it at Art as Alchemy, makes it easy, fun, powerful, and beautiful to do “the work” and grow into (or get aligned with) your best self. I also think that people are evolving more, and are now striving to access a higher place within themselves, that is more authentic and aligned; and to bring their purpose, passions and soul essence into their everyday life. To me, this means that each of us contains an inner artist, who can create the person we want to be and the life we want to live. And I believe that in the next 5-10 years, you’re going to see a lot more people living powerfully from an inner truth about who they are and what gifts they are here to give.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://myartalchemy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art.as.alchemy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558802642435
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Art.As.Alchemy
- Other: https://myartalchemy.com/bio_links
