Daily Inspiration: Meet Louis Angel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Louis Angel

Hi Louis , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey began in the holiday season of 2009 when my partner came across Jackson Pollock’s paintings at the Bryant Park holiday market and became enamored with them. This inspired her holiday gift idea, and she asked if I could create something similar for her. Despite my hesitation, having only ever drawn as a kid, I agreed. We bought a large canvas from Michael’s, got some oops paint from Home Depot, and the rest was history.

By July 2010, I curated, produced, and exhibited work at my very first art show under the brand Guerrilla Art Shows. I converted an office space into a gallery for a one-day secret venue event, featuring four or five artists, a wine bar, and a small group of art enthusiasts. Since that first show, Guerrilla Art Shows has held events at various venues in Soho, Tribeca, Brooklyn Heights, Midtown East, West Village, Long Island City, and the Meatpacking District, to name a few. We are looking to expand to different cities like Los Angeles and Paris in the coming year.

Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to feature my work in galleries across the city, including Black Wall Street Gallery, West Chelsea Contemporary, Blue Gallery, and The Triangle Loft. My art has found collectors in New York, Miami, Israel, Canada, Texas, and Australia.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. The art world can be pretentious, callous, and beautiful all at the same time. However, Guerrilla Art Shows make it possible to navigate through all its terrain. Not all my shows have been successful. Some shows attract a huge audience or collectors, while others have had only a handful of attendees. It can be quite discouraging or promising, depending on the show. In 2023, I was close to being done with it all and ready to get a 9-5 gig.

The economy has not helped the market for art sales, though this is not the case for everyone. However, when it hits you, it’s like a punch to the face. I’ve been pretty fortunate to have a great support group that believes in me and my vision. This includes fellow artists like Melissa Schainker, M.C. Hewitt, and Tyler Jordan. It takes a village, and I’m fortunate to have that from people all around me.

There’s no giving up on something that you’re passionate about, like art and curating.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an artist, I specialize in abstract expressionism. I am an outsider artist with a yearning to live beyond my breathing years through my art, driven by my passion and goal of helping other artists achieve exposure. Nothing makes me feel more alive than showcasing an artist in their very first show. There have been special moments where an artist’s parents showed up unexpectedly, artists shed tears of joy and pride, and their gratitude fills my heart. There’s no amount of money in the world more valuable to me than that.

What sets me apart is my passion for helping others achieve success, whether it’s a first art sale or believing in an artist’s craft enough to get them featured in a gallery or art show. I don’t do this for the money—my life would be so much different if I did. For starters, I wouldn’t be a starving artist. I do this for the love of art and its creators.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The industry keeps evolving and growing into a behemoth of creatives and creativity. The art world is a complex mechanism of beautiful, dark minds making something out of nothing. My art comes from nothing; my mind must be clear enough to formulate primitive or complex compositions. I am my art, and my art is me. That being said, art will continue to be. It’s the only trend that I see coming to fruition. Trends will come and go—whether it’s NFTs, performance art, tangible art, or the comedy of invisible art—creativity will never die. It will only continue to evolve.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @guerrillaartshows

Image Credits
Joseph Dalton @newyorkjoseph (second image)