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

Hi Patt, why did you pursue a creative career?
My love of art began at an early age. When I was 6 years old I won my first award for a school art project. I continued to draw and color throughout my childhood. This passion led me to an acceptance into the High School of Art and Design in New York City, which offered an amazing art curriculum.

After graduating high school I went to The Fashion Institute of Technology, receiving an Associate’s degree. FurtherIng my education I attended The School of Visual Arts for my BFA degree. I majored in graphic design with a minor in illustration -doing so enabled me to continue my pursuit of drawing. I was fortunate enough to become a successful graphic designer. I became Art Director at Kraft Food and had notable clients such as Seagrams and Avon. From there I started my own company where I worked with Playtex and Max Factor. My love for art never waned, as I continued to paint in oils and pastels. I began realizing that I was happier in front of a canvas instead of a computer screen. That was where my fine art career really began.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I went to The Grand Central Atelier and Art Students League to learn the techniques used by the Masters. I also learned a great deal from Michael Klein, Victor Zaldivar and David Leffel.

When I first began painting, I was doing a lot of figurative work. One of the most amusing memories was when the model we were painting kept falling asleep. Someone walked in with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and In that moment I knew what I really wanted to paint. That is where my love of still life art began.

When my sister and I were younger, we both had parakeets. I had a green parakeet named Sherman (after Bobby Sherman the actor). My sister had a blue one named Penny. I love painting anything in nature – whether it be birds, butterflies or flowers. Eventually I would like to start painting wild animals. I have also done several pet portraits and enjoy the process of capturing their personality.

People love birds and there are so many different kinds that I really enjoy painting.I think this sets me apart from other artist.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Staying close to New York City is important to me because it gives me access to the best museums, art schools and educational workshops. I would start the day at the MET museum. Lunch at Kellari Seaford Taverna. Lincoln center has fun shops and ice skating. Dinner at Bergdorf Goodman and then a play.

Other days we could visit the Salmagundi Club to see beautiful art and Chelsea to see the galleries.

Take a horse and buggy ride around Central Park. NYC has endless sites to see.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My biggest fans and support group is my family, friends, and my art students.

Website: www.pattbaldino.com

Instagram: pattbaldinofineart

Linkedin: pattbaldino

Facebook: pattbaldinofineart

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