Save For Later no. 26: Creator Spotlight - Jaime Patino-Calvo
Highlighting an NYC-based Colombian artist.
Hi everyone! Excited to be back and happy 2025.
To kick off the new year, I’m thrilled to share a new interview with you - one that I’ve been sitting on for quite a while, but finally getting around to sharing. I couldn’t think of a better way to jump back into writing than with a conversation about art, identity, and the creative process.
For this edition of my ‘Creator Spotlight’ series, I spent an afternoon with Jaime Patino-Calvo, a talented artist and interactive designer based in Brooklyn. Jaime and I used to be co-workers years ago, and I was always inspired by the work he was producing. His ability to blend abstract concepts with deep personal narratives in his art is truly remarkable, and over the years, it’s been exciting to watch his work evolve.
We met up at his studio in East Williamsburg to chat about his background, his latest work, and the themes that drive his creative process. We explored the intersection of belonging, identity, and movement - central ideas that have shaped his art over the years.
Jaime shared how his experience moving from Colombia at a young age and his ongoing search for authenticity have influenced everything from his visual language to his career choices. We proceeded to have an hour-long conversation about creativity, which turned out to be an enlightening chat, offering insights into the mindset and approach of a truly dedicated artist.
Before we get started, I want to share links to his Instagram and website so you can easily check out his incredible work:
Instagram - @jaimepatinocalvo
Artwork - mipopup.com
Interactive Design - jaimepatino.com
I hope you enjoy our interview!
Matt: Great to see you, Jaime! Thanks for taking the time to meet up. To kick things off - how did your journey into art begin, and how has it evolved over the years?
Jaime: Thanks for reaching out! Good to catch up with you.
I've been creating art for a long time. When I was growing up in Colombia, my parents enrolled me in after-school activities as a child, one of which was painting. I was actually the only kid in the adult class, and I think that experience had a lasting impact. I started taking a variety of art classes when I was about 10 years old and, after moving to the States, I continued drawing and became involved in graffiti. My passion for art grew as I explored graffiti and tags, eventually leading me to take AP art classes in high school. I went on to attend community college and graphic design school, where I deepened my artistic knowledge.
Seven years ago, my art became more serious - that's when I felt I had something significant to express. I began to develop more elaborate drawings and paintings and started thinking critically about the concepts behind my work. It was during this period that I began to treat art as a serious pursuit, one that would allow me to tell a story and create meaning through visual expression.
Matt: What would you say is the primary style or concept behind your artwork, and how has it developed?
Jaime: I like to think of my work in terms of themes, not styles. I wouldn't describe my work as having a fixed style, but there is a certain language that has become clear over time. That language allowed me to start forming a concept and thesis for my art. At this point, my work explores the tension between belonging and not belonging, which is something that is deeply personal to me.
Matt: How did your early work differ from what you’re doing now?
Jaime: My earlier work was focused on abstraction, often inspired by my travels. For instance, I would take photographs and abstract them through painting, using colors and shapes to capture the essence of a place rather than just a literal representation. Through this process, I explored the idea of belonging to a place - how it feels both to be part of something and to be an outsider.
As I continued evolving, I transitioned toward a blend of abstraction and figuration. I began incorporating elements of my Colombian and Latin roots, not in a direct or literal way, but in a way that felt organic to me. One of my favorite subjects is contemporary dance, which I explore through collages and drawings. The movements of the dancers spoke to me, especially the tension and contrast in the way they stretch and pull apart. This tension mirrored the feelings of belonging and not belonging I was exploring in my art. When I painted the dancers, I wasn't trying to depict them in a traditional sense; rather, I wanted to express the essence of their movement through a personal lens, drawing from my own cultural roots.
Matt: Can you describe how you approach creating a series and how they work together as a cohesive whole?
Jaime: Color is crucial in my work, and I like how it interacts with the forms and themes I'm exploring. I often think in terms of series, where each piece informs the next. For example, in a recent series, I created three pieces that worked together as a cohesive whole, guiding the viewer’s eye across the canvas in a deliberate way. I enjoy the challenge of balancing both abstraction and figuration, trying to preserve the language I've developed while testing new approaches.
Matt: How do you perceive the progression of your art, and how do you feel about your development as an artist?
Jaime: The progression in my art reflects my own personal growth. I see it as a journey, with each new piece being part of a larger exploration. While I am still in the process of developing my craft, I’m excited to see where it leads. I don’t think I’ve reached my final form yet, but I’m looking forward to continuing this journey of artistic discovery.
Matt: How do you balance external influences with your own creative journey?
Jaime: In terms of inspiration, I've been influenced by a variety of artists. Early on, I was drawn to street art and graffiti, but my exposure to art history during my studies introduced me to surrealism and artists like Picasso and Dalí. Lately, I’ve been captivated by contemporary artists such as Peter Doig and Neo Rauch, who blend abstraction with figurative elements in fascinating ways. Their work resonates with me because it has both a dreamlike quality and a strong emotional core.
I don’t aim to mimic the work of other artists. Instead, I seek to capture the essence of what I admire in their work, such as the humanity and abstraction they convey. For me, inspiration comes from understanding the emotional depth in the work, not copying the style.
Matt: How do you view the subjectivity of art, and how do you think it affects your work?
Jaime: Art is highly subjective, and that’s part of what makes it so powerful. Whether in photography or painting, I believe the most important thing is honesty. When an artist puts their true emotions and experiences into their work, that authenticity resonates with people. I think it’s this honesty that allows art to connect with others, even if it’s not something they’ve experienced directly.
Matt: What is the underlying concept that drives your creative process?
Jaime: The underlying concept is the idea of belonging and not belonging. I’ve struggled with identity for a long time. Coming from Colombia to the United States at a young age, I had to pause my cultural development as a Colombian when I was 13. I became an immigrant and started adjusting to the norms here. Over time, I've realized that I still feel a tension between the two places - where I’m from and where I am now. As a 36-year-old, living here for 23 years, I still don’t fully feel at home in either place. When I visit Colombia, I feel a deep connection, but at the same time, I don't quite belong there anymore either. That sense of being in limbo, not fully belonging anywhere, is what informs my work.
Matt: How do these feelings of belonging influence your artwork?
Jaime: This tension manifests in my art, especially in my new series titled "You and I Belong Here." It reflects the past tense of belonging because the moments captured in the pictures are from the past, but also because I still struggle with the idea of truly belonging. For instance, I belong in the moments with my friends, but when I think about home, I still don’t know where that is. My artwork often explores that duality - the sense of being in two worlds at once and the emotional complexity that comes with it.
Matt: What themes are you exploring in your recent works, and how do they connect to your experience of being an immigrant?
Jaime: I explore themes of displacement and movement, inspired by my experience. I've been reading a lot about Mesoamerican cultures, and their rituals and dances influenced my recent work. I’ve created a series about "ritual dancers," where movement becomes a metaphor for displacement. There’s also a theme of multiplicity in my work - how we all present different aspects of ourselves depending on the group or situation. I think everyone carries multiple identities, and that’s something I try to express through my art.
The idea of carrying multitudes is essential to my work. We all present different versions of ourselves in different contexts. This sense of multiplicity - how we wear different faces depending on the situation - is something I try to capture in my art. The figures in my work often reflect this diversity of selves, embodying the different roles and identities we all juggle.
Honesty is also a core principle for me. The more intentional I am with my work, the more it feels authentic. When I create, I aim to stay true to my experience and my personal truth. I think this honesty resonates with people. The more genuine the work is, the more likely it is to connect with others. That’s why I want my art to stay grounded in the foundational story I’m trying to tell - my struggle with belonging and the dualities I experience.
Matt: What are your long-term goals for your art?
Jaime: My goal is to keep painting and stay true to my art. I don’t want to force myself into selling prints or creating work that’s more marketable. I want to focus on painting canvases and taking my time with it. If I’m still painting in my 50s and people start recognizing my work then, that’s okay with me. I’m not in a rush to make money off of my art. I want it to mature on its own. Whatever opportunities come, whether financial or otherwise, will come naturally as I continue to grow and evolve as an artist.
Matt: How do you approach the grind of balancing freelance work and your artistic practice?
Jaime: Balancing freelance work with painting is challenging but rewarding. There are days when I’m working from 9am to 6pm doing graphic design and then painting from 6pm to 11pm. It’s exhausting, but I love it. I wish I could just focus on painting full-time, but like most artists, I still need to support myself through freelance work. Fortunately, graphic design is still a creative field, so it aligns with my artistic pursuits. I’m lucky that I can do both, but it can be draining at times.
Matt: What do you think is the key to long-term success as an artist, and how do you stay motivated?
Jaime: Persistence is key. I think the artists who make it are the ones who keep going, who don't give up. It’s a long-term commitment, and success often comes when you least expect it. People may not recognize your work right away, but if you stay consistent and keep pushing forward, you’ll improve and eventually get noticed. It's all about staying passionate and doing the work, even when it feels like you're not getting immediate results.
Matt: Ok! Thanks so much for your time today. To wrap up, do you have any advice for other artists just starting out or looking to improve their work?
Jaime: My advice to young artists is to be honest with your work. Don't try to copy what's trendy. Honesty comes from genuinely exploring the medium and experimenting with it. Art kind of chooses you, and the process has to feel right for you. You can learn techniques and processes from tutorials or YouTube, but the key is ensuring that the end result reflects your true connection to the medium. The work should be a reflection of how honest you are with the process, and that’s what makes it meaningful.
Final Thoughts
A huge shout out to Jaime for taking the time out of his day to meet with me. I really enjoyed our conversation and, as an inspiring creative myself, took a lot of his advice to heart. If you want to follow along with Jaime’s artistic journey, his Instagram and websites are linked again below:
Instagram - @jaimepatinocalvo
Artwork - mipopup.com
Interactive Design - jaimepatino.com
As always, if you have any recommendations or feedback to share about my Save For Later newsletter, please feel free to reach out.
My email is saveforlaterrecs@substack.com or DM + follow us on Instagram & TikTok
See you next time ✌️
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