Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Mo Sargent

Mo Sargent shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Mo, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
When I sit at the wheel or spread my tools across the table for a new mixed media piece, time dissolves. There’s something about shaping clay with my hands that grounds me in a way nothing else can. The world gets quiet, even when there’s music playing or the studio hums with life. Every brushstroke, every texture I layer, every curve I carve becomes a conversation between me and all the parts of myself I’ve gathered along the way.

As a queer artist, my work has become a refuge. It’s a way to take what the world sometimes misunderstands and turn it into something beautiful and tangible. I’m not thinking about expectations or labels. I’m just creating. I’m remembering that joy, curiosity, and self-expression are what make life worth it. It’s in those messy, clay-covered, paint-streaked moments that I lose track of time; and in doing so, I find myself again.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I began my professional art journey through photography, specializing in equine sports and wildlife. Still, my love for art has always extended far beyond the camera. I first discovered pottery at a local community studio when I was young, and that spark only grew, and even earning recognition from my high school for outstanding achievement in ceramics.

I’ve always thrived on exploring different mediums, finding that switching between them keeps me inspired and balanced in the often unpredictable world of making a living as an artist. Lately, pottery has become my main focus, and it’s been such a joy building my own vendor booth, selling my work, and collaborating with other creatives. Traveling across the state to share my art has filled me with gratitude, purpose, and a deeper desire to uplift fellow artists along the way.

A recent highlight has been building my own home studio and co-op kiln. This has been a dream come true and a huge step forward in my creative journey. Art truly is the heart of my life, and I’m thrilled to keep growing my business, expanding my community, and continuing to create from a place of passion and connection.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds between people are like delicate threads woven into a shared tapestry. They are spun from trust, vulnerability, and the small, quiet moments of being seen. When honesty frays or compassion is withheld, those threads begin to loosen. Harsh words, silence where warmth once lived, or the slow erosion of understanding can tear tiny seams that spread until the whole fabric feels thin, translucent, and fragile. Sometimes the unraveling is sudden like a sharp rip of betrayal or loss, and sometimes it’s so gradual you don’t notice until you’re standing in a web of loose ends.

But like any artist knows, destruction carries the potential for renewal. What restores those bonds is the patient act of reweaving, thread by thread. It’s the courage to sit in the wreckage together and choose softness over pride. It’s apology, forgiveness, laughter returned after sorrow. It’s the shared creation of something new from the remnants of what was lost. Something stronger, imperfect, but more deeply alive. In art, as in love, the cracks are not the end; they’re where the gold seeps in, binding us again in beauty and grace.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I’ve faced resistance as an artist for many reasons: my queerness, the unconventional edge of my work, or simply the way others have chosen to misinterpret what I create. No matter how much heart you pour into your art, you eventually learn that you can’t, and shouldn’t, try to please everyone.

Still, each challenge has shaped me. Every doubt, every sideways glance, every “no” has pushed me closer to my truth. The journey toward becoming my fullest, most authentic self hasn’t been easy, but it’s been deeply transformative. The connections that are meant to happen can only be attracted through authenticity. Through it all, I’ve learned that real growth comes from honoring who you are, never shrinking to fit expectations, and expanding into your own light. In that space, art becomes not just expression, but liberation.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
In my view, social media can never capture the full truth of who anyone really is. We all carry unseen struggles and private moments that don’t make their way online, and I prefer to keep much of my personal life that way. Still, I try to let my authenticity shine through my art and creative passions.

Ironically, I’ve found that the truest version of me often comes across more clearly through the energy of what I create than through direct explanation. Art speaks a language beyond captions or curated posts. In the end, how others choose to interpret me is out of my hands, and honestly, that’s the way it should be.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I find that nature is what brings me the most peace. when I’m outside, surrounded by trees or listening to the wind, I feel connected to something bigger than myself. It’s the same energy that moves through art and music. These things remind me I’m part of something living, changing, growing. These spaces are where I feel safest to exist fully, without needing to explain or edit myself. They’re where I return to center, breathe deeply, and remember why I create in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/mysticearth222
• Instagram: @mysticearth222 & @msb.photo

Image Credits
Mo Sargent @msb.photo & @mysticearth222 (self portraits and art)