Leon Schmidt

Background

About Leon Schmidt

I was someone before I hit rock bottom. I had a career while studying fine arts, but I chose to end it myself. My Story: I turned my hobby succesfull into a profession while at school and later studied fine arts at HFBK Dresden (formerly with Ralf Kerbach, now Christian Sery), earning over 4.5k in some months.(Diploma exhibition on 25.07.25.) After 10 years of honing my photorealism skills from the age of 13, I painted murals for top brands like Tesla, Fritz-Kola, Lidl, Netflix, and Farid Bang. This was possible thanks to incredible mentors (Wok, Slider, AndyK, Caparso and Tasso). Without them, this chapter of my early 20s wouldn't have been possible. Plot twist. I made my toughest decision so far: I left. my team, my friends, my income, bad habits, and the reputation I had built. I traded stability and recognition for uncertainty and criticism, both internal and external. Since then, I've never been financially poorer, but I’ve never felt more alive. Why would someone do that? I was a pro with the spray can, but I had become weak. Over the years, I turned into a spoiled, lazy, self-abandoning person. I saw myself not making it to my 30s. I was on the road to giving up. A burning fire inside me kept me going—a drive to push hard and think big. I needed change, but didn’t know how or when it would come. Then, the best thing ever happend I fell in love. I gave myself a fresh start with self-induced struggle, new people, new habits, and a new mindset. I started being kind to myself, nurturing my body and mind, and addressing my romanticized image of the struggling artist (always a victim of everyone but mostly himself), my childhood and the loss of my father through therapy. Setbacks still happen, but they happen less. North star:"hard days now, easy days later." I joined the scholarship YETI Dresden to fill my educational gaps. I confronted my limitations while working in internal teams, building my leadership and communication skills. I realy enjoy being surrounded by tech, innovation, and risk-takers. If I’ve achieved anything in my 20s, it’s that I now know how not to do things. It may not seem like much, but for me, it's everything. I’ve corrected the course of my life. I’ve been humbled by life, and I’m thankful for that. I’m sorry for the hardship I cause others. I promise to always try to make your love, time, and energy in me worth it. This summer, things will change. Art has always been my savior—it's the least harmful thing on Earth and a place for anyone who needs to feel safe and at home. Art for life.