We had the good fortune of connecting with Luis Patino and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Luis, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success is to be confident with my work and what I produce. Being constantly negative with yourself will not take you far, instead, hold you back on your dreams and goals. I used to be so negative with my work and put too much thought into what others would think. The only thing that came out of this is that it made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. I then realized that I enjoyed what I am doing and that I shouldn’t stop just because of what someone might think. Being confident in my work has helped me be more creative and successful with my brand.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art has impacted me in so many ways. It made me realized who I am as a person, what I like, and what I want to be one day. Constantly making artwork has helped me get where I am today. Whether I’m writing down ideas or simply sketching, It’s still and always a learning experience every day, and I love that. Learning to my love my work was one of the biggest obstacles I had to overcome. I had to remind myself to stop overthinking and continue going. Doing this allowed me to be more creative and expand my ideas to new horizons. It’s something I want everyone to know, to allow yourself to try new things and break the mold.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I realized most of my friends love the city life, so I always try to do the opposite and expose them to the outdoors. Something out of their comfort zone. I would take them to see some endless sweet nature views of the Sawtooth Mountains and long-lasting hikes around the Two Mouth Lakes or North Crater Trail. I would then take them out to some delicious places like Holy Cow, Pantera #2 or enjoy some sweet cookies from Crumbl.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my amazing friend, Delia Ruiz. I’ve known Delia since high school, and we have created all sorts of art since then. In college, we had an idea about creating our book together one day, and we brought that idea to life. She chose me as her illustrator, and I gladly accepted the exciting and learning opportunity. The title of this book is Roqui’s Pandero Beat, a multicultural children’s book about a tiny coqui with a big dream celebrating the musical genre of plena from Puerto Rico. I had so much fun illustrating this book, and it was a learning experience for both of us. Thank you, Delia, for recommending me. It means a lot.

Website: www.ninoplanta.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nino_planta/?hl=en

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