Meet Lowkey Creative

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lowkey Creative. 

Hello Lowkey Creative, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’ve always been the type of person who became dedicated, passionate and almost a bit obsessive when it came to certain things that just clicked with me. For instance, when I was younger, I picked up skateboarding and my life from there on out became that and only that. I thought to myself, screw school and screw work. This was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I ate, slept and breathed it in every day. If I wasn’t skating all day, I was playing Tony hawk’s pro skater on PlayStation. If I wasn’t doing that, I was watching skate videos, hanging posters in my room or slapping new stickers up. I grew up in a bit of a rough area in upstate New York. Some parts beautiful, others not so much. There wasn’t a lot of opportunity there for people like me or maybe just anyone in general. I always felt I dreamt big but as a teen I knew I had to make some decent money to do the things I wanted to do. My parents owned a hardware store when I was young but good ole Walmart moved in, took its giant corporate foot and stepped on my family’s business leaving us bankrupt. I’m pretty sure this was one of the reasons I started to lash out. 

I was constantly in and out of trouble. I started selling weed and once I started to see good profit, I moved on up to selling cocaine. I was being so reckless back then. Spending so much money. Surprised I didn’t get caught but I did get a huge wake up call. 

One night I got pulled over and ended up getting a DWAI (driving while ability impaired) because I was smoking weed while driving. I needed up getting probation, some school restrictions and such. 

I remember having much less to do now that I was on probation so I spent more time at the skatepark which funny enough was right next to the probation department in my home town. My friends and I had our routine there. Skate, take a break, go to the taco maker, which was like a bodega and gas station in one. I’d get an L9 chicken cutlet and a green tea Arizona and then go back to the park and hang. One day I got back from getting my sandwich and drink and saw my homies Matt, Eli, Jr, Mike and some others sitting at the skatepark bench writing all over it with markers. I think that was the first real time I was introduced to graffiti. 

This was the start of it all. My obsession with skating didn’t quite leave but it was taken over by something a little more intriguing to me. My friends Matt, James and Eli were some of my biggest inspiration back then. I got my first blackbook and markers because of them. SBK (Space Boy Krew) was a group of all my homies who were not like everyone else. They skated and made art, music or did photography. I remember when they added me to the group and showed me the handshake and that was it. I had a new family. I finally felt like I fit and belonged to something incredible. 

I did always hide a lot of my work or just was a little embarrassed or nervous to show it off back then. People were pretty stunned when I did start to show my work or gift as they’d say. That’s where the name “Lowkey Creative” came from. 

Years later, I became really interested in the tattoo world and worked towards becoming a tattooist. I think it was November of 2015 I had just gotten offered an apprenticeship at one of the best tattoo shops in New York called Forsaken Ink. My girlfriend at the time wanted to take me out to celebrate. We went out drinking and having a good time. By the time we were ready to go home we were both heavily intoxicated. I ended up driving and legit right before I pulled up to our house I got pulled over. Mind you I just got off probation for the first DUI a week before this happened. I remember the coo walking up to the car and all I could think was…I’m definitely going to jail. I reeked of whiskey. 

Long story short I did end up going to jail. I had the option of 5 years’ probation but I was registered a flight risk so I’d have to remain in my county or I could serve a year in county jail. It didn’t really take much thought. I had a wrap sheet and I’ve spent some days in the jail already. I just knew that I wanted to make art my career and knew I couldn’t do it in my home town so prolonging my career with 5 years in my home town just wasn’t the answer. 

Jail wasn’t too bad. Because the jail was in my hometown, I already knew a lot of the people in there. I had my own cell for a few weeks and then got moved up to G block with 49 other inmates. I ended up working out every day. I drew every single day as well and actually made some good money on my commissary as well. The good thing I learned how to do was draw out of my head. Draw what I was seeing in my head. It’s jail ya know?! You don’t have access to google to search up a reference if you need one. Jail also taught me to be grateful for the things I do have. We didn’t have access to our own pencil sharpeners or any other mediums aside from a number 2 pencil. I used to have my friends in there go down to the law library to sharpen a bunch of pencils for me, both sides of the pencil too. I’d have one good eraser and a bunch of double-sided pencils to draw with. Having only a pencil helped me really understand graphite and shading. I got really good at understanding dimensions and perspective because I had to make it up out of my head or from memory. I think being self-taught this was a huge way for me to hone in on learning and it felt like I was almost forced to because there was nothing else for me to do. 

I spoke to my brother on the phone in jail one time and he was telling me all about Colorado since he moved there not long before that. I remember knowing right then and there that I had to make that move as well. 

When I got out of jail, I think a spent a few weeks home and then ended up packing my things to move to Colorado with some of my hometown friends. We moved right to Westminster first. From there I got a job at Zumiez at the flatiron mall. I actually got that job my second day in Colorado. Wasted no time getting my life back in order. Zumiez felt like the right fit for me since most of the people who worked there were into the same music, skating and were creative. My manager Syd was heavy into art so of course her and I clicked. 

My friend Kevin who I moved out to Colorado with is an incredible photographer so him and I did our fair share of exploring in Denver. I remember sneaking up on top of the theater building in downtown Denver with him, looking out over the city and telling him one day I’m going to paint this city. Those exact words. I was always into graffiti and public art and that was my motivation then. 

About 2 years later I had 2 different job offers. One to work at a chemical warehouse for 25 an hour and the other was to work at Guriys paint and art store downtown for 10 bucks an hour. I remember speaking with my dad and telling him that yeah the one offer is good money but with the other I could potentially meet other artists and I’m also surrounded by the things I love. So yup, I took the art store job. 

A couple years later I met so many artists and I felt like I was really starting to connect more with the art community here but I wanted what they had. I wanted to be a full-time artist. One day while at work I was on the phone with my mom who had just told me about an opportunity to paint for Art Basil in Wynwood, Miami. When I got off the phone with here there was a guy standing next to me who looked at me and said “did you just say art basil?!”. He happened to be Pat Milbery, pro snowboarder and full-time muralist. I didn’t know who he was at the time but he saw my work and invited me to join him and his team to paint murals all over Colorado. 

I painted with Pat for about 2-3 years till I realized that I wasn’t really much for collaborating anymore. My art means a lot to me and my mental health. I consider my art to be poetry of sorts. I just knew I needed my own outlet back. I knew I needed to do it for myself. It was so tough at first. I was scared I couldn’t make it work or make ends meet but I worked so damn hard. I made it a priority to have Art be the number one thing in my life. 

Here I am years later, a successful full-time artist. I dropped the partying in my life because I had always struggled with alcohol and drugs so I knew I had to clean up to better my art career. I’ve been completely sober since. I put my family above most as well. I’m 32 years old now but when I hit 30, I realized I need to be as much involved in my families lives as I can. My mother and father are my biggest fans, my brothers too but the my middle one will probably never admit it haha. I can’t thank them enough for their constant support. I trimmed my friend group down a town. I started to realize who was good for me and who wasn’t and that alone helped advance my career tremendously. I got very comfortable being alone. I started to find out who I was more and more. 

A friend of mine once said to me “wherever you go, there you are”. I didn’t fully understand it at the time or maybe I was too stubborn to. It means if you haven’t made peace with yourself for things you’ve done in the past, you will be dealing with that baggage forever. I know who I am now and I have made peace with my past. I may never forget my past but instead of resenting it i appreciate it and use it to fuel the artist you all see today. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No road is smooth and if it is, it’s only a fresh coat covering up the old bumpy, pot hole ridden road below it. I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am now and I continue to work even harder. I still have the same amount of downs as ups. I just know if I dwell on those downs that I won’t be able to appreciate what’s right in front of me. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve always loved the saying “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but often times better than a master of one” I’ve always wanted to explore all mediums. I try to incorporate as many mediums into each piece. Over the years I’ve grown very fond of incorporating sculpting and woodworking into my paintings/drawings. I really disliked the look of the piece standing alone or sitting in a frame someone else crafted. I wanted to do it all myself. I started to make the frames and having them resemble the essence of the piece within it. I’ve always been really inspired by antiques and rustic nic nacs. 

I’m most proud of my birdhouse characters I create. They incorporate a figure with a house on the figures head. In psychology, the human mind is portrayed as a house. I think that’s where I relate. I tend to make the houses and main theme look old and withered. Something about a broken down home always speaks to me. Maybe from growing up in a broken home. Something from my childhood speaking to me through my art. I think my ideas and mixed media tend to separate my work from others. I feel the depth and deeper meaning behind my work always shows. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk taking is key. I’ve gone broke more times than I can count. Not because I wasn’t doing things right but because I was taking those risks and trying new things. It all helped me get to where I am today. 

Contact Info:

• Email: Lowkeycreativeart@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/lowkey_creative
• Other: @lowkey_creative