The other day I was thinking about the only piece of genuine art (as in it’s a painting & not a print) that I own as I walked past it in my living room. It was a collaborative piece done by two incredibly talented artists from my hometown: Lucid & Sike Style. And wouldn’t you know it?! Lucid hit me up that very same afternoon!
If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is!
So, today I’d like to tell you a bit about Lucid. A masterful artistic polymath & one-half of the creative duo that helped liven up the visual mood in my (admittedly kick-ass) living space.
My Genuine Art
I hope that intro video of his work got you excited (Kid Cut Up on the audio mix)!
I guess I should start by showing you the artwork I was going on about in the opening…
That 6′ 8″ x 2′ 8″ stylized beauty has followed me around to 4 different places now and it’s always a conversation starter when I have people over. Taking a guess at the mixed media used, we’re talking a combination of acrylic, paper, paint pens, and clear coat (just my guess from looking at it multiple times).
There may come a day that I have to clear coat it again myself just to protect it, but that’d be a labor of love because I’ve always loved it (bought it on a whim one day while strolling through Sike’s old studio). The two came into my place and installed it themselves after signing the back of the work. Just a fun piece of my hometown that I take with me from place to place, wherever I end up.
Lucid and his Many Skills!
Daniel Bartle (who I refer to as Lucid), the artist pictured in the header image of this post (yep, that’s a watercolor self-portrait that he did), has gotten the hang of many mediums.
Per his own words on his website, he “Consider[s] art forms as languages. [And] Every discipline adopted [as] an expanded ability to effectively communicate ideas.”
He established his own brand, Lucid Arts, back in 2008, and hasn’t looked back since.
And why would he?! As a creator, his art has range! I will show you examples as we go through but he’s touched on everything: illustration, storyboarding, medical design, architectural work, murals, digital pieces, diagrams, environmental design, brand-specific work. It has been a fun ride to witness.
His versatile visual techniques seamlessly blend the abstract with more subtle classical pieces — almost like it’s a reflex.
His work can be rooted in reality while blending just the right aspects of whimsical and color play. I want to encourage you to check out the images on his site itself for his K.C.O.G. – Kansas City Original Gangsters art show at The Kultured Chameleon Art Gallery back in 2013, but this video gives you a bit of a tour as well of what that was like.
I’m not gassin’ anybody here — the man has talent!
I often brag about his work to people when I’m not back home because I don’t think people realize skills like this (or this aesthetic) exist in the Midwest portion of the U.S., so it’s just always fun to spread the gospel and be like, “I know this guy!”
Daniel Bartle (The Professional)
If you like what I’ve shown you so far, I have good news — you can commission Lucid for various work along the lines of what I’ve shown. His site will have a shop section coming soon, but you can also bring his designs into your business to take things from a vision you have in the nooks and crannies of your head to physical reality as he did for Cafe Cà Phê (a Vietnamese coffee truck in Kansas City, MO).
And it’s a lot of fun following him on Instagram to see his process with the murals he creates.
If that’s not enough, he can also come out of nowhere and bash you over the head with architectural watercolor masterclasses and digital marvels, too. It boggles the mind how so many creative takes can reside in one headspace.
When I asked him what’s next, Lucid said that he’s, “going wherever the winds blow, at this point,” and that he’s, “open to any opportunity that makes sense.” The man takes on art in a very Zen mental fashion to express so much energy in his work.
As someone who dabbles in various visual mediums myself, I have ALWAYS been in awe of Daniel’s work – and I’m happy I have this little platform now to brag about this dude.
I have been a fan since I met him, and hopefully, I just shared his work with a group of new admirers (and even some potential business connections – hit Lucid up)!
(Daniel if you’re reading this, next time I’m in town – let’s connect, sir.)
Peace, and thanks for reading.
The soundtrack for this post provided by…
Image Credits:
– All Images © Daniel Bartle of Lucid Arts and any project collaborators or license holders