Meet Cal Duran: Art educator, I’m a master of mud, I channel my ancestors, I am the earth brothers and star sisters.

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

Hi Cal, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is never losing my intuition. Is trusting myself to succeed, to listen to my instinct. To push myself further everyday. To love myself so I can put spirit and love into what I create. Culture inspires me .Art allows me to go deep into the roots of my linage and ancestors to uncover new depths of my culture. Spiritually being aware and awakened allows me to surrender to my craft , and that allows me to hold spirit into everything I make. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Have you had a dream where it felt as if it was real? Do you feel the earth guide you to something that feels right? Have you felt a portal of some distant reality exist alongside of us?​Art has been a portal to channel my indigenous ancestors, where I slip under an emotional spinning vortex of creation. The makers of my blood flow through me. I channel the artisans, craft-makers, mud-dwellers, star-makers, dream-weavers and earth-brothers and sisters — the ones who paved the way and forged the path. My work carries spirit and my truth is in everything I create. I grew up in Colorado, my mother was adopted and my father not quite in the picture. I have roots that bridge India and the natives of this land. I find myself exploring parallels between my hybrid identities found in myth, religion, and ritual.​I work within clay and sculpture through ancient traditional processes. Visit me during Art District on Santa Fe’s First Friday Art Walks–My studio is located at Recreative Denver. I am Most excited about working on a permanent room installation at the upcoming Meow Wolf Denver with David Ocelot Garcia . I pay homage to my ancestors. The art world gets to mold you to what it wants but if you have a good grounding of who you are I believe you will succeed. I have always put my heart and spirit into my work and show anywhere and everywhere I can. I want the world to know that , I am meant to be on this planet as an artist to honor the stories of the past to hold spirit for all the ones before me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First I would take them to Mother Cabrini shrine in golden. I use to go with my grandmother and it is so beautiful spiritually awakening. Then I would hop over to Manitou Springs a beautiful mountain town and hot springs with incredible views. Then I would go to tiny town a beautiful lil town that’s all tiny!!! The. The Denver Art Museum to check out the amazing or colombian meso american collection . Then off to city o city for lunch amazing veggie restaurant I use to work at and then off to see murals around denver .

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Marie EVB Gibbons was a master of her craft , At an early age she taught me how to tell my story in clay , how to use clay as a way to heal, cope and unearth our ancestors. She has passed away into the other realm but her teachings have trancended time . Lisa Lee Rogers my highschool art teacher that pushed me to show my work and to tell my story through art. And to David Ocelot Garcia a master of his time an artist that tells the truth of our people. And to Pacha Mama the earth for giving me clay to embedded and tell her story .

Website: Artbycal.com
Instagram: volarduran
Facebook: Cal Duran
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Z8gUOmYdTV8