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Calvin Wilkins

@calvintwilkins

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ꜱᴏʙᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛɪꜱᴛ | ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ
Original Artwork + Commissions
Phoenix, AZ
Buy my art 👇🏻

POSTS STORIES REELS

As the days grow into years I look back on those darker times and thank God I came out on the other side alive. From darkness to light. The difference I see within myself is almost unrecognizable…

On Friday August 13th, 2021 I was preparing to end my life in a drug induced psychosis during a thunderstorm that felt like an omen. My body had been starved for a week and tired from years of drinking and drugging. I was hopeless and spiritually bankrupt.

Luckily, I made one last call that changed everything. Eventually, I got sober and stuck with the program. My mental health improved. My spiritual life blossomed. I made real friends. My relationship with my family improved. My financial struggles got better. I found love. I made art. I smiled.

As 2026 comes to an end I’ve been reflecting on what truly matters. I thought cars, expensive apartments, designer clothes, alcohol, and drugs would make me happy. I couldn’t have been more wrong…the true joy of life is love and giving back what has been given to me. That is my true purpose.

I share my story because I can’t forget that sobriety gave me a life worth fighting for so I’m gonna keep coming back 🥰

If you or someone you love struggles with bipolar or addiction, my DMs are open ❤️‍🩹 we do recover and there is hope.

#sobriety #transformation by @calvintwilkins

I feel like I’m posing next to my artwork for an article in Architectural digest!! @rockalittle34 asked me for a commission that fit his Ralph Lauren inspired cigar lounge vibe.

I am so incredibly proud of this piece and it is one of my all time favorites and it’s found its perfect home 🫶🏻

Thank you for trusting me with your vision, Jeff!

#abstractart #comissionart #interiors by @calvintwilkins

The desert is a powerful spiritual symbol for transformation, testing, and finding a deeper connection with the divine. Both of these pieces: Desert Bliss and Monsoon’s Gift represent the ebb and flows of life…inspired by the beauty and resilience of the agave and opuntia cacti.

Finding myself in the desert has been a long journey, but I get closer to finding my higher self everyday. When I can paint and connect with my work on a deeper, spiritual level I feel human and alive.

Thank you @chris.paglinawan for hiring me for this commission.

Desert Bloom 30”x30” // acrylic on canvas

Monsoon’s Gift 30”x30” // acrylic on canvas

Sold at @lulasartssweets by @calvintwilkins

Boys boys boys

Some progress on a continuation of my male figures. So fun! It brings me a lot of joy. The colors are so intense lol also introduced some new models @nickphx_ and an anonymous cutie into the mix😉

I’ll be selling them at @nickphx_ book club meeting and a few others 👀 by @calvintwilkins

Life has felt like a losing battle lately…financially, mentally, spiritually I’ve been struggling…but this week pulled me out of the funk. I’m done being scared…it’s time to fight 🤼‍♂️

So obsessed with the progress of this piece. Everything I’ve learned over the last year is clicking…I’m excited to continue pushing this one to the finish line and keep fighting to maintain serenity and peace even if it feels like the world is ending. The internal battles we fight are no match for a little hope 🥊🥊 by @calvintwilkins

SOLD // Cyanotype Study 003

Half of my pt 1 of my self portrait photography / alternative print making series has sold (3/6) 🫂🫂 thank you so much @marco_motivates xoxo this one is my FAVE out of the first batch 🥰

Photocred @chris.paglinawan 🤣
Sold @lulasartssweets by @calvintwilkins

Keep reaching, keep dreaming. Make a mess and live a little 🫶🏻 by @calvintwilkins

WIP ⚠️ Just messing around. No expectations! This one I’ve been slowly chipping away at after it sat in my garage staring at me for a couple of months. Working on larger pieces comes with its own set of challenges but I’m excited to warm up my skills for some really cool commissions underway…

This has become that canvas I turn to as a “break” and something to get the scaries out. Can’t wait for the next steps in rendering this one 🤼‍♂️🥊🥊 by @calvintwilkins

SOLD | A Portrait for the Algorithm 002

This is a part of another series with extreme color saturation. I had a spectrum phase where more color was needed during a rough patch in my year. I really love the texture on this one and had fun drawing over acrylic washes and experimenting with the male form.

11x14 Acrylic on Canvas // loose canvas by @calvintwilkins

Always begging for treats 🐛

#beardie by @calvintwilkins

A little time lapse working on my latest original…

Working with coffee grounds, charcoal, and acrylic paints is a nice mixture. I always love challenging myself and testing new methods. I never run out of fun experiments💀 by @calvintwilkins

FOR SALE | 𝙰 𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 11”x14”

On display @lulasartssweets // acrylic on canvas in wooden shadow box + brass finishings

Been inspired by SW themes again and trying my best to lean more into abstraction vs over rendering my pieces. I love a little grit and mystery. It’s funny, sometimes I sit on something for a while because it might be done but I just have to stare at my progress for a couple of days to make my next decision or leave it be.

Instead of fully rendering the skull, I let the irregular charcoal marks and the coffee ground washes shine. Sometimes stopping vs buckling down and trying to add more is the best decision. LOVE this color palette… by @calvintwilkins