Today we’d like to introduce you to Leo Perez.
Leo, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Well, I grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago and that’s really important to me. It’s a neighborhood that’s rich in culture and inspiring to the arts. I grew up in love with graffiti art and our beautiful murals. I’m a homegrown product of CPS and I’m really proud of that as well, it’s taught me to be not only frugal as an artist but innovative in how I work. My story is pretty much the same as any other inner city kid that’s trying to make it in the art world, I want the world to see that hard work and love for your craft, brings all the success and good things you strive for! Art saved my life and has given me a purpose.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
So my art is a mash up of graffiti art and comic book art. I grew up loving both and in time found ways to bring those two together in my own style. I love lettering, drawing cartoony food and Luchadores because those are all things that remind me of my childhood and growing up in an environment that allows you to grow up and express your creativity! I love color, I work with markers, watercolor, and acrylics, I’ve even started doing more digital artwork in the last couple of years! I’m lucky enough to have a good amount of freelance work where I get to work on licensed products for Upper Deck, Marvel, and Adult Swim, but my true expression is drawing these fun goofy characters that make me smile and people are really into them! I find myself selling a lot more of my original work which then motivates me to pursue that and less on fan art at conventions and pop ups.
The stereotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
I don’t think those financial challenges ever go away, but it’s definitely hard to make ends meet as a starving artist. My advice to artists who are baristas, retail employees, desk jockeys, servers, etc. is to go home after work and draw something. DRAW EVERY DAY! Remind yourself what that struggle is for, your strength isn’t in how good your art is, your strength lies in how much you are willing give in order to make your art be seen. No one can see your art if you don’t work on it every day. Everyone wants to be successful at what they are passionate about, show us why we should bet on you! I promise, the hard work, tears, frustration, anxiety, and stress pay off! At the end of that journey you may not have a billion dollars but I promise you your life will be richer because you worked your ass off to follow your dreams!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Social media is one of the best tools for artists now a days! I’m on Instagram as @Realleoperezart and Twitter as @realleoperezart. People engage with me and commission me through there quite a bit and honestly I just love the idea that I can involve fans in a intimate setting where they can talk to me and be there as I update a work in progress. It’s a lot of fun! I’m at comic book conventions throughout the Midwest and at a few surprise locations here and there. I’ve done less of these shows because the burn out does become real but I feel the bug biting back at me and I’m excited to reach out and become reacquainted with old and new supporters again. It’s a very humbling experience and It’s inspiring to talk to people about art and why it brings us all together!
Contact Info:
- Address: LeoPerezArt
- Email: leoperez.art@gmail.com
- Instagram: @realleoperezart
- Twitter: @realleoperezart
Image Credit:
All work of LeoPerezArt
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