“I am giving people that look at my art a direct look into my mind, my past my memories, and my pain.”

For Lucas Joel Macauley, art has been a refuge. His life took a turn after seeing a successful career as a tattoo artist and shop owner come crashing down due to addiction. Macauley found himself living on the streets for several years after losing his most important relationships and all of his possessions. Through that entire time, his creativity was a ray of light that guided him, and now, for the past eight months, he’s not only been artistically productive but, more importantly, sober.

Macauley’s unfortunate foray into drugs began in 2011 when he was prescribed morphine after a motorcycle accident. Coupled with the pressures of his successful career and mental health issues that had gone unaddressed, they collided to create a toxic explosion.[…]

Continue reading: Paintings Share Artist’s Experiences With Addiction and Homelessness