Photo by Jess Charmian
Kyle Lucks has built a reputation painting some of the most recognizable faces in sports and popular culture. The West Palm Beach–based artist first drew local attention when he painted a portrait of Coco Gauff kissing her 2023 U.S. Open trophy. The tennis superstar later saw the painting on social media and reached out to purchase it for her Delray Beach home.
Lucks showed early promise. At age 9, he drew a portrait of Boston Bruins player Ray Bourque that was later published in Sports Illustrated for Kids. “I still have the original on my wall,” the 40-year-old says. “It’s one of my most prized possessions.” His fourth-grade teacher was so impressed that she hired him for his first commissioned piece — a drawing of Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan.
As a kid in St. Louis, Lucks used graphite pencils left over from his mother’s college art supplies, which enabled him to draw fine lines and intricate details in his subjects’ faces. Today, he prefers a watercolor technique with diluted acrylic paint. Referencing multiple photographs of a person or moment, Lucks employs Photoshop to create an original composition before painting.
Lucks’ canvas of choice is satin, and he often finds inspiration in memorable sports moments, such as the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victories and the 50th anniversary of Palm Beach County resident Jack Nicklaus’ iconic shot at the 1972 U.S. Open. The golfer signed that artwork for a 2025 auction benefitting the Chasin A Dream Foundation.
Lucks has also painted Jimmy Buffett, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and a series honoring the four assassinated U.S. presidents, with each of those pieces titled with the date of the death.
“I can stir up some emotions through paintings,” Lucks says. “When I see people cry over my work, it really solidifies that this is my calling.”
His pieces are meant to be viewed from multiple angles to reveal hidden messages and history lessons. Thanks to his use of spot varnish, glossy words or dates appear within the paintings to help tell the story.
“The hope is that someone could walk in a room and see my work without my signature and know that it’s mine,” Lucks says. “I think that’s a true sign of originality.”