Who is Santi, and why should I care?
A little intro and what to expect from here
Who?
Hey! I’m Santi. It’s the nickname I got from my pre-calc TA my freshman year in college; and eventually made its way around my college friends. Anyone who knew me prior still calls me Jonny. I don’t mind either, but for sake of continuity, call me Santi.
I am nearing my mid 20s (with a possible quarter-life crisis) but my habit of coping through creativity follows me way back to my youth. I’ve always desired to create and self-express through various formats, which resulted primarily film photography and music.
My creative work has always been casual and personal so I hesitate to call myself an artist, but I’ll settle at an aspiring artist. There’s so much to try and learn, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
Before I go on, I wanted to clarify that you don’t need to care about “Santi”. If anything, I hope these articles lead to inspiration, reflection and camaraderie in the creative struggle. If an inkling of that happens, I will be happy.
What?
I can’t remember where I heard this, but someone once described Substack articles as “glorified journal entries.” That could be taken from both a cynical and optimistic view, but regardless it’s what I intend it to be. I want to use this platform to reflect on life, past memories, current creative work, and everything in between.
One week I might be sharing a cool photoshoot I had, and the next I might sharing a recipe from my favorite childhood meals.
I had a Twitter account awhile back which got taken down by Russian crypto bots (a blessing in disguise) but it was too casual and chaotic, as is my current “close friends” story on Instagram.
Here, I hope to share more about what I’m doing and thinking (mainly photography and music), with more substance while still keeping it authentic. Come witness the artsy fun (and craziness) of being in your 20s!
Where?
I could interpret this part in several ways. Where am I currently: in life, living, in my creative journey, etc. I am currently based in Minneapolis, MN. I grew up here most of my life now, which I’m really grateful for. A lot of my creativity is inspired and influenced by the people and places here.
In terms of my creative journey; I feel like it’s been a bit between a slow-burn and feeling like a prodigal son.
I think I lacked the confidence and acceptance that creativity and craftsmanship is a core part of my identity, so I didn’t pursue it the way I wanted to growing up.
I’ve realized that regardless of what I do for a living; will always be pouring myself out through art. I think this is one way to try it more consistently, document it and share what I discover. Would love for you to stick around.
Best,
Santi