Transforming Communities Through Art and Beauty — with Austin Young
Release Date: 11/05/2025
Ep.19 | When Psychology Meets Art — Danielle Lazala on Color, Emotion & Space
Decoding the Flow
Summary In this episode of Decoding the Flow, host Drica Lobo sits down with Danielle Lazala, a multidisciplinary, self-taught Dominican artist and founder of DML Paintings. Danielle shares her journey from working in the field of psychology to building a full-time art career, and how her deep understanding of human emotion informs her use of color, composition, and visual storytelling. Together, they explore the emotional and energetic impact of art, the healing power of color, and how murals can uplift communities and transform public spaces. The conversation also dives into the...
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Ep. 18 | Building a Sustainable Art Career With Crista Cloutier
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Summary In this episode of Decoding the Flow, host Drica Lobo sits down with artist, educator, and mentor Crista Cloutier, founder of The Working Artist. Crista shares her journey from artist to educator and reflects on what it truly takes to build a sustainable, long-term art career—one rooted in clarity, commitment, and strong studio practice rather than hustle or shortcuts. Together, they explore the courage required to trust the creative process, the importance of defining success on your own terms, and the common traits Crista has observed in artists who thrive over time. The...
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Ep. 17 | Working With Interior Designers — Leticia Demeuse on Art, Space & Flow
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Summary In this episode of Decoding the Flow, host Drica Lobo sits down with contemporary artist Leticia Demeuse to explore what it truly means to work with interior designers and create art that lives inside real spaces. Leticia shares her journey from a background in advertising to building a thriving art practice rooted in intuition, emotional connection, and awareness. She reflects on the evolution of her work — from florals to large-scale abstract paintings — and how creating art for interiors has shaped both her creative process and her professional growth. The conversation...
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Ep. 16 | Nuyorican Roots: Art, Identity & Creative Flow With Erica Morales
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Summary In this episode of Decoding the Flow, Drica Lobo sits down with visual artist Erica Morales to explore Nuyorican identity — a cultural bridge between New York and Puerto Rican roots — and how it shapes creative flow, visibility, and artistic voice.owth. Erica shares her journey as a Nuyorican artist—rooted in both New York and Puerto Rican culture—and how her identity shapes her artistic voice and creative process. She reflects on how art became a therapeutic outlet during challenging seasons, the importance of flow states in creation, and why discipline and self-love are...
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Ep. 15 | I Interviewed Myself: The Truth About My Early Artist Journey
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Summary In this solo episode of Decoding the Flow, Drica Lobo opens 2026 by turning the microphone inward. Instead of a traditional introduction, she interviews herself — answering one of the most common questions she’s received over the years: How did your journey as an artist begin — and when did you really start making money? Drica shares the honest, nonlinear reality of building an art career, from creating without permission to navigating uncertainty, moving to a new country, and learning how identity, self-trust, and experimentation shape both creativity and income. This...
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Ep.14 | 2026: Who Are You Becoming Next? (My First Solo Episode)
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Summary As we stand at the edge of a new year, this episode is an invitation to pause. In her very first solo episode of Decoding the Flow, Drica Lobo reflects on the closing of 2025 and opens a gentle, honest space for becoming. Rather than focusing on resolutions or external goals, this conversation centers on identity, awareness, and the quiet decisions that shape the life we are creating. Drica guides listeners through reflective questions and simple practices to help identify what no longer belongs in the next chapter, how self-perception influences reality, and why focusing on how we...
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Ep. 13 | Turning Life Into Art With Deborah Liss (Creativity & Truth)
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Finding Flow Through the Body with Mirela Mattos
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Summary In this grounding and expansive episode of Decoding the Flow, Drica Lobo sits down with Mirela Mattos, yoga instructor, wellness and meditation coach, and mother of six, for a deeply embodied conversation on mindfulness, breath, and living in flow. Mirela shares her personal journey of self-discovery through yoga and meditation, exploring how movement, breath, and presence become tools for navigating life with more awareness and ease. Together, they discuss how resistance can be embraced rather than avoided, how commitment and consistency build confidence, and why creative...
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What It Really Takes to Go Full-Time as an Artist With Sara Glupker
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Summary In this conversation, Sara Glupker, an award-winning full-time artist from Michigan, shares her inspiring journey of moving from part-time painter to professional creative. She opens up about the long path to becoming a full-time artist, the deep role of community support, and how authenticity has shaped both her work and her audience. Sara discusses the lessons learned through solo exhibitions, the emotional experience of showing her work publicly, and how managing expectations can make or break the artist experience. She also speaks about navigating the balance between family life...
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Belonging Through Art With Lorenzo Cardim
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Summary In this episode, Drica Lobo sits down with Brazilian visual artist Lorenzo Cardim, whose multidisciplinary work explores the human body as both medium and message. Together, they revisit the origins of his artistic journey, the emotional and philosophical foundations behind his sculptures and performances, and how cultural roots shape identity and creative expression. Lorenzo shares how living abroad expanded his sense of belonging, how the Notre Dame project deepened his relationship with architecture, and why artist residencies create fertile ground for vulnerability and connection....
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In this enlightening episode of Decoding the Flow, host Drica Lobo sits down with Austin Young — visual artist, photographer, and co-founder of Fallen Fruit — to explore the spiritual nature of art and the transformative power of beauty and community.
Austin shares how his creative practice has evolved into a form of meditation — a sacred dialogue between art, nature, and consciousness. Through Fallen Fruit, a long-term art collaboration that uses fruit as a medium to explore generosity, urban space, and shared humanity, he has turned public spaces into sanctuaries of connection, inviting people to experience art not as spectators, but as participants in collective beauty.
This heartfelt conversation dives deep into the creative process, the evolving role of AI in art, and how beauty can become an antidote to fear and division. Together, Drica and Austin explore how creativity transcends boundaries, fostering deeper understanding and shared humanity.
Takeaways
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Austin views his creative process as a spiritual practice.
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Fallen Fruit connects communities through shared experiences and the symbolism of fruit.
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Beauty is a universal language that opens hearts and minds.
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Art can transform public spaces into sanctuaries of reflection and unity.
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Creativity is an innate human expression — a way to remember who we are.
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AI can serve as a tool to expand artistic potential and experimentation.
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Art is a meditation — a bridge to the divine.
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Focusing on beauty helps shift from fear to love.
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Every choice and action can be seen as a creative act.
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The future of art lies in collaboration, performance, and shared experience.
Chapters
00:00 — The Spiritual Nature of Art
05:28 — Fallen Fruit: Building Community Through Creation
08:08 — Redefining Beauty in Contemporary Art
09:15 — Daily Rituals and Creative Practices
12:18 — Messages for Future Generations
12:50 — The Essence of Connection
13:37 — Art, Collaboration, and the Future
15:34 — The Role of AI in the Creative Process
About Austin Young
Austin Young is a multidisciplinary artist, photographer, and co-founder of Fallen Fruit — a collaborative art project that uses fruit as a cultural symbol to reimagine public space, community, and generosity. His work bridges photography, performance, and public art, inviting audiences to see art as a living, breathing exchange of energy and meaning.
Through his portraits and installations, Austin inspires people to find connection through beauty, creativity, and conscious participation. His mission is to awaken collective creativity and remind us that art — like nature — belongs to everyone.
Resources & Links
Connect with Austin: austinyoung.com | fallenfruit.org | Instagram @austinyoung
Connect with Drica: dricalobo.com | Instagram @dricaloboart
📖 My Book: Decoding the Flow: Optimize Your Creative Power With Unshakable Confidence