Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joshua Patino. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Joshua , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
Every one of my projects means so much to me. What started out as a pocket tee clothing brand grew into a full blown mobile shop that I built in the back of a 2016 Ford Transit high roof van. One truly special project that I worked on this year though was The NOMAD MUSIC FESTIVAL. It was inspired by this series I created called The NOMAD MUSIC SESSIONS that takes place infront of my Ford Transit van. I created this platform to have local artists perform a song and upload to YouTube and share it across other social media platforms. The reason the festival was so special to me is because I’ve always had this goal to throw my very own music festival and to be able to do that was a dream come true. I plan on making it a yearly thing with each year bringing more and more people together in my hometown, San Antonio, TX.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
So I initially started my journey by sewing unique fabrics that I liked onto plain shirts. Working retail I had to wear a solid red shirt and I just wanted to add a bit of fun to it. One day I wore it to work and before I knew it nearly half of my coworkers wanted one and from there I sold my first few shirts before considering making it a ‘side hustle’ branded as Life’s Sweet Co. Each year I slowly added more to my small business and before I knew it I was offering more than just pocket tees. I taught myself to screen print so I started designing prints and along the way embroidering as well. In 2018 I purchased my Ford Transit van and built out what would be called The NOMAD Shop because I love to be on the road, but also wanted to share my creations along the way. Doing multiple pop-ups throughout the city I met alot of creatives and supporters.
Two or should I say three new ventures came from doing these pop-ups.
They would be NOMAD Screen Printing, The NOMAD MUSIC SESSIONS, and The NOMAD MUSIC FESTIVAL.
Lots of local artists always asked me where I got my shirts made or hats, buttons, bags, patches, etc. The answer was always “I made them myself!”. I finally decided to offer my branding services and operate under the name NOMAD Screen Printing. I treat every order like it’s my own brand and walk newcomers thru the process because I know what it’s like being on the opposite end.
Now as for the other two ventures…One day I had this idea for The NOMAD MUSIC SESSIONS which is where I have music artists perform a song infront of the van. I filmed and uploaded the first episode March 1, 2020. Since then I’ve filmed over 30 episodes. This series then lead to the idea of The NOMAD MUSIC FESTIVAL.
On June 11, 2022 the first NOMAD MUSIC FESTIVAL took place in Downtown San Antonio and featured 8 performers and over 15 local vendors. The plan is to have it grow each year!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I strongly believe that people can really make a difference and show support by engaging with those who are creatives through social media or in person. It’s super easy to just share a story, song, post, etc from or of that artist. It costs nothing, but that exposure alone whether you have 20 followers or 20,000 followers makes a difference for all artists…I guarantee that.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is not only sharing my art, but also creating experiences for people and passing on all knowledge I’ve learned along the way. I don’t like to gatekeep, if someone asks for advice or help I try to do what I can. Being able to help someone learn and make progress in their journey is one of the most rewarding things for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: lifessweetco.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/lifessweetco
- Facebook: Facebook.com/lifessweetco
- Twitter: Twitter.com/lifessweetco
- Youtube: Youtube.com/LifesSweetCo
- Other: Instagram.com/nomadmusicsessions Instagram.com/nomadscreenprinting Instagram.com/thenomadmusicfestival
Image Credits
Last image (pinkish/purple lighting) of The NOMAD MUSIC FESTIVAL taken by: Project Rare All others: Joshua Patino