Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Duncan.
Steven, before we jump into specific questions about your art, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I had my first art show in 2012 after being invited by a friend that knew I painted for fun. I sold a couple of paintings, and that gave me the motivation to keep going to see where this would take me. I knew a lot of artists that had a hard time selling their work, but luckily it came pretty easily with me. That first show was successful enough to allow my friends and I to have another one, and again, I sold more paintings. I created an Instagram account shortly there after and began posting all paintings as. soon as I would finish them and I got a great response almost immediately. I sold more and more paintings as the years passed without here ever being a break in commissions. However I was still working full-time in commercial/tv/film on set in the Art Department as an Art Assistant, Two years ago I found myself in the position to pursue my goals to be a full-time artist, and to devote all my time and effort to paint. My gamble has fortunately paid off, as I have a long waiting list of clients and more commissions than I can handle. I’ve sold over 400+ paintings, murals and sculptures over the years and the number keeps growing.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
For many years along this journey, I worked on set in TV & film in production and on location. Working 12+ hours a day in production, art department and driving trucks just were not as satisfying to my soul as selling and creating my art. I’ve always been fortunate to have consistent work as an artist since my first art show without there ever being an absence of commissions. Most of the struggle was working the production hours and still staying focused on dreams and coming home and finishing my commissions. It was a bit of a challenge, but, for the past two years, I have been able to sustain my lifestyle while only selling my art, which has been my goal since I started taking commissions. This has been super fulfilling to me.
Tell us more about your art.
I specialize in custom artwork, although I have done a lot of original work that has sold as well. My clients can email me with pictures, photos, or describe to me in full detail what they would like to see in their painting, and I will translate all their ideas to canvas. I feel like this sets me apart from other artists because I’m willing to paint what my clients want rather than only what I want. I enjoy bringing their ideas to life and the happiness it brings them to have all their favorite things in one piece. I’m proud of how far I’ve come as an artist, especially when I come across paintings from years ago that I forgot even exists. it helps me realize how long and how much work I’ve put into my goals.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I had some good luck in the beginning when I first started selling my paintings when I had made a friend on set that had a lot of celebrity friends. He would buy paintings from me to give as unique gifts to his friends that already have everything. He gave some paintings to Nene Leakes, Gilbert Arenas and Keisha Cole to name a few. Those led to a few other celebs buying art for clients and helping me build a reputation as an artist. Other than that I believe in good old-fashioned hard work and believing in myself.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8183811173
- Email: SDUNIVERSEART@GMAIL.COM
- Instagram: @sduncan_art
Image Credit:
Steven Duncan Instagram @sduncan_art
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