For the very first guest episode of the Creative Tea Podcast co-hosts Ella Napata and Steffi Reyes-Thomas sat down with multidisciplinary artist Patty Galceran Coli during a co-working day at The Consultancy. Patty’s background spans design and advertising, and she’s now expanding into sign painting and murals. Originally in the Los Angeles art scene, she’s since made San Diego her creative home base, and had plenty to say about what makes the city different, how AI is reshaping the creative industry, and the family history that drives her work.

Quick Takes

• San Diego vs. LA: Patty says San Diego offers a rare balance, enough energy and inspiration to keep things moving, without the overwhelming saturation she experienced working in LA, where artists can start to feel replaceable.
• AI as a Tool, Not a Threat: After an initial wave of uncertainty about what AI meant for her career, Patty reframed it as just another creative tool, one that trained artists will always be able to use more skillfully than the average person.
• A Legacy of Sign Makers: Patty’s biggest influence is a grandfather she never met, a sign painter in El Paso, paving the way for her own career.
• Community Over Competition: She credits San Diego’s creative community with a collaborative, growth-oriented spirit that feels distinct from bigger, more saturated markets.

San Diego’s Creative Advantage

Asked about the good and bad of being an artist in San Diego, Patty pointed to the sheer number of creatives and the natural inspiration the city offers. She described it as having enough movement and opportunity to stay exciting, while still feeling “sleepy” enough that it doesn’t become overwhelming. Compared to her time working in LA, where she felt the market was so saturated that individual artists became replaceable, she sees San Diego as a place where artists are valued and given room to grow alongside collaborators rather than compete against them.

Rethinking AI as a Creative Tool

The conversation shifted to a topic Patty admitted she hadn’t spoken publicly about before: artificial intelligence. She was honest about feeling intimidated in AI’s early days, questioning what it might mean for her career. But her thinking evolved, she now sees AI as simply another tool in the creative toolbox. Because artists understand how to take a raw element and elevate it in ways the average user can’t, she believes creatives are actually positioned to push AI further and use it more effectively than anyone else.

Honoring a Grandfather She Never Met

When asked about her biggest influence, Patty didn’t point to a mentor or contemporary,  she pointed to her grandfather, someone she never had the chance to meet. He was the first in her family to take art seriously, working as a sign painter in El Paso. That leap, choosing art despite the risk, is something Patty says she feels deeply connected to, and credits as the sacrifice that made her own path possible.

Follow Patty’s Work & Be Part of the Creative Tea Podcast

You can find Patty Galceran Coli on Instagram at @pattygalcerancoli. Want to join conversations on the Creative Tea Podcast? Join us on community co-working days at the Consultancy or Founders Cafe, for a quick hot tea take with Ella(Matra) and Steffi.