Stop Being Forgettable: The Secret to Lasting Impact with Jefrë

[00:00] Hey, he's back! [00:03] Who, hon? Sammy, the puppy I had when I was a kid. He's right there by the couch. Could this be related to his Parkinson's? [00:12] What's... [00:13] Sammy doing? Wagging his tail. He wants to play. [00:18] Stay calm. I... I... I don't see him. You really don't? [00:24] "No." [00:26] But I know you do. This is the second time this has happened. Or is it the third? He came back to see me. [00:35] That's the part that really breaks me. About 50% of people with Parkinson's may experience hallucinations and/or delusions over the course of the disease. [00:45] That can mean seeing things that aren't real and believing things that aren't true. Symptoms can worsen over time, but are treatable. Learn more at mortoparkinsons.com and take the screener to see if it's time to start a conversation with your doctor. [01:00] At the University of Arizona Online, we bring a top-ranked education to you. We offer 150-plus programs, 100% online. Expand your career opportunities by earning a degree that meets you right where you are. Learn from the same faculty and earn the same degree as on-campus students. [01:20] Build your future with Arizona Online. Classes start every seven and a half weeks. Apply today and make your tomorrow amazing.

[01:30] You're listening to Mick Unplugged, hosted by the one and only Mick Hunt. This is where purpose meets power and stories spark transformation. Mick takes you beyond the motivation and into meaning, helping you discover your because and becoming unstoppable. I'm Rudy Rush, and trust me, you're in the right place. Let's get unplugged. [01:53] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged, [02:00] or [02:00] A lot of times we talk about people being a unique one of one. Well, I am definitely talking to someone that is just that. We're talking about... [02:09] A journey, a story, the uniqueness that can only be told by my man. [02:16] Jeffrey. Jeffrey, how you doing today, brother? Thanks, Mick. Thanks for having me here today. I appreciate it. I am truly honored. You are decked out. You got the Gucci Adidas. We are doing major things right here today on Mick Unplugged. Bro, I'm honored, you know. I had to come and compress, dress to impress. I'm here on Mick Unplugged. Hey, hey, hey. And we appreciate it too, man. You know, our... [02:39] We were introducing each other through our mutual homie, Damon John. The shark. The shark. And we're going to talk about shark art in a second, too. Right? We're going to break some news on that. But... [02:52] talking to Damon and he's like, Mick, do you know Jeff Ray? And I'm like, [02:55] "No, who is Jeff Ray?" He goes, [02:58] Dude, and he shows me this portfolio of amazing things. And I was like,

[03:05] you know this guy? And he's like, not only that, he's the number one draft pick for Shark Art. And I was like, let's go. And so then I got to follow you and I saw all the amazing things that you've been doing. And I have been blown away because... [03:21] One is, [03:23] I'm not artistic, bro. I see one dimension. So I'm going to go ahead and ruin it for everybody. Like I. We're all creative, Nick, in our own ways. No, no. I see one dimension, but following you. [03:35] I have learned to appreciate. [03:38] art. [03:39] And when I call you a unique one of one, it's because you're building sculptures that are like [03:46] 18 billion feet high. And those are things that we haven't seen like in our lifetime. Like you're doing things that, [03:53] that, [03:54] generations from now are going to say, whoa, how'd that get there? [03:58] How does that make you feel, man? [04:01] You know, I think for me, as we get into it, like my life story, you know, I think for me, it's always about understanding, you know, legacy. Right. And. [04:11] can I create as a creator, can I create something here that will outlive me? Um, and some things that I do are necessarily about, or as an artist, you know, you try to do things that are about you and your story. But I think for me, it's really this opportunity to kind of create legacy through celebrating other people and other cities and other cultures, not about me. And I think that

[04:41] if you're trying to share it with the world, you should bring parts of the world to you so that you can interpret things [04:47] on ways that they can experience it for them to create memories for lifetimes. Yeah. And that's what it's about, man. Like, you know, we were talking earlier and you're all about creating those memories, creating those moments that people appreciate that they're going to talk about. Not even talking about, oh, Jeff Ray did that because I know that this is your heart. [05:10] You want them to understand how it made them feel in that moment and the memories collectively that it's there. Has that always been who you are? Has that always been like that inner thing for you? I think so. I think I've always been... [05:25] interested in using my talents and my gifts to help others. I'm more of a giver, whether it's through creation or organization or helping. I'm sort of the guy that always is like, [05:36] trying to get people together, whether it's through friends or family and organizing these experiences. [05:43] And so instead of getting friends and families together, I'm getting cities and nations together to create icons or moments that they can identify with their own culture and their own sort of history to create their own memories as part of it. Yeah. [05:58] You know, if you look at these last couple centuries, we haven't built anything of significance in terms of something that has meaning and purpose. That's not a building, right? So when I say Statue of Liberty, Arc de Triumthe,

[06:13] the being now. [06:16] Eiffel Tower, I don't have to tell you what city it is. And so a lot of these things have been created have been gifts to cities, like the Eiffel Tower was for the World's Fair. And, you know, obviously the Statue of Liberty was a gift. [06:29] from France, but [06:31] People these days are like, well, how can I build these things and get an ROI from it? And so that's sort of what I've been able to figure out is that if you build these things, people will come. Not just to come to take a selfie, but take a selfie, have a drink, buy some coffee, have lunch, go shopping. It's the idea that these icons become centers for economic development. Yeah. [06:54] And then what they're doing is, [06:56] especially now, [06:58] They're then sharing those. [06:59] Right. And so now people are like, oh, Mick was over here. What's that? Yes. Right. And now they want to go take a trip to a Chicago or to a Milan or whatever to see some of the things you're doing, going down to the BVIs. Right. To see some of the things that you have going. Yeah. We're such a selfie culture right now. Right. I mean, like in the last 20 years or even 10 years, you will Google like when you go visit, like where are the top things or destinations or icons to see. And I'm just helping contribute to that skyline. Right. [07:29] what Damon gave me as a nickname was skyline whisper, you know, that I'm changing the skyline with art versus just buildings. Amazing. Amazing. Well, we're here in 2026 talking about all these amazing things. Yeah.

[07:43] but it didn't happen just now. There's a journey that you've had, right? Being born, I call you Chicago's finest, right? Like the love that you have for your city and that the city has for you, right? [07:56] That's where you were born? [07:58] Right? Yes. [08:00] that's where you got to learn a little bit about yourself. But you also have, you know, being the son of parents from the Philippines, right? Like you still have that love for your homeland to talk to us about the birth of Jeff Frey, man. Like, let's talk about that journey of where you started to how you got here. So [08:22] I'm a first-generation Filipino. My parents came here looking for that American dream. [08:27] You know, living in the Philippines was hard back then. It's even hard now. But, you know, back then, you know, our culture in the Philippines is about education. If you were a—especially if you were a doctor or someone in the medical field, you would actually get a plaque on the house. [08:45] outside of your house in the village. And so you would walk by and you would see all these plaques of people who had education, right? And it was sort of this idea that education helped you, was sort of a test of success. And so for me coming to, or being born and raised in the U.S., you know, that was part of the pediment or the pedigree that I was kind of, you know, under the pressure of that, you know, Asian kids wanted, needed to be doctors,

[09:15] and looking at medicine and all of these things. But, you know, I started looking into this idea of urban design and planning because, you know, my parents are, you know, my mother is a nurse and my father is, [09:28] I was actually an accountant, but then their hobbies were this idea of, of having a green thumb. So my father actually started the landscape contracting business, had a garden nursery, and then almost, um, helped my mother create a flower center, which then, um, she was doing weddings and arranging. And I remember as a kid doing all these sort of things related to design. And so I thought I got a lot of my design acromet through my mother, you know, she's going to love that I said that. Of course, of course. Um, yeah. [09:56] And then, you know, I started going to school. I went to Ohio State, studied urban design landscape architecture, went to the AA in London Architecture Association, and then worked for the biggest firm called SOM Chicago, which essentially designs sort of the mega structures of the world. Mm-hmm. [10:13] I had an opportunity to come to Florida to work in the Bahamas. And then, you know, I'm going through design, you know, um, [10:19] You know, I was always sort of working in a firm and still doing placemaking, which is like creating moments. And then 15 years ago at 35, I had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery. [10:30] I was down in Miami. [10:33] at an event, had some kind of pain, didn't know what it was. We didn't have Ubers. They told me to get in a taxi and make sure he gets to his room. And on the way, I saw Mount Sinai at Hospital, and I was like,

[10:45] I got to go there and there's something wrong. Like I couldn't just sleep it off. Went in, um, [10:51] They put the EKG on you and you're like, you're having a heart attack. Are you on cocaine, heroin? Like being in Miami, like, no, I'm not on anything. Like, well, you're having a heart attack. They, um, I had, uh, two stents put in and had triple bypass. And that's what changed my life. I essentially recovered, uh, went into the partner's office or was working for, uh, [11:09] quit my job and decided to become an artist. [11:12] Wow. So... [11:15] If we can, can we go to that moment? [11:18] When you're in the hospital and they're telling you, [11:22] You're having a heart attack. [11:24] What are you thinking at that moment? [11:27] Well, a couple of things. One is like, you know, how, you know, my family, what am I going to do? How am I going to take care of them? Is there anything, you know, where are they going to think? Where are they? Where are they? But then also like... [11:42] As you sit there after recovery, you know, you go through this... [11:47] moment about [11:49] you know, what have I actually left here in this world? You know, when we're, as an urban designer and planner, you're there designing cities and communities that take 10 years or 20 years to evolve. And I was like, I can't do anything that's just going to sit on a shelf. I need to do things that are going to, [12:07] create an impact now. And so I said, instead of locating the moments, I'm just going to do the moments. [12:12] And I said, that's what I'm going to do. And I said, how am I going to do that? So...

[12:17] I didn't want to go back to art school. I didn't want to do any of these, you know, the traditional thing that you do as an artist. And, [12:23] There is this percent for art program where cities were issuing call to artist. You have to come up with designs not based on your portfolio, who you know, it's just based on ideas. And my first year, I was a finalist on 12. I won eight my first year and was the fastest artist to break the million dollar mark in commissions in my first year. And then since then, I'm like, okay, if I can do that. [12:43] Can I go taller? [12:44] Mmm. [12:45] That's when the journey of going taller started. [12:49] Talk to that part, man, because, again... [12:54] I see one dimension, right? Like I'm sure if I were to say, you know, what do you see here? It's a mic stand, right? That's what I see, a mic stand, a microphone. You probably see curvature. You see lines. You see a whole bunch of things, right? [13:08] What made you say [13:10] I'm going taller. And what vision did you see of yourself for the moments that you were creating when it's like, [13:17] taller is where it's at. Skylines are where it's at. You know what it was is that, you know, [13:22] As I started traveling the world and designing cities, we started studying. And I started looking at these icons, and I was able to witness two times where people were doing celebrations or actually someone proposed in front of these giant icons, like the Eiffel Tower or the St. Louis Arch. And you saw the joy of everyone... [13:43] being in the selfie phase, right? Everyone's like, okay, taking a selfie. And it's a selfie of them with

[13:48] a moment that they're capturing for them that's sort of, [13:53] a moment in time and space or where they are at that moment. [13:56] Outside of work, outside of family, just to be there to capture that piece in the back. Mm-hmm. [14:02] I was like, I want to do those pieces. [14:04] And so I was like, how do I do something that is iconic enough that people will come and take a selfie with? I mean, there's amazing artists all over the world. And so my test is just... [14:15] Would you go there... [14:17] would you fly there just to take a selfie with it? Would it be on the sort of, um, visitors bureaus magazine, or when you take the airline magazine and see like, here's the places to visit. Is it that strong? You know? And so not that, you know, big is bigger is better. I mean, the bean is smaller compared to the Eiffel tower, but it has to be something that resonates with the community and has a storyline. Storyline is much more important than scale. Although scale will get you there. [14:47] Scale will get you there. [14:48] Story will keep you there. There it is. [14:51] There it is. So... [14:53] For those that are watching this and those that are listening, [14:57] Take us through that process. So take us through the process of one thing. [15:01] sculpture, one piece of art. Like, what is that like? Because again, I see one dimension. I don't have that creative gene that you have, not even close to it. [15:12] How do you say, all right, this is a vision? And then what are the steps to put it in place? [15:17] It's really about talking to the community, asking what they want. So I think for me, the biggest thing is I've been able to listen.

[15:25] And then interpret that listening into form. Whether it's a figurative form or contemporary or sculptural interpretive form. It's really, at the end of the day, about them. So they are the ones that are giving me the data to figure out what they should be. I go through a series of... [15:45] Um, in some ways, I think my gift is usually some people come in and say, I'll give you [15:50] 20 different ideas. [15:52] For me, what hits is I really already kind of know what it should be after speaking to the community group. Yeah. Yeah. [16:00] And then I just have a one... [16:01] and a 1A or 1B. [16:08] The guys who'd rather tee off at sunrise, fire up the grill by noon, and raise a glass to a well-earned happy hour. So, this year, skip the boring ties. [16:17] Upgrade his unwind with Tommy Bahama. From Lux Camp shirts featuring original artwork to breezy linen made for warmer days ahead. [16:26] Every gift from Tommy Bahama will instantly put dad in a vacation state of mind. [16:30] Because it's not just about giving Dad something new to unwrap. It's about elevating his everyday into a getaway. A one-way ticket to his happy place. [16:38] And if the perfect Father's Day includes a great meal and a round of Mai Tais, pull up a chair. [16:44] Tommy Bahama restaurants and bars are serving fresh flavors and handcrafted cocktails, turning any celebration into a true escape. So, if Dad appreciates artistry, quality, and the pursuit of total relaxation,

[16:56] Tommy Bahama has just what he's looking for. [16:59] Visit TommyBahama.com to shop the best Father's Day gifts. [17:03] or find a restaurant, bar, or store near you. That's TommyBahama.com. [17:08] variations on that interpretation because it's still about the story. And so from there, just the technical parts of it, you know, you go in there, do sketches, we'll do a 3D model. Now we're getting into physical models that then we'll 3D scan and then we'll blow it up to... [17:27] to figure out one-to-one scale and do sort of a test of a certain part of it. But the key is, is really engineering. [17:35] That's where the, where it is like, you can't just go help and put up a, you know, a 1028 story piece without understanding wind loads or earthquakes or anything related to that. So, you know, I had to get a team together that understands literally, it's almost like building a building, but in a form of a figure or another form that's not occupied. And now we're looking at things that are being occupied, but. [18:01] It's really working with a good team that understands two things. One of how to... [18:05] make sure it doesn't fall, make sure how it doesn't, how to make it, and then how to assemble it and put it together. So, [18:15] Um, [18:16] The secret is it's funny because I sort of live in this eight by eight by 40 foot box, which is the size of a shipping container. So a lot of the parts and pieces have to figure out where those go, because some ways you kind of control where the seam lines are. And if you don't sort of polish and weld them out. Yeah. But, you know, the assembly of obviously you can't just take a 28 foot sculpture and just like Gulliver's Travelers and have it come down the highway. Right. Yeah.

[18:46] So it's building it in pieces and parts and assembling it together. And at the end of the day, it's just trusting that team and working with that team that understands construction as well to make something that will be there for centuries to come. [18:58] Amazing, amazing. You know, earlier you showed me [19:03] This... [19:04] I'm going to say the most amazing thing that I've seen. [19:07] And it was something that you built... [19:10] for the Philippines. [19:12] Right. There's this piece. And if you're watching, we're going to roll some footage of that right now of. [19:20] I'm just going to call it beauty. It's called the victor. The victor. I'm just going to call it beauty, though. Like, it... [19:26] It's so amazing. First, I want you to describe it. [19:30] for everybody that's listening. [19:33] But then my real question for you is, [19:36] What impact did that have for you personally as your give back to the Philippines? [19:41] Well, it's interesting. I'll kind of rewind. Someone says there's a Filipino story before I got to create the largest icon in our country. Mm-hmm. [19:49] You know, growing up in the U.S., I actually hated being Filipino. [19:52] I hated being Asian. I was assimilating in a culture where I felt like I needed to fit in. Like me, my brother and her sister were not only the only Asians, but we're essentially the only minorities in our school or our neighborhood. You know, we were very much raised in a community where, you know, as immigrants, you have to kind of assimilate somehow. Right. And, and be who you're not. Right. In some ways. And I was sort of very anti going to, you know, you know, Filipino festivals.

[20:22] all these kind of things related to my own culture. Um, [20:26] And in some ways, obviously, I regret it because I never talked down about it or did any. I just didn't participate, you know? Yeah, yeah. [20:36] But coming full circle, when I started getting invited back to my homeland because of the work I was doing here, it sort of brought me to full circle. The idea that I'm taking my education and bringing it back to my homeland. And that's what this sculpture is about. It's called Victor, which they named it. [20:54] But it's called, it sort of honors the global Filipino. The idea when a Filipino migrates to the U.S. or Europe, they're looking for that American dream, European dream, looking for a better life. [21:07] When you do that, don't forget where you're from and that there will always be a beacon for you to come home. And so this sculpture is a 28-story sculpture. The reason for that height is because it's the same height I made a little taller than the Statue of Liberty. Yeah. The same sort of idea of this idea of the American dream and freedom. And then... [21:27] It has this hand in the ear because it's like a beacon to remind you to come back home. But it's made a perforated mellow on the top and then goes solid to the bottom to a mirror finish at the feet. So when you first enter it, you actually see your reflection. [21:40] in the sculpture of who you can be, [21:43] right now. It doesn't have to be abroad or go anywhere. You can do this right now. And then as you go up, you actually see the structure kind of, um,

[21:52] sort of become invisible, like becomes perforated. So you can actually see the structure inside that then represents the strength of the Filipino. [21:59] Hmm. [22:00] And, you know, seeing the sun pass through at different times and that really touched me, man. And I know you didn't know as we were, as you were showing me, but it touched me because it reminded me of why I moved back home to South Carolina recently. [22:15] a couple of years ago [22:18] like the connection that you have [22:20] with people. And I'm talking about you, Jeff, right now. [22:24] It's so empowering, man. Like, you touch people. And I want you to know that because it's something I feel from you. It's something obviously I've known through Ted and Damon and the group over at Shark Group. But... [22:38] It's phenomenal, brother. Thanks. Like what you do for people is phenomenal. I mean— [22:42] My piece is that, you know, we all have our own studio work, right? My studio work has these fractal, low-poly kind of positions with the box heads. For me, the box heads represent this idea of a city with emotions. But the fractal pattern... [22:57] are really points that are connected. Okay. And so they're called points of connection. And the fact that you said that I like connecting people is really what resonates in my own personal work, that I'm still doing these pieces that are about connection. Yeah. And so when I had my first museum exhibit in the U.S. was called Points of Connection. My first museum exhibit in my homeland, the Philippines, was called Points of Origin. The idea of thinking of my origin story, which is based on my new book that's coming out in July.

[23:27] you [23:28] We're going to get there in a second. Yeah. Before we get there, though. [23:32] I want to talk about something that I know is important to you because I've never heard [23:37] Not seeing you. [23:39] On brand, in brand. [23:41] And this is a business lesson. [23:45] This is an entrepreneurship lesson. [23:48] Talk to the audience about the importance of, [23:53] Of brand. [23:54] and what that does for your business [23:57] And even for you as a person, I don't mean you, but what it can do for those that are listening. [24:02] To Jeff Wright. [24:03] Huh? [24:05] Um, I mean, you talk about like my whole style and all that, you know, I, I'm not sure, like I didn't do this, um, on purpose. You know, I think. [24:15] I sort of fell into it. You know, I love style and fashion. And I think, you know, I've been, you know, if I wasn't into art, I might have been a fashion designer, right? And so I think I've always wanted to do brand collabs, right? And so for me, it was watching, you know, people on the runway coming down and sort of these expressions of almost kind of like moving art, right? Made me think that, you know, you know, that if you want to, you know, [24:44] you know, you're, you, you are your work as well. Right. Right. And so the thing is about artists is that, um, you know, it's okay. Like it's okay to kind of be very, um, [24:55] introverted like I think you know and have your work show but but the success of certain artists in my mind

[25:03] Not to say that I'm successful. One of the things that advice I give to artists is that you have to understand three things. One is how to share your story. [25:12] your personal story, how to share your work, [25:16] and then also be able to execute. [25:20] And the sharing and telling your work is you... [25:24] Your work is expression of yourself and you're part of that same brand. Right. Believe it or not, artists are part of the same brand. I mean, it's not only in the visual arts, but if you look at music, music and fashion, we're all extensions of our expressions. Right. Yeah. Not to say you have to walk in. You're like, oh, you look like an artist. Right. But in some ways it does help. Like, I think it helps. [25:48] you know, this, um, this sort of expression of me, of my art on, on my body, um, is so, is the same thing that I'm doing with my monumental work. Right. And so, um, I'm sort of practicing what I'm preaching, you know? Um, and so everything is curated, right? So this whole thing is curated, just like my artworks are all purely created. Just like when you go to my museum exhibits are curated. Like if you go to festivals, everything's curated. It's all part of the same [26:18] Adidas, I'm telling you. I don't know if there's an official. Call me. I was going to say, I don't know if it's official. Damon, we'll work on it. But I've not seen you not in it, and it's amazing every time. So if you were to create... [26:29] Since you almost wanted to be a fashion designer, if you were to create the brand of Mick and Mick Unplugged and you're looking at me and you're like, all right, Mick, this should be your style, your brand. Go ahead. I'm going to let you fashion design me up, Jeff. You already got it. You got this sort of street meets business. Okay. I think. So that's me. No, you've got this sort of hip hop entrepreneur sort of combination both.

[26:59] So, um, um, [27:01] tell me what to do with my money and make it work as well. There we go. Like you look like the combination of rich and authentic, you know? There it is. You all heard it. Jeffrey said it, not me. Jeffrey said it, not me. I am the hip-hop entrepreneur. Yes, there you go. There it is. And sometimes, you know, [27:22] It comes to you naturally. Right. Like, you just have to be comfortable. Like, you know, I'm comfortable like this. Right. And I think everybody needs to be comfortable how they are. But I think they also need to be aware that when you're sharing your work, you're also sharing you. Yeah. Yeah. [27:37] Right. Yeah. So let's talk about shark art. I talked about it in the opener. The number one first round draft pick of shark art. Damon knew I can't I can't even draw a stick figure. So he was like, no, Mick, you got to go on this business side over here. Talk to us about the collab. [28:07] cool things that you're doing with shark art man. [28:10] It goes back to, like, your original question of being on brand. I was at a... [28:16] you know, just being myself. Yeah. I mean, that's another way of saying I was being on my, being myself on brand. Right. Um, [28:23] I was at an event in my home over in Lake Nona at a conference that he was speaking at, again, another conference. Right. He happened to be walking in the garden where there was a series of monumental sculptures there. Mm-hmm.

[28:38] And he did a video. [28:40] and um he's talking he he's someone that supports artists all the time right and um [28:46] Came to me, I introduced myself to him backstage through a secondary friend and introduced who I was and like, wait, you're Jeffrey? Like, so you're the guy who has the sculptures in the garden because you could see my name on the plaque on there. That's another branding thing. [29:02] Kind of tip your name, how you share it to the world. Um, [29:07] And he's like, [29:09] I didn't even know you were alive. You know, it's like, you know, and it's interesting because in that garden itself, I was the only living artist in that collection. Wow. And he did a video for me and I still have it. And it says, like, we need to support artists now living while they're living right now. And, you know, through that discussion, we still stayed in contact. [29:32] He saw all these things I was doing. [29:34] He saw how a lot of these other people who were taking advantage of me necessarily, you know, [29:40] taking advantage of my monuments and making commercials and AI videos. Without your approval. Without my approval and making miniatures and like saying, well, that's great and all, but how much are you making on it? And I was like, you know, zero. I thought that was really cool. I was like, oh, my God, that's really cool to see you on a commercial. Yeah. Like, yeah, but then you should, it's like NIL. It's like your image and likeness. Yep. And they can play dumb all they want, but, you know, people are making money. Mm-hmm.

[30:10] using your sculpture and hiring an actor. [30:12] Right. They still have to pay. Right. So we got into this sort of business and art kind of discussion. And he started this group called Shark Art. He's always posting videos and supporting artists like of all types, from really established artists to emerging to just beginning and just supporting artists in general. Mm hmm. [30:33] And we started talking and said, you know, [30:36] We should do something together. And you keep doing what I'm doing, which is kind of creating. And let me help you with the management side. He's like... [30:45] Think of a... [30:48] a singer or an actor they have a team around you like who is your team and i was like right here [30:56] And they're like, huh? [30:57] Yeah. [30:58] They're like, yes, like everything. Yeah. From business, administration, to concept, to project managing. I've been there too. Yeah. Yeah. And he's like, you just need to focus on... [31:10] showing up, [31:11] and doing, and creating. And let us put a team around you so that you can help expedite your process. But then also... [31:22] Thank you. [31:23] figure out an opportunity where these giant pieces can now be shrunken and be given to the consumers, as well as we're in this new phase now where creators such as myself are being sought after by brands. If you look at Virgil Abloh, like Virgil, I met him. He was, for those who know, he was an architect at University of Chicago.

[31:48] Ah, Father's Day, a celebration of Dad, the original relaxation expert. This year, skip the boring ties. [31:55] Upgrade his unwind with Tommy Bahama. From luxe camp shirts to breezy linen, Tommy Bahama's Father's Day gifts will instantly put Dad in a vacation state of mind. [32:05] Whether he's golfing or grilling, they have what he needs to savor the moment. And if he loves a Mai Tai, celebrate at their restaurants and bars. Good food, drinks, and vibes served daily. Visit TommyBahama.com. That's TommyBahama.com. [32:20] got, um... [32:21] in with Kanye and started DJing and started this brand called Off-White. And next thing you know, he was the lead designer of Louis Vuitton. [32:29] Yeah. How do you start in, I don't think people starting an architecture school actually thought that, but his path was set and maybe he knew that, but he got himself in position to allow that to happen. So, [32:41] So brands are now looking for creators outside of within their own companies to collab with them. And you could see it with artists as well. Like you see these amazing artists that are just like even Jeff Koons and, you know, he's the largest living artist, you know, $91 million for that bunny rabbit, you know. Yeah, yeah. You know. But then, you know, he's also doing things with H&M and Louis Vuitton. [33:11] as people, as leaders that sort of move forward, [33:15] culture, inspire culture, and at the end of the day, move product. There it is. There it is. So, you know, you've teased us about this book,

[33:23] that's dropping very, very soon. Tell us about the book. Tell us about the origin and the journey of writing the book. [33:29] Thank you. [33:30] So it's being published in my homeland, the Philippines, and it's not necessarily a coffee table book that shows the history of all my work. That's easy. You can do sort of an architectural book of pretty pictures, but it's divided into three chapters. It's divided into my... [33:51] me growing up in the U S uh, sort of my heart attack story and then coming home. Um, and it's written by three different amazing authors, sort of like as a Q and a, and then we have this dialogue, like you and I are [34:04] doing. Um, and then has inserts of my history of my childhood, of my home in the Philippines. Um, and it talks about my journey to, uh, like to connect and to create these moments and memories, um, to inspire. Um, and then you kind of, at the end, see all the big work, you know? So in the beginning you see the big work, but it sort of goes backwards. Like I just, you know, show the journey of how I got to the, to the big work and the big work and the pictures are certainly secondary [34:34] To the story. Right. Yeah. Yeah. To the written story. So it's called, you know, we still have some working titles with, but it's definitely more about my origin story. I love it. Well, I can't wait to share that to the world. I know you're going to, but I'm going to help promote it and push it to the world. You know, I want to talk about some of the other things that you also have going on because you have some amazing projects that are in the works. Talk to us a little bit about all the things or the big thing that you have going on.

[35:01] there's always big things. And I think now with Damon, um, you know, introducing me to, uh, you know, uh, you know, people of influence that are, can, can help [35:12] that helped shape skylines now. Um, you know, I have some existing clients where, you know, um, one is, um, uh, Sir Richard, you know, um, um, working on, uh, hopefully, which would be the largest underwater sculpture in the world. Uh, there'll have be a coral reef and fig with, it's a figurative sculpture with coral reefs that talks about, um, sort of the folks that are sort of healing the world, sort of a table of 12 with a hand coming out and 10 stories tall with a fist that becomes a light tower out of the ocean. Um, [35:42] That's going to be sort of an attraction close to between Mosquito and Necker where his island is. The second thing I'm working on, I just finished the world's largest heart sculpture down in Florida, seven stories tall. We're trying to get Guinness to certify it. I had 30 couples just get married there. And that's the full circle where I was actually able to sign the marriage certificates. [36:05] I think they wanted that more than that. Memories and moments. Yeah, memories and moments. That's Jeffrey. To actually see that. And then... [36:13] also um [36:15] I'm working on something for Hollywood. I'll have one of the world's largest stars there. I just got, this will be your first time announcing it, but I was selected by the Chinese Theater to do the commemorative handprint ceremony sculptures that we'll give out to the people who get their famous handprints. They don't go home with anything except with dirty hands, so we're going to give them a commemorative sculpture piece, which is nice. I'll have an exhibit there of these astronauts that are going to go through, you know,

[36:45] Artemis right now. And then, um, you know, we're still in the works, but, you know, possibly this will be the world's largest sculpture at 80 stories tall, you know? Wow. Um, it's, um, it's interesting when you're working on a sculpture where, uh, the architecture team says, you know, we can fit, you know, three or four, you know, maybe 10 stories of residential or commercial in the body of the sculpture, you know? That's pretty freaking cool. You can live in the sculpture. And then, um, you know, I think, you know, [37:15] working with Damon, I can't really say yet, but he's gotten me these interesting licensing deals of these really known names that you're going to start seeing large versions of them popping up in cities. And the beauty of that is I'm still doing what I'm doing, these large iconic pieces that become part of the skylines, but then negotiating opportunities where I can do collectibles that are limited edition. And then also things that are a little bit more economical that we can then give [37:45] as well. [37:46] Got it. I love it, man. The one other thing I do want to say is that... [37:51] You know, I was talking about the heart sculpture. That was the kind of that full 360 moment for me is like, is that is the world's largest heart. I had a heart issue. I built that. I saw people getting married there. Some person came up to me and said, I was here for the last five months doing a time-lapse video of this spot when the heart was under construction. And on the last day, I brought my girlfriend out and I proposed to her in the same spot.

[38:21] Yeah. [38:22] And there are times when I'm off-brand. So I'll be off-brand when I'm just, you know, just my T-shirt and jeans and a baseball hat. And the beauty that I love doing about that is, [38:32] is that I actually get to watch people engage with my work. Yeah. [38:36] And just see them taking selfies and, and I'll be with friends, like, tell them it's you. I was like, no, I just let, let them be them. Like, I'm not, I don't need to be part of that experience, you know? Yeah. Yeah. [38:47] But that's sort of what brings joy to me is actually seeing people enjoy the work. You know, it's more than coming, going to a museum and seeing a photo and then or painting and then walking by. But actually. [39:00] experiencing that peace more than [39:03] 10, 20 seconds, right? Having that moment. And again, that's exactly who you are. The creator of memories and moments. That's your new tagline. You can have it. That's a tagline? Okay. You can have it. You can have it. Just go ahead and have Damon go ahead and trademark it. Everything is yours. I want nothing. I want nothing. That's my gift to you. Yeah, thank you, man. I can't draw, but I can give you a tagline. How about that? So- [39:25] Where do you want people to find and follow you? [39:30] So you can follow me on my Instagram. It's J-E-F-R-E underscore artist is my IG. That's the easiest way to follow me. You can also just Google me if you want. And there's always. He is that guy. Google me. Him. That's him. Google me. No, because they usually have, that's where we'll find events that people are having.

[39:56] Sometimes I don't know why I'm having stuff myself. [40:00] And I think I need to get that all reined in. But I think if you want to see my work, you can obviously go on Google and go to images and see that. But I do have a website, www.jefre.org as well. But in general, just, you know, [40:14] Follow Mick. [40:15] follow me to get to him you know he talked about building his team yeah i'm the ea that's me i'm the i'm the executive assistant to jeff no yes yes yes yes so i'm gonna get you out of here with my rapid fire top five quick five you ready is this the unplugged part this is this is jeffrey unplugged okay you ready yes all right [40:36] your favorite [40:38] piece of work that you've done. [40:40] Can't say it. It's like saying your name is your favorite child. I'll say mine. Okay. No, I won't. Okay. But not my favorite, but probably my most connection is probably obviously the Victor because the idea is about, you know, sort of a full circle moment for me about being Filipino. Yeah. [41:01] That's the one I connected with, of all the things you have. That's the one I connected with. Okay. [41:05] Number two. [41:08] One of my really good friends. [41:10] Got me hooked and addicted to lumpia. [41:13] Can Jeffrey make Lumpia? Uh, no. [41:17] But I can make adobo. I want lumpia. No, no. I need lumpia. A lumpia is easy. I haven't made it because it's just a wrap with just pork and different mixtures and then wrapping up and then deep frying it. If you want me to make lumpia for the first time, I'll make it for you, Mick. Beef, though. Beef, yes. I love it beef. Yes. All right. We'll do a Mick version. Thank you. Thank you. So that does lead to comfort food for Jeffrey. What were you going to?

[41:46] What are you having? You just want to decompress for a weekend. You want to get unplugged. I mean, I am a sushi guy. I like sushi. Even though I could... [41:57] It's probably not good for me, but I could go for some fried chicken, you know, or something like fried stuff. But it's not good for me from my heart. But, you know, you know, I do love Japanese and sushi. That's sort of my comfort go to all the time. Okay. Fourth question. [42:16] Can you help someone like me who only sees one dimension? Can you help me see something? [42:22] two and three and maybe even four dimensions when we're looking at art [42:27] Yeah, it's very simple. It's sort of the question is, is what does it mean to you? [42:32] when you look at it. Okay. [42:34] Because... [42:35] Everything, it's just like art. You can't have everybody like it, but what does it mean to you? What do you see first? Okay. And so when you, whatever you see first, it could be something like, I see... [42:48] a circle or I see a dog or I see, you know, food, like it's whatever resonates with you. And that actually creates a personal connection with you. [43:00] Okay. Easy enough. You'll be my tutor. How about that? Expensive tutor, but you'll be my tutor. Or go to California, get some gummies, and you can see whatever you want. That's the real secret. For those that are listening, the real secret is seeing multiple dimensions. Just go to California and get gummies. There we go.

[43:18] Last one, very serious. As the story and legacy... [43:23] of you. [43:24] is being told and being written. [43:27] What's one word that you want to make sure is used to define your legacy? [43:32] moments. [43:34] Easy enough. [43:35] We said it over and over again. You know, I could say legacy and stuff like that, but [43:41] legacy is about me, moments is about everybody else. That's it. [43:45] That's why he is who he is. Ladies and gentlemen, I have been honored to spend a few moments with the guy who creates them, Jeff Ray. Thank you, Mick. Love you, brother. Love you, too. There it is. That's another powerful conversation on Mick Unplugged. If this episode moved you, and I'm sure it did, follow the show wherever you listen. Share it with someone who needs that spark. And leave a review so more people can find their because. [44:15] Stay driven, stay focused, and stay unplugged.