Born: 1997, born in the Bronx, raised in Harlem, New York
Based in: The Bronx, NY
Instagram: @dirty.blanco
Gallery Representation: Featured artist across several New York venues including Van der Plas Gallery, Art Pawn, and The Comedy Club, as well as numerous private collections and businesses.
Biography
Justin Rene DeLeon’s creative journey began with music. As the grandson of La Lupe, the Queen of Latin Soul, music was always in his blood—writing songs and making beats as early as four years old. But painting didn’t enter his life until a much later, more difficult chapter. After experiencing homelessness and living in shelters, Justin found himself at a spiritual low point. That moment of disconnection from purpose became the catalyst for transformation.
One day, seated in front of a blank canvas while “Sympathy for the Devil” played, he started to paint. That act of creation reignited something vital. Painting became his outlet, his rebirth, his reminder to never “drop his halo in a world full of horns.” From that moment forward, he identified as an artist in the fullest sense. What followed was a whirlwind of growth—gallery features, community recognition, and a reconnection to his musical roots.
Artistic Practice
DeLeon’s process is raw, intuitive, and unbounded by convention. “If it makes a mark, I can make a mark,” he says, working with everything from acrylics and fluorescents to self-carved ink stamps, clay, and even food seasoning. He paints on canvas, clothing, wood—anything that holds the story.
Deeply rooted in abstract expressionism, his style is bold and fearless. Fashion is part of the language too: each hand-painted garment is one-of-one, extending his visual world into wearable form.
The recurring “horn and halo” motif has become a signature. To DeLeon, it symbolizes the eternal tension between shadow and light—an invitation to find balance, purpose, and redemption. He paints from emotion and always to music, his sanctuary, allowing sound and color to guide the work.
“I paint what I feel,” he says. “It’s that fire inside me—something that no one can teach or fabricate. It comes from the soul.”
Notable Works & Exhibitions
• 114 West 71st Gallery – Featured Artist, May 2024
• My Friends, My Family and Our Contemporaries – Group Show, June–July 2024
• Work of Art, 449 Troutman St, Brooklyn – Several Group Shows, June 2024
• A Night to Die For, 114 West 71st Gallery – Curated by DeLeon, October 2024
• Marcus Glitteris and Friends Collection, Theater of the New City – February 2025
• Art Groove, Midtown NYC – March 8, 2025
• Laugh It Off, The Comedy Club – April 2025 to Present
DeLeon has also begun to branch out nationally, with projects in development across galleries in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida, as well as collaborations with private collectors throughout the U.S.
Upcoming:
He is currently working on a body of music and visual art, including the upcoming single Je T’aime (Say So)—a collaboration born from sessions with longtime friend and fellow artist Calvin Priice.
Links or Press
For a deeper look into Justin’s current work and creative collaborations, please visit @dirty.blanco on Instagram.
In His Words
“My whole artistic journey, everything from my struggles to my blessings is what my work speaks on. My life is my art.”
“Never drop your halo in a world full of horns.”
