Jennifer Higgie is an Australian-born, London-based writer, editor, and curator. Author of The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World, The Mirror and the Palette: 500 Years of Women's Self-Portraits, and the novel Bedlam, she began her career as a painter before finding her way into art writing and spending over 20 years as editor of frieze magazine. In this episode, Jennifer joins Salomé to discuss the decades-long writing practice she has built by balancing deep intuition with relentless practicality. They explore how her career shifted from painting to writing, the creative urgency that drives her work, and why spirituality (long dismissed as an embarrassment in the modern art world) is finally being taken seriously again. From trusting a beginner's mind to delivering manuscripts on deadline, Jennifer reflects on the habits, philosophies, and leaps of faith that have led her to become one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary art writing.

Gagosian Quartely Interview between Jennifer and Salomé: https://gagosian.com/quarterly/2023/12/14/interview-leaning-into-the-ethereal-jennifer-higgie-and-salome-gomez-upegui/

Beatrice Wood article mentioned in the episode: https://gagosian.com/quarterly/2026/03/02/essay-game-changer-beatrice-wood/

Links to purchase Jennifer's books:

The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World

The Mirror and the Palette: 500 Years of Women's Self-Portraits

Bedlam

Blending solo episodes and conversations with some of the most thoughtful, interesting people I know, Reflections is meant to be a welcoming, curiosity-driven space to explore what it means to find and feel creative alignment in our lives. 

Together, we’ll ask questions like: How do people find and stay connected to their creative lives? How do they devote themselves to their passions, practice discipline, take risks, move through doubt, overcome obstacles and open themselves to something larger—whether you call it intuition, purpose, or the divine?

If you’re searching for clarity, connection, or a deeper relationship with your creative life, you’re in the right place. Thank you for being here.  

*If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating or review, and sharing it with someone who might enjoy it too. It's the simplest way to support my work and I truly appreciate it.

In this episode, Salomé reflects on her experience of not buying new clothes for 6 months. She goes over why she decided to start the challenge, the many themes it brought up (i.e. awareness around a constant craving for novelty, social media peer pressure, thoughts on repeating outfits), and how it changed her relationship to clothes.

Resources shared:

• Remake, Fashion Nonprofit: https://remake.world/
• Remake's 90 days #NoNewClothes Challenge https://remake.world/nonewclothes/
• Fashion Reimagined Film: https://www.fashionreimaginedfilm.com/
• Vestaire Collective, think first buy second campaign: https://www.instagram.com/vestiaireco/p/Czy02drMeav/?img_index=1
• Allison Bornstein Stylist: https://www.allisonbornstein.com/
• https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/allison-bornstein-three-word-method
• Thrift Shop in Miami, Shop Lady Smith: https://www.instagram.com/shopladysmith/

Willow Defebaugh is a compassionate and wise writer whose creative practice is all about honoring nature and humanity. As the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Atmos Magazine, a non-profit biannual publication and digital platform, she has dedicated her life's work to re-enchanting others with the environment through captivating storytelling and stunning visuals. And though her writing often addresses daunting subjects like the climate emergency, she has a gift for offering wonder and optimism when we need it most. 

Tune into this episode for a candid conversation about Willow's unique approach to writing, how she brings magic into her creative practice, her work at Atmos, and the importance of leading with love amidst such difficult times. 

• Atmos Magazine: https://atmos.earth/about/
• Willow’s new book: https://shop.atmos.earth/products/the-overview-healing
• Vogue piece about Willow’s book: https://www.vogue.com/article/willow-defebaugh-the-overview-book-interview
• Willow’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowonearth/ 
• Book’s mentioned by Willow during the interview: 
• https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634289/stolen-focus-by-johann-hari/
• https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/

Intro and outro music by Pryces. 

The story of how artist and marine researcher Beatriz Chachamovits first fell in love with coral reefs is like something out of a dream. “It was magical, as corals are,” she says to Salomé at the beginning of this episode.

Considered the most biodiverse ecosystem on earth, coral reefs are essential for our planet. They house 25% of all ocean species, and as humans we get countless medicines from these fragile environments. Yet, for many years now their health has been rapidly declining. In this episode Beatriz and Salomé discuss how she has turned to her artistic practice as a way to bring attention to the beauty and importance of coral reefs and what everyone can do to protect these vital environments. 

Beatriz Chachamovits' website & Instagram account:

- https://www.beatrizchachamovits.com/about

- https://www.instagram.com/beatrizchachamovits/

Miami-based beach clean up organization mentioned by Beatriz: https://www.cleanthisbeachup.org/

When Jose Campos was a young child, he immigrated by land from La Paz, El Salvador, to San Francisco, California. There, he spent years living undocumented, cleaning houses with his mother, and experiencing the many struggles of being simultaneously targeted and invisibilized due to his migratory status. Today, Jose, now based in the UK, is the mind and soul behind Studio Lenca, a talented and increasingly successful artist who has shown his art around the world.

In this episode, Jose joined Salomé to speak about his journey as an artist. Amongst many subjects, they discuss his roots as a dancer, his intimate relationship with his mother (a driving force of his career), the importance of being seen, the struggles of belonging, and the artist's commitment to uplifting his family and community.

https://www.studiolenca.com/

Link to the Rutas project: https://www.studiolenca.com/rutas

https://carlfreedman.com/exhibitions/2024/studio-lenca/

Cover image photo by Zach Gates

Intro and outro music by ⁠Pryces.

LA-based mindfulness and meditation teacher Mariana Orkenyi joins Salomé for an enlightening and nuanced conversation on the subject of purpose. They discuss what it means to "discover" our purpose, and how we can deal with the anxiety and heaviness that this theme oftentimes brings up while also recognizing the many benefits of intentional living. 

Mari Orkenyi's Website: https://mari-orkenyi.com/

Mari Orkenyi's Substack: https://marianaorkenyi.substack.com/

Other resources mentioned at the end:

- When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron: https://bookshop.org/p/books/when-things-fall-apart-heart-advice-for-difficult-times-pema-chodron/9757480

- Ada Limón Poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ada-limon

- Adam Phillips, On Getting Better: https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-getting-better-adam-phillips/16726413?ean=9781250838872

- David White, Consolations: https://davidwhyte.com/collections/books/products/consolations-revised-edition

London-based artist Laxmi Hussain joins host Salomé Gómez-Upegui to reflect on motherhood and creativity. She shares how motherhood led her to become an artist and how her artistic practice is continuously influenced by her experience as a mother of three.

"I'm always going to want to be there for my kids, but also, I really want to do this thing, and, personally, I need to make it work...it calls me so strongly...and even when there are hard times, I'm constantly trying to readapt," Hussain says.

Article on artists shaping the way we see motherhood, referenced by Salomé: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-women-artists-shaping-way-motherhood.

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

At just 27 years old, Kelly Talamas became the youngest editor-in-chief ever at the helm of Vogue México and Latin America. Five years into the role, she made the bold decision to step away from what many would consider a dream job to build a more intentional life, one rooted in creative independence and family.

Today, Kelly is a mother of three and the co-founder of LATINNESS, a website that explores Latin America through interviews, virtual escapes, and local city guides with Latin creatives.

In this episode, she speaks to Salomé about the many reasons behind her choice to leave Vogue and begin writing a story of her own, one in which her career remains meaningful but doesn't define the entirety of who she is. It’s an honest, generous conversation about the multiple versions of ourselves we inhabit over time, and what it means to ground your life in alignment and authenticity while inspiring others in the process.

Intro and outro music by ⁠Pryces.

In this solo episode, Salomé reflects on the winding path that led her from human rights law to creative writing. She revisits her time at Harvard Law School, the moments of doubt that shaped her search for purpose, and the quiet power of choosing inner guidance over external validation.

After sharing this story with friends and colleagues countless times, she offers it here hoping to inspire anyone who might be standing at the edge of change, wondering if it’s too late to begin again.

Resource mentioned: To Be Magnetic

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

Maritza Lacayo, Associate Curator at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, is a woman who shows up unapologetically in every aspect of her life.

In this episode, Salomé Gómez-Upegui sits down with Maritza to explore her journey in the art world, from starting part-time at PAMM’s front desk to becoming a curator who approaches her work as a storyteller in service of the museum and its community. They discuss Maritza’s latest exhibition, Elliot & Erick Jiménez: El Monte, a captivating show inspired by the Lucumí spiritual tradition, and along the way, Maritza shares her thoughts on what it means to be unapologetic, why she doesn’t believe in imposter syndrome, and how she hopes to inspire the next generation of women in the art world.

https://www.pamm.org/en/exhibition/elliot-and-erick-jimenez-el-monte/

Intro and outro music by ⁠Pryces.

Kathryn Mikesell is the co-founder of Fountainhead Arts, a Miami-based arts organization dedicated to supporting artists and fostering meaningful connections between creators and the community. A former tech professional turned cultural leader, she has become one of the city’s most trusted and beloved advocates for the arts.

In this episode, host Salomé Gómez-Upegui sits down with Kathryn to explore her journey from the world of technology to the heart of Miami’s creative scene. Kathryn shares how falling in love—with her husband, Dan—first introduced her to the art world, eventually leading them to build Fountainhead as a space to nurture and connect artists with the broader community. She reflects on lessons learned from years of supporting artists, raising a family, and cultivating community, from the residency program to her legendary art-filled home and her “Dolphins and Rainbows” swim group.

https://www.fountainheadarts.org/

Fountainhead Arts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fountainheadarts/

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

After a 10–month pause, host Salomé Gómez-Upegui returns to Reflections with a deeply personal life update. In this solo episode, she opens up about navigating postpartum for the second time, the challenges of rediscovering creativity in the midst of motherhood, and the duality of immense love and overwhelming difficulty that comes with raising young children.

Here, Salomé reflects on what has helped her ease back into herself: leaning into small pleasures, cultivating soft discipline, allowing space for emotions, and embracing uncertainty.

This episode is both a window into her own journey and an offering to anyone moving through transition, reminding us that we are not alone in the messiness of being human.

Melissa Wood Health Workouts: https://melissawoodhealth.com/

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

Emanuel Hahn is a Los Angeles-based photographer and filmmaker whose work delves into themes of identity, culture, diasporic experiences, and the search for belonging. In this episode, Salomé sits down with Emanuel to explore the thriving arts career he's built from the ground up, driven by relentless self-motivation and discipline. They also discuss the often-challenging relationship between creativity and financial stability, reflecting on how Emanuel has navigated this balance to achieve significant milestones. From self-publishing his first book, Koreatown Dreaming, which was later acquired by a major publisher, to recently completing his first short film, Emanuel shares the many strategies that have guided his journey.

To learn more about Emanuel's work, visit: https://www.emanuelhahn.com/

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

In this episode, Salomé interviews Valentina Hernandez Botero the founder of Sana, a Miami-based skin studio redefining the skincare experience through goal driven facials, real guidance, and clean skincare. Among many subjects, Valentina and Salomé discuss the push and pull of looking for stability vs. taking creative risks, the path that led her to starting Sana, the experience of opening their doors only three weeks before the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, and how she views entrepreneurship as a creative practice.

Use the code "Reflections" to get $25 off your first sana facial.

Book mentioned by Valentina towards the end of the episode: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

Intro and outro music by Pryces.

Camila Falquez is a photographer and visual artist of Colombian descent based in New York who was born in Mexico and raised in Spain. With a particular focus on creating portraits and extensive experience as a fashion photographer, Falquez channels conventions of surrealism and a vibrant color palette to create images that reimagine notions of power, beauty, and liberation and celebrate social and gender diversity.

Her work has been published in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, El País, WSJ, and Vogue, among others. In 2022, Falquez had her first solo exhibition in New York at Hannah Traore Gallery, titled Gods That Walk Among Us. In 2023, she was named Fashion Photographer of the Year at the Latin American Fashion Awards. That same year, her work entered the permanent collection of the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).

In this episode, Salomé speaks to Camila about her personal and professional journey and how she's found her authentic path. Among many things, they discuss Camila's layered identity, her move to New York City at 22, and how she's built a successful career as a commercial photographer, most recently exploring a new facet of her journey as a visual artist. 

To learn more about Camila's recent artistic project Compañerx please visit: https://atmos.earth/in-colombia-a-grassroots-bill-for-the-needs-and-dreams-of-trans-people/

To learn more about Camila's work: https://www.camilafalquez.com/