conscient podcast

← conscient podcast26 jul 2025 · 15 min

e240 claudia salguero – community, beauty, nature

e240 claudia salguero – community, beauty, nature26 jul 202515 min

To me, there's three key things and it's community, beauty and nature. I think if we connect with nature and if we produce beauty, that is something that we as humans I think is our biggest gift. And I'm not just talking about creating art : speaking beauty, listening to beauty, creating beauty, opening our hearts to beauty in community. Because if we don't have a sense of the other in ourselves, then we're lost, we cannot do it alone. And this has been proved forever. But I think if we have these three things, to me, as the kind of person I am, we have it all. We're connected with nature, understanding that we are nature, we are part, we are one with nature and we are interacting with other human beings. And we create beauty and we inspire by beauty. It would be a completely different world. And that to me is like the mission of the arts.My conversation with Claudia Salguero, a Colombian Canadian community engaged artist based in Ottawa, where I live on the unceded lands of the Algonquin-Anishinaabe people. Claudia is well known for her vibrant and expressive murals. They are literally all over Ottawa and explore themes of identity, culture and social justice. You'll hear the color and the energy in her voice. I asked Claudia to give an example of one of her projects. She spoke about The Wisdom Mural, which is inspired by the teachings of Ottawa based knowledge keepers. I love the way Claudia identifies three key elements of… community, beauty, nature.

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

Recognize the vital role of community, beauty, and nature in art creation and appreciation.Explore the Wisdom Mural project and its inspiration from diverse knowledge keepers.Understand how art can facilitate healing and connection, especially in times of crisis.Value the importance of listening and understanding different perspectives to foster communication.Support community-engaged art as a means of giving voice to marginalized communities.Story Preview

Discover the story behind Ottawa’s vibrant murals and the artist who uses art to connect communities and heal hearts. From a vision inspired by nature to a powerful encounter with a grieving stranger, explore the transformative power of community-engaged art.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Essence of Community, Beauty, and Nature

00:56 Meet Claudia Salguero

01:37 The Wisdom Mural: A Dream Project

03:51 Engaging with Knowledge Keepers

05:30 Symbolism and Meaning in the Mural

08:02 Community Engagement Through Art