After more than three decades of addiction, Carl E. Lee says he has been drug-free for over 20 years. Today, he wants his art and experience to help others.
(BALTIMORE – October 11, 2026) — At 80 years old, Carl E. Lee still has a steady hand, a keen eye, and a desire to give back. With a pencil and a photograph, he creates portraits that capture the details of a face and the expression that makes it familiar.
The Detroit native, who prefers to be called Lee, considers his ability to keep drawing a blessing. So is the life he has lived since overcoming an addiction that, by his account, held him for more than 30 years.
Lee says he first became addicted to heroin in the late 1960s. Later came crack cocaine, which remained part of his life from the 1980s into the early 2000s. He says he has now been drug-free for more than two decades.
He credits his recovery to God’s grace, his mother’s persistent prayers, the support of friends and relatives, and a personal commitment he describes as “mind over matter.” In his account, he did not attend a drug treatment clinic. His testimony reflects his own experience and the faith that continues to guide him.
Today, Lee wants to help others confront the struggles holding them back. Art is one way he does it. Sharing his story is another.
A gift recognized in childhood
Lee’s family recognized his drawing ability when he was just four years old. Raised in a Black, upper-middle-class, churchgoing family, he was the youngest of four children, with two older sisters and an older brother.
Growing up in Detroit, he recalls mingling with people connected to the city’s celebrated Motown music scene. But his life eventually took a difficult turn. He dropped out of high school, began selling and using drugs, and suffered a gunshot wound to his leg.
His participation in a robbery led to an 18-month prison sentence in Jackson, Michigan.
Looking back, Lee says he carries no bitterness about that period. He believes even those circumstances brought an encounter that would stay with him for decades.
An encounter that planted a seed
Lee recalls meeting novelist Donald Goines while incarcerated and helping him with his first book. That experience, he says, planted the desire to someday tell his own story.
Now, he is working toward doing just that.
His account includes hardship, but also education and the effort to rebuild his life. Lee earned his GED and says he passed with little preparation. He later earned an associate degree in computer science and moved to Baltimore.
Throughout the years, his talent remained. Drawing gave him something to develop, share, and eventually use to benefit others.
Portraits with a purpose
Lee particularly enjoys drawing portraits. Working from a snapshot, he studies the features that distinguish one person from another: the eyes, the expression, and the small details that bring a likeness to life.
He sells his work when he can and donates what he can to organizations serving young people with limited resources.
According to the account supplied for this profile, Lee has earned ribbons and medals in several art competitions. In 2025, his portrait of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner received first place and Best in Show recognition in the Power of Age Creative Arts Contest at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. He hopes to build on that achievement with his 2026 entries.
His creativity is only one part of his community life. Lee is also active at a senior center on Reisterstown Road, where he is known for his skill at pool and his willingness to teach beginners.
Whether he is explaining a shot at the pool table, sharing a drawing, or speaking about his past, Lee wants to offer something useful to the people around him.
At 80, he continues to make art and work on the story he has long wanted to tell. He is grateful for the years he has lived, the recovery he says he has sustained, and the opportunity to help someone else.
Lee’s artwork can be found on Instagram under the name supplied for this profile: “pencilman 687.”
