Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lucien Downes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lucien, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

I was the general manager for Pearl paint Atlanta back in the mid 2000s. I would get free supplies from different vendors that sold items to us to try out, I have always loved art so i decided to try my hand at Learning how to paint. I read books and watched videos to develop my skills as a budding artist. I tried watercolor, oil, gouache and acrylic, and decided to come a mixed media artist. I took what I liked from all of the mediums and created 6 different styles that I can call me own. After 6 month of practicing and developing my skill set, I created a series of paintings that I took to my office to get photographed by one of my employees. The owner of the cleaning company that we contract with passed by to discuss our contract and saw the paintings in the back office and asked who they belonged to, I said one of the employees, then he said i love this one, and would like to buy it. he said could you ask the price. then i said i think he said $600 then he resounded sold. I was dumbfounded, then admitted to him that the piece was mine. I wanted to get his unbiased opinion of it hence why I told him it belonged to someone else. so 6 months after teaching myself to paint…. I got my first sale.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a Caribbean born artist and curator, whose work demonstrates freedom of thought and expression through mixed media. My ancestry of Trinidadian, Bajan and Crucian roots brings forward a culturally rich consciousness which emanates in my art. I have always had an affinity for art and photography, but did not take any steps towards creating until my tenure as general manager of Pearl Paint Atlanta, GA. As the GM, I was given many vendor samples of products which I used along with workshops, books, and critiques (from some of the top artist and teachers in the Atlanta area), to create 6 distinctive styles that i call my own.
My work is composed of spiritual and worldly elements that function independently at times or merge to encompass a whole. My artwork is diverse, and draws inspiration from daily life, spiritual themes, objects, moods, and movement, and his distinctive portrayals often provoke thought and emotion. I utilizes resin, acrylic, fibers, raw pigments, plexiglass, inks, dyes, and occasionally found objects, to create depth and dimension within culturally themed pieces. My work brings a contemporary feel to everyday culturally significant subjects.
My career is in its 13th year, and has not slowed down since selling my first painting six months after starting to teach myself how to paint. I believe that my ability to paint is a gift from the Creator and intends to use it for the upliftment of my culture and its people. My work has been highlighted in several publications, events, murals, and high-profile homes around the world.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I really wish that I learned about grants and how they worked. Many projects that I went into I paid out of pocket. some times i made money and others i didnt, so having a grant to help with those costs would of made a huge difference.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to be in a gallery or art space on every Caribbean island, and also bring the arts to those that would not normally have access to it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.luciendownesart.com
• Instagram: lucien_art
• Facebook: lucien downes and the artist Lucien Downes
• Linkedin: lucien Downes
• Twitter: lucien_art

Image Credits
lucien Downes