LUCAS LEÓN
PROFESSIONAL ILLUSTRATOR
Villa Alemana, Chile
BIO
Lucas is a Professional Illustrator and NFT Artist from Chile. He works as a Fine Art Illustrator making personal artworks for galleries, and commissioned works for clients like The New York Times and Displate. His surrealism is drawn and painted with meticulous handmade-digital techniques on ProCreate. His inspirations come from self-discipline, physical exercise, philosophy, psychoanalysis and spirituality, through which he shares messages about the importance of health and freedom for an authentic and quality life. 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.
ARTIST REPRESENTATION
• “Art Innovation Gallery” Member. Milan, Italy (2024).
• “The NFT Agency” Toronto, Canada (2021 to 2022).
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).
JURY
• “JIA Illustration Award” (2024) by Japan Illustrators’ Association (Tokyo, Japan).
SELECTED 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 Self-promotion and Commercial Category of “iJungle Illustration Competition 2024” (Lisbon, Portugal).
• Winner in Illustration: Professional Category of “Creative Quarterly 75” (2024) by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States).
• Selected Winner in “Illustration West 62” 2024 by The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, United States).
• 2nd Place Winner in 40. Surrealism Category of “American Art Awards” (2023) by American Art Awards (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).
• Merit Winner in Self-promotion Category of “iJungle Illustration Competition 2023” (Lisbon, Portugal).
• Honor Award “Litoral” in 42° version of Concurso Nacional de Arte Joven (2020) by Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).
• Honorable Mention Winner in “Prisma Art Prize 2020” 5th edition (Rome, Italy).
• Recommended Artist from the Jury in Drawing category for Combat Art Prize 2020 (Livorno, Italy).
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
• Light Visions (2024) Billboard in Times Square by Art Innovation Gallery (New York, United States).
• 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).
• 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.
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).