Born in Madison, Georgia, and raised in Eatonton, Georgia, Cyrus Nelson embodies the quintessential small-town-to-big-city success story. His journey to becoming a celebrated mixed-media artist in Atlanta demonstrates how his passion and perseverance led to eventual achievement.
With support from his parents, whom Nelson said set him on his path, he was introduced to the art world at 5 years old.
“I still have my very first painting,” Nelson said. “My parents started buying me supplies, supporting that craft and nurturing it to get me to where I am today.”
After completing high school, Nelson pursued higher education to ensure he had a stable career path. He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and later obtained a BFA in interactive design and game development from the Savannah College of Art and Design. During these years, Nelson balanced his passion for art with the demands of a corporate job, but the tipping point came during a Juneteenth festival where he showcased some of his original pieces.
“I saw how people gravitated to my work,” Nelson said. “That gave me the motivation and the push to create a website and take my art more seriously.”
This turning point was the catalyst for what would become a full-time career in art. In 2020, Nelson hosted a solo show on his birthday, Feb. 29, aptly titled “Leap,” to mark the leap year and his leap of faith into a full-time art career.
According to Nelson, a signature piece titled “Passage” from this solo show represents the highs and lows of his life’s journey.
“No matter what you go through, know that you will get through it. This storm shall pass,” Nelson said.
Nelson’s art, influenced by his African heritage and personal experiences, often features a blend of photography, fabrics, buttons and found objects.
“I love African masks, and I try to infuse those elements from my heritage within my work, and that comes through in the texture,” Nelson said. “My work represents hope and light for the next generation. I want my work to be able to uplift people.”
Nelson said his innovative approach to art has garnered him a dedicated following and even some celebrity clientele. Though modest about his growing fame, he acknowledged the attention his work has received online since posting original pieces for sale.
“The pandemic hit, everything shut down. So, I just started posting [my art]. A year later, my job was furloughed. So, I was like, ‘OK, what am I going to do?’ And I just started posting more and more on social media, and it just took off.”
Today, Nelson thrives as a full-time artist and recently showcased some of his artwork at the National Black Arts Festival‘s Fine Art Print Fair.
Courtney Brooks, guest curator for the National Black Arts Festival, chose Nelson as one of the 13 artists to participate in this year’s event.
“I came across Cyrus’s work during [the] Articulate exhibit. So, I’ve been following for a few years now,” Brooks said. “I love the symbolism that he has in his work. I also love that there’s a bit of abstract elements to it and how he embellishes when he adds like these bright neon colors against these black silhouette figures.”
In addition to his signed and numbered prints available for sale at the fine art print fair, Nelson displayed a 19-by-17-inch framed original mixed-media print titled “Angel of Mine.” Attendee Juanika Harper said the piece moved her emotionally, and that she needed to make it an addition to her collection of Black art.
“My mother died 10 years ago, but she collected angels. And so, I have angels all over my house in discreet ways,” Harper said. “This really spoke to me because it symbolizes, for me, she and I, and I said, ‘You know what? I have to have it.’”
Leevahn Smith, also an avid Black art collector, purchased a signed and numbered print of the “Angel of Mine” and found a different meaning in the painting.
“I loved the picture. Really. I just loved the painting,” Smith said. “It’s a bold symbol of two Black men getting together and then they’re not fighting. They enjoy each other.”
Despite the challenges of being an entrepreneur, Nelson said that he remains optimistic and grateful for being able to share his art and make it accessible to others. With price points starting at $25 for a Cyrus Nelson art-inspired T-shirt to $750 for a small ceramic piece to $8,000 for a commissioned art piece, Nelson said that he has something for everyone.
“I make my work affordable for everyone to purchase,” Nelson said. “There is something for everyone, meaning prints to small originals, to larger originals and I also offer payment plans. I want someone who is truly in love with my work to be able to collect it.”
When asked what has changed since he took the leap into a full-time art career, Nelson reflected on how far he has come, personally and as an artist.
“I’ve definitely become more confident in who I am as a person and an individual, even though I am a bit shy. My body of work represents hope and light,” Nelson said. “People tell me when they view my work, they feel nothing but joy and happiness. And that’s what I love.”
