We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patricia Yanez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patricia below.

Patricia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.

Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? We’d love to hear about the experience – tell us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team.

I’ve been fortunate to have three remarkable mentors, and one of them is Leroy Johnson. I first encountered Leroy after my divorce, visiting his studio and appreciating his work’s significance. Although our initial meeting didn’t lead to anything, fate brought us together again at a Philabundance event at James Oliver Gallery, where I volunteer and create video content for them when I can. When I saw his piece at the opening and realized that he must be in the room, I said, “you!” It didn’t take him long to remember me, so I grabbed his arm and ran to our video production business’ headquarters (a studio in the gallery), swung the door open and almost yelled to my business partner, Leroy in one arm, “We can’t make a documentary of Philadelphia’s art screen without Leroy Johnson!! (We really can’t).
It was a great moment in my life. Lots of laughter and spark which also involved calling me a crazy latina.

I offered to take pictures of his piece at the show, we connected, and soon after, I became Leroy’s assistant. Despite his usual preference for solitude, he allowed me into his studio while he worked.

I would get him ingredients and would just organize his things so that he could work more comfortably. I mean, he was 81 I believe when I met. He was born in 1937 on June 4 and passed away on August 8th, 2022.
I got to see Leroy Johnson at work, then I got to document him (I have videos of him over the span of the three years when I was his “mano derecha” as he called me one day. He became motivated again to learn and say words in Spanish.
And then, in March 2019 we collaborated on a piece called “Jazz City”, an art installation that was at City Hall for the opening of Jazz Month.
I want to share this experience, I want to do something with the material I have. It is important to me to promote what I have learned from Leroy.
The mission of his partner and I is to make Leroy famous.
During the process of creation (three days of him drawing and then a couple of days after that to edit), I saw Leroy’s brain take off when he discovered and played with the color wheel on the editing software. It’s on video somewhere. I saw this explosion of something when all his knowledge and experience with color started moving around by him scrolling through and moving around variables. The color palette of Jazz City was created by Leroy.

Leroy adapted and stayed pretty current with technology. He was curious and determined to do everything, so video was something that he wanted to do next. God told him he was an artist and that’s exactly what he was.

Through Leroy’s guidance, I remembered my passion for video art. Collecting found objects from the streets of Philadelphia, something that I did before meeting him, but much more purposefully now, inspired by his work, I feel a connection to his artistic legacy. Leroy’s impact extended beyond art; he was a father figure, mentor, and source of wisdom, helping me navigate personal and the global crises that we currently live in. He saw all of what is happening now coming. He foresaw that. He protected me in many ways. I transformed because of his mentorship. He helped me become mentally strong again and heal from many things.

His intellect, avid reading habits, and understanding of various subjects, including plants, nature, and health, inspired me. Leroy’s mentorship transcended artistic boundaries, providing support during the Chilean social upheaval (where most of my family live) and the challenges of the pandemic. In him, I found not only a mentor but a family member, and I am driven to honor his legacy through video that will be aligned with the foundation his partner is establishing. Leroy’s influence is a beacon guiding my creative journey, and I miss him dearly.

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?

I was born in the United States but left at the age of four, spending my formative years in Santiago, Chile until the age of 27. I received an excellent education in a full immersion, English-speaking school and followed the International Baccalaureate program, preserving my proficiency in English. Despite being recognized as an artist since I was little, societal pressures led me to pursue business and management. Initially facing challenges with the standardized test, equivalent to the SAT’s and offered only once yearly, the only tool to determine students’ acceptance at a university in Chile, I studied one month of math at a prestigious university and then entered a private institution for business and management for the first semester. Noticing I was good at that career, I spent the second semester prepping for the test and I was able to gain admission at another very prestigious business school.

After two and a half years, feeling the strain of failing one class per semester, I decided to shift careers. This led me to A/V communications, a field founded by professors whose film school closed in 1973 under the dictatorship. This career change was transformative. I was part of the first generation of film and television directors post-dictatorship, enabling me to communicate audio-visually. Priorities shifted again when I became a mother in 1999, prompting a move back to the United States at the invitation of my sister. Working at my son’s daycare, my skills with children and proficiency in Spanish led me to become a high school Spanish teacher.

Life in the suburbs became disheartening, prompting a move to Philadelphia. There, I immersed myself in the artistic community, starting with street art at the Tattooed Mom and connecting with artists through Paradigm Gallery, and then James Oliver Gallery where I currently volunteer and create video content when I can. I started a video production business and had a business partner. While working on a documentary about the creative scene of Philadelphia, we eventually went separate ways. I had met Leroy Johnson (mentioned in my previous answer) and I grew exponentially. I retained the LLC, and during the pandemic, secured a loan to fund the production of “Hear Philly,” now available on YouTube and airing through Philly CAM soon.

My business now focuses on three interconnected branches—education, nature, and art. Offering a range of video production services, from short 15-second clips to documentaries, my creative background allows me to consider delving back into fiction. My primary goal is addressing the information and education gap in the United States through learning about climate change and African American giants such as Leroy Johnson. I dedicate time and resources to developing content for classrooms, specifically addressing climate change and conservation for students learning Spanish.

What sets me apart is my unique experience in different countries and careers. I am driven by a genuine desire to solve problems and believe there is always a way to benefit individuals and society as a whole. I take pride in my adaptability, resilience, and efficacy in getting things done. I want people to know that I am committed to making a positive impact.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

There is always an idea, a thought, a word, and/or an action that can benefit one and everyone simultaneously. I believe in this and I work to align everything I do around this principle.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I currently need to learn and implement social media marketing and create (or associate with someone who will create) the financial framework so that my ideas and projects can materialize.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.creativesynergymedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativesynergymedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativesynergymedia/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativesynergymedia/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChci84PLeGOGZT6ZCdZUyOg

Image Credits
Anthony Torcasio and T.C. Bryan