This month’s art is by Idaho based illustrator, Luis Patiño Cantellano. He is fond of plants and designing colorful, playful characters. Luis is at his best when he's among the mountains and surrounded by cedar love. He says, "Whenever I see a lonely plant sprouting in a damaged environment, I see it as a sign of hope and recovery. I like to think of it like the idiom, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.'"

For a little more about Luis, here's a short Q&A.

Where is home for you?

I currently live in Nampa, Idaho

What is your definition of a successful life?

My definition of a successful life is doing something I enjoy doing every day without it ever  feeling like work.

Describe your perfect day.

A perfect day for me is a good hike in the mountains on a sunny day and surrounded by nature's beauty.

How did you get into design?

My design journey started when I was just a kid in elementary school. I liked to draw plants on my homework, desk, and other variou surfaces. A few years ago, I realized I always had a strong connection with plants, hence my username “Niño Plant” Plant Boy. .

Where do you find inspiration?

Lately, my inspiration has been random objects I see inside or outside the house and confining them in tight spaces, but plants are always a source of my inspiration.

What's your dream design project?

My dream project is to one day paint a big mural in a city that shows my love for plants.

Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you?

A designer that inspired me a lot and still does is Sha'an d’Anthes, known as Furrylittlepeach. Her use of color motivated me to explore and experiment with color like never before. Before, it was always grayscale with graphite for me, but when I found her page, it opened a door for me, and I quickly grew out of my comfort zone and turned a new leaf with my work.

What was the inspiration behind this design?

My inspiration behind this design is about how strong a plant can be even through the toughest environments. Being able to recover and adapt to new challenges shows how resilient someone or something can be.

In what ways does the theme of resilience play out in your life?

Resilience has played out in my life in so many ways. Being resilient has taught me to never give up on my dreams even when the going gets tough. Especially when it comes to selling my work can be difficult at times, but it hasn’t stopped me from creating and learning from my mistakes.

At the moment, what is your favorite…

Color: Green

Food: pizza

Song: Music Sounds Better with You by Neil Frances

Quote:  “From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them, and that is eternity.” ― Edvard Munch