Meet Luis Sanchez of Luis Sanchez Fine Art

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Sanchez.

Hi Luis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have been a self employed artist for the past thirty-one years. I am living my dream. My father was an exceptional artist and I certainly inherited his talent. I have been enrolled in art school since I was seven years old, thanks to my parents support and encouragement to follow my dream. My career started in the gift industry, selling hand-painted fresco plaques for my then business L.S. Design, based out of Seattle, WA. As I began to sell to many of the local shops and boutiques, I was picked up by West and East coast reps, which took me nationally and within a few years I was selling to 120 shops in the US and Canada.
This is where I learned the business of art, employees and much more that I have utilized throughout my career. In 2002 I sold the business and moved to LA to pursue my fine art career. It was the best move ever for many reasons. Soon after landing in LA I took a long time researching galleries all over town and found my home at Glass Garage Gallery, then in West Hollywood. This is where my career as a fine art painter really took off. Twenty-four years later here I am, continuing my work, growing and expanding always.
In 2016 moved to San Pedro, CA and became a muralist for the city of LA after creating a 125 foot long mural as part of the renovation and opening of the Lilyan Fierman walkway.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being an artist is always the road less traveled, I know many artists would agree with me on this. And as amazing as it seems it is a tremendous amount of work, determination, discipline, drive, guts, sweat and tears to make it happen. And no, it has not been an easy road. In 1989 just starting college I was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure due to a childhood illness. In 1990 I started dialysis and received my fist kidney transplant in 1993. My second transplant in 2011 after another four years on dialysis.
This in itself was challenging enough, but I have had a lot of medical issues, which have not stopped me from continuing, picking myself up and moving forward. In 2021 I was diagnosed with PTLD (Post Transplant Lymphatic Disorder) from decades of being on immune suppressed medications. To this day I am in remission due to a huge change of lifestyle and diet.
But in 2024 I had a stroke, which took me months of rehabilitation, physical therapy and a lot of help form my community, friends and family. Luckily I am so fortunate to have a very supportive artist community who have helped me get back on my feet.
I have struggled a lot, but no matter what art is therapy, my savior and what always brings me back. To crate and to share with the world. I still have much to accomplish and live for. I a truly blessed and do not take a single day for granted.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Like I have said many times before, art is a business and therefore should be taken as such. I almost think business is first and talent second. Especially in todays world with so much competition, now AI generated images etc… it so important to not just stand out, but be as professional and on top of the game as ever. Every artist should know the administrative aspect of art, from making contracts, submitting to galleries, writing biographies and resumes, it is all essential to a good business practice and success. Take the time and money to have all your work professionally photographed for whatever you may need these images in the future.
And it is most important to know how to talk to clients, be personable, dress right, never ever miss deadlines and communicate. I do a lot of commission work for personal residences, commercial businesses and the city of LA, so my range of dealing with clients varies. But remember that you need to bring their vision to life and before it can happen, you need to give them the vision in paper and pricing, so there are no surprises or misunderstandings. Your reputation depends on it. You want your clients(s) to have trust and put them at ease that you are the person for the job and you will deliver exactly what they want.
Show up on time to every meeting and be prepared.

How do you define success?
I have lived off my work for thirty-one years so to me that is success. I don’t need to be the Picasso of the world to know this. Once you can support yourself and live your dream, that is success. To have the freedom to create and to exercise that passion is success. To wake up have your coffee and go for walk any given day of the week or to the beach just cuz, that is success.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://luissanchezfineart.com/
• Instagram: @luissanchezfineart
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-sanchez-b8a93285/
• Other: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/artists-and-artisans/luis-sanchez-fine-art-pfvwus-pf~1101752899

Image Credits
Sylvie Cogranne