INTERVIEW BY IRVIN RIVERA

EDITOR: CLARA SEELY-KATZ

From Angel to Artist: Exploring Clayton Cardenas' Creative Evolution

Trusting the process and allowing things to unfold organically is something that you may have heard of or read in passing at some point - whether as an unsolicited advice, from a YouTube channel on wellness and spirituality, or from a concerned friend.

It’s something that seems like an obvious life choice but is rarely fulfilled, mainly because it’s commonsensical in a lot of ways and most things like that in life are often overlooked. But the thing is, that those who broke the code and uncovered the secret to this method of allowing and trusting the process thrives. I mean, it’s not even a secret at all, there are endless materials and proof about this method that’s available everywhere but only a few people bother to dig deep and actually pay attention. Hopefully reading this issue will allow you to loosen up a little bit and trust in that power - the power of allowing.

It’s wild how I’ve been personally trying to adapt this to my lifestyle over recent years,and digging deeper has led me to the teachings of Abraham-Hicks and in the veins of like-mindedness and law of attraction, Clayton Cardenas, our featured artist in this issue, also shares the same passion and knows about Abraham-Hicks as well.

In this Collector's Issue, Mayans M.C. star Clayton Cardenas touched on the power of trust and manifestation in his personal life. He believes in the process of attracting positive experiences and like-minded individuals through a mindset of trust and alignment. This philosophy has shaped his life in profound ways and has been further enhanced by the practice of meditation. Through meditation, Clayton finds clarity and a sense of grounding that permeates his personal and professional endeavors.

This issue provides a glimpse into the multifaceted world of Mayans M.C. and the artistic journey of its cast. The show's ability to create relatable characters and explore universal themes while celebrating Latino culture is a testament to its impact and significance.

Clayton's dedication, growth, and passion for his craft shine through, inspiring us to appreciate the art of storytelling and the transformative power of trust and authenticity. There is immense power in trust. And from it stems a lot of other positive attributes like being relatable, comfortable, free and boundless - that are especially helpful in the creation process.

I was bingeing your show [Mayans M.C.] and really enjoying it, and I got so invested because the show rewards you for investing in the characters so much.

One hundred percent. I think that's what the show is built off; it's the familial bonds and people being able to relate to each of these characters. Like we were saying earlier, I think each of these characters in the story draws you in, and it makes you see the character as a human being rather than just some fictional person on TV.

Exactly. They're so layered; they're so complex that you feel like you know them and you care for them, so when they die, it hurts.

Yeah, I mean, not only does it hurt the audience, it hurts the cast members too. We see these people on and off set all the time, so it hurts when they're killed off the show because, unfortunately, we really don't get to see them in real life as much after that since we're always on set and things like that.

What was it like being in a show with a massive ensemble of amazing, talented Latino creatives and actors?

I don't really think I was able to appreciate it until it ended because before, when I worked on different shows, it was always an eclectic mix of people and different ethnicities.

Are you excited for the fifth season?

I'm ecstatic about this season. And not only for myself, I'm really excited for the world to see some of these other characters be developed more and see more of the backstory in the storyline. I'm really excited for the world to see the new characters we've been developing because the actors are very talented individuals, and this is really the first opportunity they've gotten to shine. We have two new characters coming in the season being added to the Mayans, and it's cool seeing their evolution.

Speaking of evolution, how would you describe your character's evolution throughout the five seasons of the show?

When you first are introduced to my character on Mayans M.C. Angel Reyes, you see him as this full-fledged member of the Mayans, and you see him fully invested in the club. But I think as time has progressed and the seasons have progressed, you get to see him really figuring out what is really important to him. In the beginning, he was searching for a familial bond, just family and acceptance, and love, and he found that through his brothers and the motorcycle club, but I think he understood as time has gone on how immature and how unimportant a lot of the things that they were doing really are. And, I think as he's starting to grow his own family, he realizes, oh, this is what life is really about. This is what familial bond is, not this thing I'm trying to create with these people that aren't blood-related, you know? But I think when he finally sees his son and his baby's mom, I think he sees the future beyond the club.

He absolutely matured.

He really did. No, he really did. Especially in this coming season, I think you're going to see the full arc of Angel Reyes, which is great.

The Rise of Angel.

The Rise of Angel! Do you know what's interesting? We talked to the writer; his name is Elgin James [writer and showrunner]. We had this conversation two seasons ago, and he asked me, where do you think this character should go? And I gave him my honest input. And he agreed, he was like, we were just talking about how Angel Reyes is going to start to see a life outside of the club. And hopefully, eventually, that's where we see him go.

That's amazing.

Thank you. No. I mean, I'm grateful and appreciative, and it's flown by, but I'm excited to see what's next in my future and everybody's future that's involved with the show. I'm so excited for the next evolution.

If this was your last day on earth, what would be the three things that you want to be remembered for?

My art: my acting, my painting, and my writing. That's three things that'll last forever, you could tear this down and get rid of me, but I'll always have some type of reference catalog with my art. And I think that's why it's so important for me.

It is your legacy.

I hold art in such high regard because I think of it like that, how do I want to be remembered? What kind of influence do I want to have? It's going to be a positive thing that I'm leaving behind. So that's always been the goal.

If you're a book, what book would you be and why?

The book would be, Ask and It Is Given, Abraham-Hicks. Those books really teach individuals how to live openly and achieve everything they want. Ask, and it is given; you ask for something, and it will be given. It's up to you if you put up the resistance. It's up to you whether you listen to the wrong or right people, you follow that vibe, and you find your tribe, man.