About Me
Hi! I'm Luis Palencia, a Venezuelan Art Director and Designer based in Brooklyn, NY. Here's my story from the first vector file until today. Sneak peek: I believe in practical optimism; I'm a wine lover and a mid-century design enthusiast. I also share my life with two dogs (:
This picture is from 2006. I was 21 years old, full of dreams, and working every day, looking for opportunities in my hometown, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Worst haircut ever, Windows XP with a monitor from 1998. Meanwhile, I was saving money to get an iMac, glasses repaired with tape, and the messiest desk in history. This was me, a kid dreaming of living in New York as a graphic designer.
As soon as I dropped out of college, I started doing freelance work, creating flyers and graphics for DJs, bands, and magazines. Eventually, I got the attention of design studios, which was the beginning of my journey in the creative industry. I’ve always been curious and wanted to see what I could accomplish if I stepped out of the nine-to-five routine. At the same time, I founded and created a few personal projects down the road: a series of exhibits about Venezuelan graphic design, cultural magazines, a hip-hop project as a DJ, my clothing brand called Bold&Heavy, and many more.
In 2012, I moved to Miami, FL., looking for new opportunities. No friends, no family, just me with my suitcase. I was sleeping in the cheapest motel I could find on Biscayne Blvd. I spent the next five years working non-stop, hustling at every opportunity while working at agencies. It was tough, but the main thing I learned in those years was what I didn’t want for my career.
In 2017, I finally moved to New York. It has been life-changing for me. I’ve found my place; New York taught me that the best way to get noticed is by being yourself and trusting in what you believe. That alone helped me land opportunities to work with huge brands like Budweiser, Chipotle, Amazon, Audible, Nike, Venmo, and personalities like Gary Vaynerchuk and Hasan Minhaj. New York gave me the confidence to start my Spanish podcast, “Deli&Graphics,” which aims to help other creative fellows on their professional journey. After 50+ episodes, I saw the main pain points and insecurities that affect most of us as creatives and how to overcome them. My goal is to give you ideas and answers that worked for me throughout my career.
Now we are here, together. Cards for Creatives is a collection of all my experiences in an easy-to-read format, so you can avoid some hurdles and find the right path for your career. I hope this inspires you to create something greater.
Nope, I didn't forget my portfolio! Here it is:
