Launching an Art Career at 48 and Achieving Fame with Gucci Collaboration at 50

The melancholic and enigmatic art of Helen Downie

As another year wraps up, we find ourselves a bit older and maybe a tad uncertain about pursuing what we've always felt was our life's purpose. Here comes Helen Downie to remind us it's never too late. She picked up a paintbrush in her late 40s after navigating through a chaotic life—raising four kids, battling cancer, and triumphing over alcoholism and drug abuse. So, as the new year dawns, let's keep in mind: it's never too late to begin anew.

“Whenever I was asked ‘what do you want to be?’ it was only ever to be an artist—there wasn’t anything else,” Downie explains. “But somewhere from the age of 14 through to 48, I forgot. I just forgot, and then one day walking down the road I remembered.”

Before delving into Helen Downie's remarkable journey, a warm welcome to the 217 new subscribers who joined this newsletter in December! To kick things off, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite articles for you to explore. Enjoy!

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While it took Downie decades to transition from not being an artist to becoming one, her rise from just another artist on Instagram to gaining significant traction happened in just a couple of years.

Helen Downie goes by the moniker of ‘Unskilled Worker’, a self deprecating tongue in cheek reference to her being an untrained artist. Here is what Downie has to say about it.

“The name Unskilledworker was so apt, it just seemed so appropriate, it still does, I still really identify with that word because I'm just making the most of what I have on that day.”

Downie serendipitously discovered her passion for painting at the age of 48, almost by accident. Having harbored aspirations of becoming an artist since her youth, picking up the paintbrush felt like she was finally embarking on the journey she had always envisioned.

Here are a few reasons contributing to her claim to fame:

1. Instagram

Instagram offered a place for Downie to showcase her work when she was just starting out in 2013, and no one knew about her. She painted a lot, and posted a lot, and a year later, she had 4000 followers. Instagram’s algorithms at the time favored accounts that posted frequently. Photo tagging, video sharing, DM’s, all of these features were being slowly added thereby increasing audience engagement.

Downie started to share her work on instagram under the moniker @UnskilledWorker. Her work is largely portraits with big dewy sad eyes. Her characters are distinctive, enigmatic, mysterious, beautiful. Her first instagram follower was her son, and since then her following has grown into hundred of thousands followers.

Helen Downie’s IG account in 2014

Certainly, one could argue that Downie has leveraged Instagram effectively, using it as a social space to engage with fellow artists and connect with people. Here's what she has to say about the platform, considering she's now in her 50s:

Instagram is an amazing place to show art, it’s really like no other platform, I like the pristine ness of it.  I’ve learnt to disconnect from the number of likes, It’s not a system that art can be valued by, I grew tired of feeling pressured to post in an attempt to keep the algorithm happy, I make slow paintings, they can take seven weeks, so not very insta friendly. The best of Instagram has been connecting with people and I’ve met so many lovely people there. I became quite insular when I began painting, like most artists spending days alone and so sometimes I like to go live, play music and chat. I never plan it, usually a song comes on that I love and I want to share the moment, it’s fun and it can feel like a crowd have gathered in my studio, all chatting and laughing.¹ 

Here is another excerpt from a feature on her in British Vogue.

“There is no way, I would have carried on if it wasn’t for Instagram,..I started painting and at the same time I signed up to Instagram and it went from there. My art is built around around Instagram - I use it like my own gallery and I consider a work to be finished only when I post it up there.”

Downie's breakthrough on Instagram came when renowned photographer Nick Knight discovered her. In 2014, he commissioned her to craft a series of drawings showcasing Alexander McQueen's most remarkable designs as part of a residency at SHOWStudio.

However, the real narrative isn't just about catching Knight's eye on Instagram. The key takeaway lies in the motivation her audience provided, spurring her to persist in her painting endeavors. If you read her captions, they exude a warmth akin to that of an old friend or a favorite aunt.

While social media platforms are often associated with marketing, many began as spaces for sharing experiences. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to using these platforms, but using them to forge connections, make friends, and follow other artists can go beyond mere marketing. It can alleviate the loneliness often felt on a creative journey, ultimately benefiting the art being created.

2. Patronage

Downie stands as a testament to the power of traditional patronage in the modern era. After her work caught the eye of Nick Knight on Instagram, a year later, she crossed paths with Alessandro Michele, then the creative director at Gucci, through the projects she had undertaken for Knight. While various publications may offer different narratives on how Michele and Downie initially connected, what remains significant is that they did indeed meet. This encounter led to collaborative projects between Downie and Gucci on several occasions.

Helen Downie x GUCCI

Helen Downie Gucci Collection, Courtesy Gucci

Gucci commissioned Downie to make a series of portraits for a group exhibition at the Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai, and then collaborated with her to develop a 40 piece capsule collection that included dresses, bags, jackets, and more. Alessandro is known for collaborating with the unknown artists, some of who he discovers on Instagram. In an article in NY Times he uses Downies moniker ‘Unskilled Worker’ and says² :

“What I really appreciated of Unskilled Worker’s style is a sort of fabled ingenuity she injects in her illustrations. They are so naïve, but eye-catching at the same time. I was captured instantly upon seeing her Instagram. I love her and what she does.”

Artwork Archive³, an art inventory website talks about seeking out potential patrons by understanding where one’s art would be a good fit. These answers can help develop a strategy for reaching patrons through social media or through personal interactions. Knowing what your buyer or collaborator would look like, will help you reach them.

I doubt very much that Downie did any of that, she probably did get lucky with her connection with Knight and subsequently with Michele. That said, having a distinct style, and applying for residencies, fellowships, or reaching out for collaborations with commercial partners who might align with an artists work is a good starting point. Connections are made through other connections, and this remains the bedrock of any creative career. Even artists with an established voice need to start somewhere.

3. Inspirational

Downie's Instagram posts carry a deeply personal and often inspiring tone. They candidly reveal her struggles, insecurities, and triumphs, offering a glimpse into the multifaceted journey she has embarked upon.

Block resides in ego and it whispers “you’ll never be good enough” it’s painful! So the last few days I practiced what I sometimes preach, I reminded myself that I’m making this for me, I have no choice because when I’m not painting I don’t feel alive, even music sounds dull. Last night I dreamt I was painting and I’m back through that door

Another one about age :

For anyone out there feeling old and certain pursuits might be too late, we’re never old, there is a corner of our minds that is forever 7. I began painting at 48, it was a quiet whisper and luckily for me I took notice

A scientific paper⁴ about inspiration in creative process talks about how inspiration can help people come up with creative solutions to problems, like making art, finding cure to illnesses, fixing environmental issues, or building new gadgets. Interpersonal inspiration is a response to virtuous qualities in others, so inspiration is not the source to creativity, but is a motivational response to it. This response can help with actualization of an idea, removal of a road block, busting of an unhelpful assumption.

Downie’s instagram captions have this quality and they are attractive to other artists and curators who may be in the same mental space. They stay with her for that reason. The responses to her posts are detailed and insightful which is rare in a world of emojis. She creates connections with her audience and genuinely seems to care about them. They stay, they learn, they buy her art, or follow her journey, above all, they tag other people or connect her with opportunities.

4. You just need the one

Downie’s residency with Nick Knight helped her get noticed by Alessandro Michele and Gucci, which led to multiple collaborations and features in Vogue, Forbes, NY times and other prestigious publications. If an artist clicks with a patron, this could be mean repeat work for a while, sometimes for a lifetime. One dependable patron can change the course of an artists career.

Ten years after she started painting in 2013, and her claim to fame in 2015 with Gucci collaborations, her career has been on autopilot. She was a part of Institut’s (art world NFT platform) inaugural exhibition by Unit London, where she launched two NFT’s along with limited edition print releases of her work. She has been a part of multiple shows, residencies and auctions supporting causes close to her. She isn’t part of a gallery, but has shown her work in galleries. She has also exhibited at museums and art organizations.

Gucci’s patronage carried on for a couple of years, and led to press, growth in social media following, and certain amount of clout in the fashion and art world. She has ridden that wave and made a career of it. She may or may not be able to replicate it, but will continue to reap its benefits.

Helen Downie’s career

Note : There are a few similarities here with Mauro Martinez’s story. He found success when Unit London found him on Instagram, and he started to paint after a tryst with addiction as well. You can read his journey here.

5. Backstory

Downie's success isn't just about luck; take a peek at her work, and it's like stepping into a whole other world. She pulls from her past, juggling motherhood with four kids at 28, dealing with cancer, and fighting off addiction. Her paintings are like a reunion with people from her life's chapters. In a chat with Wonder Wall⁵, Downie talks about trying to include 30 years of memories onto paper, all with this childlike charm from the last time she seriously painted at 14. There's a unique backstory, a cool style, and a bunch of influences that make her art pop.

But it's not just a sudden burst of inspiration. With a life full of experiences and a passion for art since she was practically a child, Downie's more than just a random success story. She's out there collecting art, keeping tabs on fellow female artists online, staying in the loop with the art scene, and jumping into all sorts of women-centric art projects. So, she didn't just roll out of bed one day and decide to start from scratch.

Researchers have theorized that artistic creative acts tend to be solo⁶, and people with creative personalities thrive most when alone. Having grown children and being on the other side of raising them, could also be one of the reasons that Downie’s creative side started thriving.

Conclusion

There are several factors that contribute to an artist hitting their stride – dedicating time to their craft, drawing inspiration from life experiences, having a knowledge of art history and various artworks, and being open to sharing their creations with a wider audience and engaging with them. While getting started is crucial, sustaining creativity and consistently producing quality work involves checking these boxes.

As we approach the New Year, my wish for everyone on this creative journey is to find the balance between creativity and strategy, to seamlessly blend producing work with publishing it, to navigate through creative blocks and find inspiration, and to maintain focus while letting the mind wander.

Here's to a wonderfully creative 2024 where we all unlock our potential.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

1. https://www.she-curates.com/interviews/artists/helen-downie/

2. https://archive.nytimes.com/tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/11/unskilled-worker-artist-gucci-collaboration/

3. https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/the-role-of-the-art-patron-in-2020-and-how-to-find-them

4. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00436/full

5. https://b33lhd1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/wonder-wall.pdf

6. https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/Creativity%20and%20Love.pdf?_gl=1*ts1us1*_ga*NTgyMjIzODM3LjE3MDIyMjkxNTA.*_ga_5EMHF6S1M6*MTcwMzQ2NDIwMC4yLjEuMTcwMzQ2NDIyMS4zOS4wLjA.