The Artist Behind the Paintings

Hey there! My name is Davaney (pronounced DAY-vuh-knee), and I am a college student pursuing an artistic career. I create mostly watercolor and some digital paintings, but my first-year experiences at art school have motivated me to explore other mediums as well. Through this exploration, I have become passionate about fiber arts, illustration, and design and have made it my goal to push artistic mediums into a form of storytelling.

I am a military child, and I thank the diverse experiences I’ve had for fueling my artistic journey. I have lived in Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Japan. Japan has been the most powerful place I have lived in that has expanded my artistic interest, excluding my time in art school. I loved living through the beautiful seasons and the rich culture, exploring the cities and countryside, and learning the language.

Being creative was something I always found enjoyable. My parents have always supported this passion by purchasing my art supplies and signing me up for art classes. In high school, I sparked a more profound passion for art. I began by buying charcoal to paint portraits of my dogs and posting them on my mom’s Facebook. People enjoyed my dog portraits and even commissioned me to draw their dogs. I used the money I had earned by continuing to buy every art supply imaginable and experimenting with all of them, eventually paving the way for digital art and watercolor to become my primary mediums.

I began my first year of art school in August 2023, and it has been an incredibly formative experience. Being surrounded by so many creatives has been inspiring. I’ve received valuable feedback, learned new artistic techniques, attended inspiring events, and have been encouraged to push my art further than I could have imagined.

One thing I’ve stayed consistent in doing as an artist is setting goals for myself. I began with small successes, such as opening an Etsy shop and my art commission “business,” and expanded these successes into winning an art contest, having a magazine feature, earning the top score on my AP art portfolio, and opening an art gallery, as well as others. I believe setting clear goals for myself has been key to my success.