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

Luis, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

My first Dollar as a creative has to be as a teenager in the earl 80’s, I painted the backs of denim Jackets for the kids of my High school for $50.00 a pop. Everyone knew to meet me after home room outside the cafeteria, I would collect there Jackets, get a rough description of what they wanted on a piece of paper, which I put in the chest pocket so not to mix anything up then go home, paint and have ready for Friday when I brought them back to school and got paid.

Luis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born in the South Bronx 1965, In 1979 I began my career as a graffiti/street artist. I was 14. In 1984 I was in my first Gallery show, It was a group show called (The South Bronx show) at Fashion Moda. This would be the start of my career as an gallery artist. In this show were all ready legendary graffiti artist which I looked up to and still do to this day Crash, Daze, Erni, Tracy 168 were just a few of those artist.

From 1979 to 1985 I vandalized at night and attended Morris high school during the day. I was a failing student because my interest wasn’t in learning what the school was teaching me. My guidance counselor at some point court up with me and introduced me too a new program at F.I.T. ( Fashion institute of Tech.) The program was called T.O.C. (a taste of collage) It took failing students interested in art and gave them the opportunity to get there G.E.D. while earning collage credits. Midway through the program my professor asked me to apply for a scholarship. The scholarship was awarded to only3 people out of thousands. I ended up being one of those 3. I finished the program with A’s in every class and continued my education there.

Before, during and after collage I continued doing shows throughout New York as well as around the globe.
France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Philippines, Vietnam, Ecuador, Panama, Russia and the Netherlands are some of the places I’ve exhibited and sold my art.
I’ve also done tons of freelance work which my clients list included many major brands such as Nike, MTV, Modelo, Corona, Red Bull, Lion gates films, Jacob & Co, State Farm concerts, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Saks 5th ave & Adidas. private clients included Will Smith, Jazzy Jeff, Teddy Riley, Anita Baker, Patti LaBelle, Madonna and many more in the music & movie industry.

I’ve appeared in several news outlets television & paper. Television commercials and programs, Movies & documentaries, Books & magazines.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect to being an artist is simple, I get to do what I love for a living and share it with the world. It’s a blessing for me to get up every morning, go down into my studio and create my art. I’m doing what I was born & meant to do. Everyday is a reward for me,

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’m a self taught artist I started drawing at the age of 5. It was almost every Sunday, My mom would take me and my brother to my grandmothers house by train. The ride would take about 2 hours from the Bronx to Canarsey Brooklyn so to entertain us, I would draw in my black & white note book, the comic strips from the Daily news Sunday paper. From age 5 to 14 There were only a few memories I have of intermediate School. One of them being,
I over heard my art teacher telling my mom how wonderful my art was and an earthquake couldn’t get me to stop painting and the second, I was in the 4th grade and got picked with 2 other class mates to join in the 5th grade senior trip which was summer camp in the woods. For me a poor kid living on 156th street Courtland avenue in the South Bronx where there were gangs and crews as well as a bunch of abandon buildings and drug dealing, going to the woods was incredible for me, something i’ve never experienced before in my life. I mentioned this because if you look at my work through out my whole career it alway has nature in the work, this I remembered just a couple years ago where that love of nature I use in my work originated from.

Junior High School was rough I was quiet & shy so I didn’t speak much which led to me being bullied.
I still drew during these years in fact I was on a year book staff that I got to do artwork for which technically would be the first time I would be published, I guess? That senior year I didn’t get excepted to Art & Design in fact no school wanted me so I ended up in Morris High School which back then was known for being the worst school in the Bronx.
It was tough but I survived. I survived the South Bronx of the 70’s & 80’s good times, bad times & the worst of times. witnessed some of the worst things you can image and had some of the best times of my life, I have not one regret and wouldn’t change a thing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: zimad_art
• Facebook: Luis Zimad Lamboy