Inspiring Conversations with Patricia Valdez of Cariño Art Advisory

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Valdez.

Hi Patricia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m an art advisor, curator, writer, wife, and mother of two, based in Northeast Los Angeles. I entered the art world as an immigrant and first-generation college student, so finding my place meant learning how it worked.

I studied art history at UC Berkeley and later earned my master’s in Curatorial Practice at California College of the Arts. Over the past fifteen years, my work has spanned museums, nonprofit art spaces, commercial galleries, and private collections, including the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, Oakland Museum of California, Exploratorium, Various Small Fires, Shulamit Nazarian, and the Olivia Collection and Foundation in Los Angeles and Mexico City. Those experiences have let me work closely with artists, organize exhibitions and public programs, and understand the care that goes into building and maintaining a collection.

Across these settings, I’ve been interested in the relationships that form around art. A conversation with an artist can change how you see their work. An exhibition can introduce a perspective you hadn’t considered. A work you live with can take on new meaning as your life changes.

Starting my own practice coincided with a profound shift in my personal life. In the same year, I became a mother and lost my mom to a rare cancer. Experiencing that much joy and grief together made me reconsider how I wanted to spend my time and what I wanted to build.

That eventually became Cariño Art Advisory. Today, I help individuals, families, and organizations engage more meaningfully with contemporary art, from building collections to creating thoughtful cultural experiences. I bring my curatorial experience to that work, along with a desire to make the process welcoming and personal.

I also write Beautiful Odd Things Always, an independent journal exploring how art shapes the way we live, and I’m developing Suite 555, a series of intimate gallery visits, artist studio conversations, and shared meals. These are different ways of inviting people into a deeper relationship with art and with one another.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a start-stop-start journey. I began building my practice while navigating new motherhood and grief, and welcomed my second daughter along the way. Some periods brought energy and momentum, while others demanded more of me. Learning to work within that reality has been one of the biggest challenges.

It can be difficult to reconcile the pace you imagined for yourself with the time and attention that raising young children requires. I’ve had to reconsider what progress looks like and give myself room to build in chapters and something over time.

Another challenge has been becoming comfortable with visibility. I’m accustomed to putting an artist’s work or an exhibition at the center. Introducing myself and talking about what I bring to the work can feel more vulnerable. But when your practice is built on relationships and trust, people need to get to know you, too.

I’m learning to hold and embrace all of these responsibilities. What has become clearer is the kind of practice I want to build: one where I can do ambitious, thoughtful work, care for the relationships that make it possible, and be present for my family.

We’ve been impressed with Cariño Art Advisory, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Cariño Art Advisory is a contemporary art advisory and curatorial practice based in Los Angeles. I help individuals and families discover artists, develop their eye, and build collections with a clear sense of purpose. I also work with organizations on curatorial projects and cultural programming, and collaborate with architects and designers to consider art within the spaces people inhabit.

People come to this work from different starting points. They may be considering a first acquisition, have bought a few pieces and want a more considered direction, or already have a collection that needs ongoing care. I begin by listening: what draws them in, what they want to learn, how they live, and what they hope a collection might become.

From there, I bring together research, relationships with artists and galleries, and the practical work of acquiring and caring for art. That can include studio visits, evaluating potential acquisitions, shaping a collection over time, and coordinating framing, installation, documentation, and conservation.

My experience across museums, galleries, and collections informs my judgment. I look at an artist’s wider practice, the ideas and histories behind the work, and how a particular piece might contribute to a collection. I enjoy translating that research into conversations that help clients make informed decisions and develop their own point of view.

For people who want a more focused introduction, I offer “The Collecting Practice,” private sessions on how to look, how the art world works, and how to collect, paired with a guided field experience and personalized collecting direction.

Cariño is my family name, and it also means affection or care in Spanish. That feels appropriate to how I want people to experience working with me. I take the work seriously, and I want clients to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing an instinct, or taking time with a decision.

I’m especially drawn to working with people who are curious about artists and want to understand the practices behind the works they acquire. A collection reflects what someone chose to notice, nurture, and champion. Helping people make those choices thoughtfully is a responsibility I value.

I’m proud of the moments when someone begins to trust their eye, articulate what matters to them, and build a relationship with an artist’s work. If you’re considering a first acquisition, developing a collection, or looking for help caring for one, I’d love to start with a conversation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carino.art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriciacarinovaldez/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcarinovaldez/
• Other: https://beautifuloddthingsalways.substack.com