Instagram: @lloydcoenen
Lloyd Coenen a local of Elland is a self-made abstract artist and has been creating and showcasing his artwork since 2017 with the selling of his artwork amassing a seven figure income. Now, with 3 others along with 15 team members, he mentors over 200 students, up and coming artists the world over making a book in the process, ‘Artists Freedom Formula’ on how best to navigate the art world, how to utilize marketing to maximize sales, and showing artists their worth and how they should be valuing their pieces. I have traveled the short trip from Halifax to the City of Leeds to learn about his process in making his artwork and what drives his passion and creativity in producing his pieces.
I sit down in Lloyd’s studio at Duke studios. There is a stack of vinyl’s next to me with one of my all time favourite albums ‘Illmatic’ by Nas at the top, with a Mac Miller art print on the wall in front of me. I already feel right at home in what I like to call my city.
Q1: Lloyd, for those who might not fully grasp art, can you share what art means to you and how you describe yourself as an artist?
“Art fundamentally shapes everything we create. It starts from an idea, a spark from nothing, and becomes a necessary form of expression. If you look at some of the striking architecture here in Yorkshire, someone’s creative vision brought these structures to life. That’s art for me. It’s essential. Personally, I focus on abstract art. It’s not for everyone, but it’s about being true to myself, and this honesty naturally attracts people to my work. I’m currently exploring a new series using text, drawing inspiration from mentors and transforming their words into visual art on canvas.”
Q2: When did you first realize you had a knack for creativity?
“I can remember a specific moment in primary school when I created a drawing that my teacher and mother both thought was great, I also did Art at GCSE, but failed. My dad’s background as a dancer and my grandfather’s hobby as a landscape painter also inspired me further down the line. However, art wasn’t a big part of my life until I needed a way to destress from my day job. That’s when I began to doodle and draw seriously, which helped me navigate through a particularly tough period in my life.”
Q3: Did you always envision a career in art, or was it an unexpected turn in your life?
“Actually, it came as an epiphany while I was working a 9-to-5 job in accounting. I was living in London, feeling anxiety and stress of the daily grind, and suddenly realized I couldn’t do this for the rest of my life. That sparked me to explore other things, eventually leading me to art, which I started more as a business idea, which ended up turning into something I became passionate about”
Q4: Could you tell us a bit about your ‘100 day project’ with acrylics?
“The project was called “Project 5”’. It was about experimenting with mark making—applying paint to canvas in various ways, with various implements. I wanted to test a new style, so I created 100 small “study” pieces. Marketing and selling these works were part of the challenge, and successfully launching 50 at a time and selling the in the process, showed me that there was a real appetite for this kind of creative expression.”
Q5: Reaching $1 million in art sales is quite a milestone. What was life like before this achievement and how did it feel reaching it?
“I actually hadn’t realized I’d reached the million-dollar mark until I received a notification from the sales platform I use. They call it the ‘two comma club’. It was actually $1.2 million! It’s surreal. But it significantly changed my life! So I look at it like artists can get to this point if you have the drive, even yourself, it doesn’t even have to be art.
Q6: Besides creating art, you mentor other artists. Can you talk a bit about your book ‘Artist’s Freedom Formula’ and how you guide others?
“I started mentoring at my former studio at Castleton Mill in Leeds, where I refined the strategies I used to sell my art, which I’ve compiled in my book. It’s rewarding to pass on these strategies and ideas to others. An artist from the studio opposite mine became very successful using the same strategies, which confirmed to me the effectiveness of my approach.”
Q7: What’s it like having an art studio in Leeds? What do you find unique about the city?
“Leeds is the northern creative powerhouse. The city’s vibrant creative culture and community make it a hub for artists and creators. The studio here where I am right now is a creative space, everyone down stairs in the co-working space they are designers, movie makers, creators. It’s exciting to be part of such a dynamic environment, where there’s a constant buzz of activity and new ideas.”
Q8: Are there any local artists or inspirations that stand out to you currently?
“Ben Craven is a notable local artist whose work is impactful, I love his work. On a global scale, Daniel Arsham from New York inspires me with his versatility, from sculptures to fashion design. His work motivates me to expand my own creative boundaries.”
Q9: How do you handle both criticism and praise, especially from social media?
“Criticism comes with the territory when you put your work out there. I take it in stride because it proves that my work is provoking thought and emotion, which is what art should do. Positive feedback is always welcome, but I also learn from the negative, which helps me grow as an artist.”
Q10: Looking ahead, what are your future goals and projects?
“I’m currently focused on expanding ‘Artist Freedom’, a business and educational platform for artists. It’s about providing a comprehensive resource for artists to learn not just about creating art, but also about marketing and selling their work effectively.”
Q11: Finally, what makes you proud to be from Yorkshire?
“I’ve traveled and lived all over, but returning to Yorkshire always reminds me of the strong sense of community here. The sweeping views of the valleys, coming off the train in Halifax for example and turning back and looking at the train station, Beacon Hill, just seeing that it’s incredible. Like going on a walk on a Sunday through Warley, the interactions with people, the creativity that’s visible even in smaller towns like Halifax—it’s all these elements together that make me proud to call this place home.”
