We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jackie Maldonado a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jackie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on? Tell us the backstory so we understand circumstances/context and why it’s meaningful to you?

Back in July of 2020, Taylor Swift decided to release her album folklore right in the middle of the pandemic. I was working at a job I knew I needed to move on from, without any creative inspiration to keep me going. I heard that album and immediately felt I needed to visually depict it. I started illustrating each song the night it was released, spending no more than an hour on each song, making them simple, visually appealing, and cohesive. I could feel the creativity flowing out of my head so easily. I finished them all in one night and posted one to my Instagram every day. By the final song, I was featured on Buzzfeed’s homepage. Sponsored ads were everywhere and my work had taken off. The fulfillment I got from actually creating something I cared about was so obvious, and the internet knew it too. It was during this time that I started up my own company (the-threethirteen.com) with these song illustrations embroidered on the front of sweatshirts. I named it three thirteen, after my late Aunt Blanca’s birthday as well as thirteen being Taylor Swift’s favorite number.

Not only did my folklore drawings skyrocket three thirteen, but it also ignited the love for my work again. Soon after, I was hired at an agency that I’m still working at today. It’s my dream corporate job, and I still maintain the spark to create on my time off – truly a perfect balance. I’m sure folklore did a lot for people during the pandemic, but for me, it sparked a flame that I was certain had blown out, and I realized how easy it is to be inspired by other people’s art. This realization is what keeps me going almost 4 years later.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My love for design started around the age of 13, when I got access to a bootleg version of Photoshop and watched tutorials throughout my middle school summers. In high school, I became editor in chief of our yearbook and realized this is what I could potentially do for the rest of my life. I later earned my degree in Graphic Design from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, fully aware it would be difficult to find a job where I could actually design for a living. I got very lucky and was hired by a small local marketing agency immediately after I graduated. Here is where I learned the fast paced nature of agency life, a skill I will use for the remainder of my career.

My inspiration has always come from music. At the beginning of my career, I started reaching out to musicians through social media and found I could make album covers for them and get paid for it. I became immersed in visualizing songs and I never imagined it would be the thing that would later become the foundation of my small business. Three thirteen is the result of people wanting to wear songs that mean the most to them on their clothes. I was able to create the exact thing I loved the most about music for other people.

Currently, I’m an art director at a marketing agency. I have the best time working remotely with creative people at my day job, talking to them every day and exchanging tips on how to make our work better, and I use that as fuel to keep three thirteen afloat. My afternoons and weekends are filled with producing work for my store (creating embroidered sweatshirts, posters) and fulfilling my creative bucket by making personal work that brings me joy.

I’m by far most proud of three thirteen. My little store has brought so much joy to people and the feeling of being able to create freely, knowing I’ll be making people happy, is such a gift in itself. As mentioned previously, my store was named after my late Aunt Blanca’s birthday. Growing up, you could very easily tell she was the entrepreneur of the family at a time where it was rare for women to be desiring goals of that nature. She owned a small shop in our hometown of Brownsville, TX, filled with knick knacks and antiques and I remember going to her store as a child and thinking she was so cool for doing it all on her own. When the embroidery business idea came to my mind, I knew I had to honor her in some way for paving the path for me and showing me it was all possible.

The way the store has brought so many people together (matching shirts, outfits for the Eras Tour, and even presents for lifelong friends) is something I’m so proud to be a part of. Being part of the Swiftie community since 2007 has been such an incredible and rewarding experience. It’s been amazing watching our community grow into what it is now, and I owe a lot of the success of three thirteen to them. The photos I’ve gotten of people having the time of their life wearing shirts I’ve created is a feeling that never gets old.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s very rewarding to connect with so many people doing what I love. I’ve become friends with customers, clients, and other small business owners in this community. Meeting other people with the same interests as me keeps me inspired. I’ve also found that creating art has connected me closer to myself. I’ve always expressed myself through my art, depicting my favorite songs that wholly describe how I feel. Having a dedicated space to allow that creativity to flow has really helped me better understand myself and my emotions.

Additionally, I know that I’m able to make my family proud. My parents are such a critical part of my success, always supporting me every step of the way. My dad is a huge part of three thirteen, and I don’t think I could ever find words to describe how thankful I am.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

While I think we all have it in us to want to create in some form or another, I understand people often question “why.” It’s clear that some artistic careers don’t make as much money, but I think it’s so much more than that. I create art because it’s a form of self love and expression, and I have found a way to say things about myself that we can’t express with words. It’s a form of therapy as well; when I’m in my creative space, my anxiety will disappear throughout the process. I think everybody needs that sort of outlet, whether it’s a full time job or not.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jackiemaldonado.com / https://www.the-threethirteen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackiemld/ / https://www.instagram.com/the.threethirteen/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiemld/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.threethirteen

Image Credits
(for the image of the 4 girls) @homebody_photography