Meet KG Marquel of KG CNCPTS in Buckhead

Today we’d like to introduce you to KG Marquel.

KG, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started in 2015, One day I was at the house of a friend who is an artist and I had an unshakeable urge to paint. In my mind, there were so many thoughts that I did not want to share and I believed that the only way to free myself was by painting. I remember having this same urge back in 2011, I don’t think I will ever forget that initial feeling of release from painting. Focused on being an entrepreneur within the entertainment industry, my plate was full. I was running a management company as well as a clothing brand where I made custom t-shirts. The shirts that I was designing at the time were unable to be mass printed because the graphics were so large, this left me with only one option, and that was to paint them.

In the words of a print shop, Ceo in East Atlanta, “You should be happy no one can copy these designs, shut up and paint the shirts!” When he made this statement immediately, I discovered a new life.

Back to that day in 2015, when I had the urge to paint. I asked my friend if he had an extra canvas that I could paint on and he delivered. At that moment, I grabbed all the colors under the spectrum and allowed my soul to flow. I spent bout 2 hours just to myself and got lost in the creative process. When I finished, the people around me were astonished, so was I honestly. Being born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, fine art was always around and I was always into it, but thoughts of a career were nowhere in mind. One day my close friend and fellow business partner, Keydeaux came to me and stated: “You’re on to something with those paintings” and even in that time I didn’t see it, I had just found a way to rid myself of my emotions without having to speak to anyone and explain what I was feeling. After that day, I kept painting for therapy and opportunities kept presenting themselves and in a couple of months, I met someone who changed my life.

In March of 2016, I met my first mentor who would help me navigate the art world. I was working part-time at Abbadabbas in Buckhead to make ends meet for myself and to continue fueling my dreams, little did I know this would be my last time working a conventional job. My new mentor just so happened to be best friends with one of the top art dealers on the east coast and ironically his gallery was only minutes away from where I worked in Buckhead Atlanta. After building a relationship, my mentor set up a meeting with the art dealer and that day my life changed again. He explained to me that he “liked” my work but didn’t love it, then proceeded to explain why and gave me an immense amount of knowledge as we talked over the next 3 hours. Following that meeting, I began to study uncontrollably so that I could be the best at my craft and moved to Los Angeles just three months later.

After moving to Los Angeles, in just a matter of 3 days, I had my clothing in a store on Melrose Ave. and in a couple of months, my artwork starting selling very quickly and in very prominent spaces. Since my move, I have aligned with huge players in the entertainment world and my artwork lives across the states and abroad. I got to this point by dedicating my life to art and the creation of it while continually studying my craft, also learning about myself to ensure that I am a well oiled machine.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Haha, I wish! Then again I don’t. Life is a journey of problem solving and I am still on the road of discovery. The artworld is very small and can be quite difficult to get in to. Finding the right galleries for representation can be tough but with the right direction very possible. One of the most significant issues one can face is people telling you what you are worth, no matter what you have accomplished. Being self taught is a gift but without formal training acceptance into the fine art space is a task. Let’s not forget, I’m a young man and I’m black.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
KG CNCPTS is the parent company of KG Marquel and all of the business endeavors of Fine Art, Fashion, Music and Creative Consulting. I’m an artist, but as a person, I’m a business: painter, designer, musician and creative director. In college I studied Marketing and Sociology, so with the knowledge gained from past and present studies you could say I have a pretty good understanding of people. I’m known for my work in the entertainment industry, consulting and collaborating, clothing brand, “Marquel,” and works of fine art.

What I’m most proud of about my company is that I get to make a living by just being myself and creating at the highest level. There isn’t a feeling more freeing than being honest in business and creating amazing pieces of art that will last for generations to come. I’m also proud that I get to be an example for the youth, not only for where I come from, but kids all over the world. My company is an example of hope. If you work for it and equip yourself with the right knowledge, you can unlock the keys of abundance.

I can’t say what sets me apart from others, I’m not one to compare. What I can say is that I’m an acquired taste, cliche I know, but it is true. In regards to fine art, it’s subjective. Everyone has their own perspective, but when you can look at a painting by KG Marquel and feel something, we have a connection, and for that, I believe our interaction is bigger than just money.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was a talkative, outgoing kid. I’m quite reserved now but if we can have a conversation, we will. I played sports up until about 11th grade. Basketball was my sport. I was ok but thank God for art. Fashion has always been a big thing for me. I love clothes. I used to go to the fabric store almost every weekend with my grandmother and watch her pick fabrics, patterns and cut swatches so I had a base at a young age. I always liked the sketches on the packaging of the patterns. I used to collect sneakers, Jordans, Air forces, whatever sneaker was the most fly at the time, mostly Jordans. I had almost every pair under the sun. I started working when I was around 11, sweeping up hair in the Barbershop, running errands, and answering phones. Now that I think about it, that’s where I started learning to hustle. I learned how to seduce money.

With music, my interest was very high as well. I’ve always been fascinated by weird sounds, smooth ballads and weird people to be honest. My grandfather has a crazy music collection and played good stuff all the time. From vinyl to the CD player, it was always great rotation music. I believe his musical influence is what cultivated my passion for sonics and the language of music. To make the picture a little more vivid, millennials had BET and MTV at its best so I was glued to the tv for music videos and the countdown shows. Morning and night! Movies, cartoons, comedies, sports, I was into everything and asked a lot of questions, very inquisitive. Basically, if you take me presently and package it with an image of me as a child, there you have it, energy!

Contact Info:

• Website: KGMarquel.com
• Email: KGMarquel@gmail.com
• Instagram: KGMARQUEL

Image Credit:
Joshua Bugg @Buggsview

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