When I'm kind of pushing my limits or getting a little stressed, I just pause and I remember

that 10 years ago, this is the position that I prayed about being in, you know? And like,

I'm here, I'm living in it and it just makes me so incredibly happy and like so thankful

for this community that supported me and thankful for the people that have like held me down, you know?

So that's a big motivator to keep going. Just thinking about how it's kind of tough, but like,

this is what I, this is what I was aiming for, you know, this, this and beyond.

That was photographer Joe Valreni, whose ingenuity and talent continues to define both his personal

and professional ambitions. His drive is influenced by his parents and his upbringing.

When he was young, his mom passed away suddenly, leaving him and his dad to navigate life

without their cornerstone. Joe Val was a quiet independent kid and his dad had a hands-off parenting

approach. He was very present but allowed his son to learn through experience. They both made it

work and even thrived. Joe Val holds many of his formative experiences close. He considers

them often and applies them to his life and his work. When taking photos, for instance, he believes

in staying out of the way and not being a burden. His mom remains a constant presence in his life

and his dad is his biggest supporter. He says that above all, his motivation is making them proud

by always conducting himself with integrity. So here he is, Joe Valreni.

Welcome to Chattermarks. A podcast of the Anchorage Museum.

Dedicated to exploring Alaska's identity. Through the creative and critical thinking of ideas,

past, present, and future. My name is Cody Liska and I'll be your host.

So you said that you have a tendency to get distracted so you're currently closing all your

tabs on your computer. Yeah, man. I try to do too much. I've had enough people in my life

that I love and care about telling me to slow down. So if you could see how many tabs I had opened,

...