LUCAS LEÓN
PROFESSIONAL ILLUSTRATOR
Villa Alemana, Chile
BIO
Lucas is a Professional Illustrator and NFT Artist from Chile, member of Art Innovation Gallery. He works as a Fine Art Illustrator, focused on making artworks for galleries. His surrealism is painted digitally on ProCreate. His inspiration is the metaphorical death and rebirth periods of the self, it allows him to use art as a medium to discover and share affirmations of life related to health and freedom. He is an Award-Winning Artist with recognitions like First place in "Into the Dark" (2024) by Blue Space Gallery, First place winner in “Brightness Illustration Awards 2020” (UK), Gold winner in "Global Illustration Awards 2020" (China) and Shortlisted for "World Illustration Awards 2020" (UK).
STATEMENT
I find myself more intimately in art when I go through all these details in the artwork, because that teaches me deeply about existence, and I want to share it as best I can, in case something resonates, awakens or heals us. At least I know that dedicating myself to art is dedicating myself to love, it is the work of expressing something honest. Despite our mistreated world and society, that love is in helping us to talk with the soul, from there I trust what comes out, I trust what connects, and what that disarticulates to build another rebel and more open being.
STUDIES
• Professional Illustration in ARCOS Professional Institute. Viña del Mar, Chile.
• “Art, politics and activism” by Node Center. Online course. Berlin, Germany.
ART RESIDENCES
• “R.A.R.O.” Buenos Aires, Argentina (March to June, 2022).
• “R.A.R.O.” Barcelona, Spain (July, 2022).
• “Phoenix Gallery” Athens, Greece (August to September, 2022).
AWARDS
First Place Winner in Experimental category for “Brightness Illustration Awards 2020” (London, United Kingdom).
Gold Award in Advertisement and Editorial Illustration category for “Global Illustration Awards 2020” by Illusalon (China).
First Place in "Into the Dark" (2024) by Blue Space Gallery.
Shortlisted Artist in Professional: Exploration category for “World Illustration Awards” (2020) by The Association of Illustrators
(London, United Kingdom).
Silver Award in “JIA Illustration Award” (2023) by Japan Illustrators’ Association (Tokyo, Japan).
Jury Selection in “Illustrators 66” (2023) by The Society of Illustrators (New York, United States).
Merit Winner in Professional Show for “3x3’s International Illustration Annual No.20” (2023) by 3x3 Magazine (New York, United States).
Merit Winner in “iJungle Illustration Competition 2023” (Argelia).
• Winner in Illustration: Professional Category for “Creative Quarterly 75” (2024) by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States).
• 5th Place Winner in Category 40. Surrealism of “Art Collectors Choice Awards” (2024) by American Art Awards (United States).
• Honorable Mention in “Vibrant Colors Art Competition” (2024) by Ten Moir Gallery (Kansas City, United States).
• Honorable Mention in “Figurative Art Competition” (2024) by Blue Koi Gallery (Kansas City, United States).
• 2nd Place Winner in Category 40. Surrealism of “American Art Awards 2023” (United States).
• Winner in Illustration: Professional Category for “Creative Quarterly 74” (2023) by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States).
• Selected Winner in “American Illustration 42” (2023) by American Illustration - American Photography (New York, United States).
• Winner in Illustration category of “Applied Arts Awards 2023” (Toronto, Canada).
• Shortlisted Artist in “The New Emergence Art Prize 2023”.
• Longlisted Artist in “VAA Professional Artist Award 2023” by Visual Artist Association (London, United Kingdom).
• Honor Award “Litoral” in 42° version of Concurso Nacional de Arte Joven (2020) by Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Bronze Award in “JIA Illustration Award” (2020) by Japan Illustrators’ Association (Tokyo, Japan).
• Merit Winner in “iJungle Illustration Competition 2020” (Argelia).
• Merit Winner in Professional Show/Gallery category for “3x3’s International Illustration Annual No.17” (2020) by 3x3 Magazine (New York, United States).
• Artist of the Future Award (2020) by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine (London, United Kingdom).
• Honorable Mention in Illustration: Professional Category for “Creative Quarterly 61” (2020) by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States)
• Selected artist in “Illustration West 59” 2020 by The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, United States).
• 6th Place Winner in Category 40. Surrealism of “American Art Awards 2020” (United States).
• “Whois Publisher prize” in “Palm art Award 2020” (Quedlinburg, Germany).
• Selected Artist in “Wales Contemporary” 2020 (Milford Haven, United Kingdom).
• Honorable Mention Winner in “Prisma Art Prize 2020” 5th edition (Rome, Italy).
• Finalist in “Prisma Art Prize 2020” 6th edition (Rome, Italy).
• Shortlisted Artist in “Sir John Hurt & Sworders Art Prizes 2020” by Holt Festival (Holt, United Kingdom).
• Finalist Award in “Artist Choice V” International Visual Arts Competition 2020 by Camelback Gallery (Scottsdale, United States).
• Finalist Award in “Boynes Emerging Artist Award” 2020 (Melbourne, Australia).
• Recommended Artist from the Jury in Drawing category for Combat Art Prize 2020 (Livorno, Italy).
• Selected Artist in “Kaunas Illustration Biennial” 2021 (Kaunas, Lithuania).
• Highly Commended Artist in “VAO 2020” by Visual Art Open (Chester, United Kingdom).
• Selected artist in 41° version of Concurso Nacional de Arte Joven (2019) by Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Selected artist in 40° version of Concurso Nacional de Arte Joven (2018) by Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
EXHIBITIONS
• The Pixels Show (2024) Billboard in Times Square by Art Innovation Gallery (New York, United States).
• JIA Illustration Award 2023 (2024) BIP Gallery by Japan Illustrators Association (Shanghai, China).
• Illustrators 66 (2024) Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators (New York, United States).
• Illustration West 62 (2024) Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, United States).
• Floating Pixels (2023) Billboard Boat in Miami Beach by Art Innovation Gallery (Miami, United States).
• AI-AP’s The PARTY (2023) Angel Orensanz Foundation (New York, United States).
• JIA Illustration Awards (2023) 798 Art Bridge Gallery by Japan Illustrators Association (Beijing, China).
• NFT NYC Community Artist Showcase (2023) The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (New York, United States).
• Phoenix Gallery (2022) (Athens, Greece).
• Pentáculo Gallery (2022) (Barcelona, Spain).
• Palmira Estudios (2022) (Buenos Aires, Argentina).
• Arte Joven UV 2020 (2021) Casa del Arte (Concepción, Chile).
• Arte Joven UV 2020 (2021) Centro Cultural Espacio Matta (Santiago, Chile).
• Arte Joven UV 2020 (2020) Sala “El Farol” Centro de Extensión Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Kaunas Illustration Biennial (2021) Kaunas, Lithuania.
• Wales Contemporary (2021) Gallery@oxo (London, United Kingdom).
• Wales Contemporary (2020) Waterfront Gallery (Milford Haven, United Kingdom).
• Holt Festival Art Prize (2020) Melton Constable, United Kingdom.
• Arte Joven UV 2019 (2020) Sala “El Farol” Centro de Extensión Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Colectividad y Resistencia (2020) El Internado (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Arte Joven UV 2018 (2019) Casa del Arte (Concepción, Chile).
• Arte Joven UV 2018 (2019) Centro Cultural Espacio Matta (Santiago, Chile).
• Arte Joven UV 2018 (2019) Sala “El Farol” Centro de Extensión Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
PUBLICATIONS
• Illustrators Annual Book (2023) by Society of Illustrators (New York, United States).
• The AI42 Annual Book (2023) by American Illustration and American Photography (New York, United States).
• 3x3 Illustration Annual No.20 (2023) by 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration (New York, United States).
• “American Illustration 42 Annual Award Book” (2023) by American Illustration - American Photography (New York, United States).
• “Photography, Illustration & Design Awards Annual Issue” (2023) by Applied Arts Awards (Toronto, Canada).
• Catalog of “Prisma Art Prize 2nd Year Exhibition” (2023) Fondamenta Gallery (Rome, Italy).
• “World Illustration Awards 2020” by The Association of Illustrators (London, United Kingdom).
• 3x3 Illustration Annual No.17 (2020) by 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration (New York, United States).
• Boynes Emerging Artist Award (2020) Online Interview (Melbourne, Australia).
• “JIA Illustration Award” (2020) by Japan Illustrators’ Association (Tokyo, Japan).
• American Art Award (2020) (United States).
• Catalog of “Combat Art Prize 2020” by Casa Editrice Sillabe (Livorno, Italy).
• “Flamantes” #14 Artbook (2019) (Spain).
• Catalog of “Arte Joven UV 2020” (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Catalog of “Arte Joven UV 2019” (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Catalog of “Arte Joven UV 2018” (Valparaíso, Chile).
• “Movimiento” Art book (2020) by “En Tránsito” (Santiago, Chile).