Janie & Ezra

Janie & Ezra | Sculptress and Musician | Mother & Son | Jerome, AZ

So, I’m sitting in 15.quince having lunch, and along comes this kid carrying a guitar.  Okay, having experienced numerous 18-19 year olds playing the guitar on the side of the street, I simply lumped him in with the group.  You know, taking a little break from the everything, breathing, and preparing for their next move.  Well, I struck up a conversation, and soon discovered that this kid, he’s 13.  While he looks like an older Justin Bieber, he’s actually like three years younger.  Crazy.  So, I have to dig, and after learning he works alongside his mom, I’m there with questions.

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Vladimir Costa

Vladimir Costa | Master Chef | Jerome, AZ

The thing with small tourist towns, if you have a restaurant that serves decent food, you’re probably going to get some customers.  Well, I wandered around Jerome, AZ for a few hours, before I happened through the door of 15.quince Grill & Cantina and wow, it just had that feeling of something special.  The look of the place, the energy of the employees, and the food all just amazing.  This was certainly a product of passion, and I was curious as to how it came about…

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Sami Strongbull Daniels

Sami Strongbull Daniels | Artist, Athlete, Pilot | Gallup, NM

It began with a story….I met some wonderful people in Gallup, and Teri happened to be a nurse at Little Sisters of the Poor, and told me stories of the amazing people she she gets to meet.  One of the people was Sami, who Teri described as an amazing woman who has lived a life of passion.  The moment I walked into her apartment, I knew I was about to experience someone special, and three hours later, there was no doubt.
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Johnnie Meier

Johnnie Meier | Curator, Restorer & Historian | Embudo, NM

My education in art, passion and perspective….It truly is about perspective, and maybe a little laziness and ignorance.  I watch American Pickers on occasion, and absolutely love it, though more for the people than the picking.  I just have a curiosity as to why a person would collect acres of anything, and while the show didn’t really answer this, I had the good fortune to find out first hand.  I was driving between Santa Fe and Taos, and noticed a large collection of old gas pumps and drove by.  About a mile down the road, it struck me that I’m not going anywhere, and the purpose for my trip is to discover passion and why people do what they do.  I turned around and headed back.

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Michael Santamauro

Michael Santamauro | Simply Being | Santa Fe, NM

I simply love music, and often fantasize about playing it.  My imagination allows me to pick up a guitar and strum out a perfect tune….It seems so natural.  When I actually do pick up the guitar, the fantasy turns to reality, and I pick away aimlessly for about 2-3  minutes before the ego silences my fingers.  Surely, one cannot simply be free and play the guitar without proper lessons and understanding of finger placement and chords.  When I pick up a drum, my hands begin with the mind in waiting….It sits, waiting for that first missed beat, so it can tell my hands they lack rhythm and suddenly I’m silenced.  My fantasy of playing music is never allowed the chance, as fear and ego take control.

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Dan Mimmack

Dan Mimmack | Entrepreneur, Woodworker, Teacher | Sandpoint, ID

Imagine if your passion in life allowed you to live anywhere, be creative, and be financially successful….Yeah, I know it happens, but I’ve not really experienced it firsthand, or at least taken the time to appreciate it.  I took the time with Dan Mimmack, and left his place motivated and inspired.

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Curtis Green

Curtis Green | Blacksmith | Chama, NM

Driving though Chama, New Mexico, I knew I had discovered someone special the moment I passed two trailers on the side of the road.  There was a purity to his art and location, and when I met Curtis, there was a purity to his soul.  You could feel his love for creating, for working his craft, and he was truly an amazing talent.  In a world where people pay less for an imported imitations, here was a man who continues to find a way to survive creating the real thing.

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