We recently connected with Lee Davenport and have shared our conversation below.

Lee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

It was during the end of my sophomore year in college when I was feeling very lost about which direction I wanted to proceed with my degree. At this point I had changed majors three times, but had not yet found something I was confident would lead me to a successful career, while also being something I was passionate about pursuing. I had switched to a degree in Art Studies that semester, but worried that this would eventually result in becoming a literal starving artist.

During class one day, a professor strongly encouraged the students to apply to a particular art scholarship, submitting their three best artworks. Honestly, I did not believe that anything would come of it, but it was worth trying for.

Despite my doubt, I was chosen as one of the recipients for the scholarship, but what I did not realize at the time of submitting was there was more to it. Specifically, there was also a group exhibition showcasing all the artist’s three artworks submitted, including a public artists reception night for the scholarship recipients to accompany their creations. This would become my first gallery experience showing my artwork in a professional setting.

When the night of the artist’s reception eventually began, the evening was warm and lively, with so many people passing through the gallery space, admiring the artwork. I spoke with the jurors that were so enthusiastic about my artworks and it was so interesting to hear how they decided the scholarship recipients, particularly myself, from the pool of submissions.

Although, the one moment that I remember most about that night and was what inspired me to have confidence in pursuing being a visual artist professionally was a simple conversation with a stranger. They had brought a spiral notebook with pen in hand and there were already notes written down when they came up to me. By the way they talked about art and how their face lit up, you could tell they were passionate. I remember how they spoke about my work, how they wanted to know more, and how they clung to every word I said, noting down something occasionally. It was in that wholesome conversation where I knew that this is what I am an artist for and how fulfilling it is to pursue an artistic career.

I needed a moment like that. Where someone who wasn’t family, friend, peer, or in any way knowing of me; a stranger to see my art and have a personal connection with it. That sparked my determination and made me realize that I was already a professional visual artist before I knew I was doing it.

When I submitted to that scholarship, I had no idea of the path it would take me down. Despite that, it was one of the most beneficial choices of my life and I am so glad I had the opportunity to have those experiences, especially with that particular stranger. They were the catalyst of my artistic journey that eventually led me to where I am today.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a visual artist that has been professionally creating artworks since 2013, during which I have explored many different mediums of expression in which art can form. This includes using materials like acrylic paint, pencil, paint pens, watercolor, color pencil, gouache, charcoal, gel pens, markers, digital art, ink, and many mixed media combinations in the creative process. In other words, I create artwork in whichever medium best represents the original story I want to illustrate. Additionally, color and contrast emphasize details of the narrative in ways that piece together like a jigsaw puzzle. As all these aspects interact with each other, the artwork as a whole invites someone to experience a connection to an original story that is not their own. Ultimately, I portray the concept of narrative, utilizing visual means to tell my original stories.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

One of the best ways someone can support visual artists and encourage a more creative society is to engage more in the arts itself. Oftentimes, I think many individuals are afraid to be more involved in the arts because they don’t know it or how to talk about it. No one wants to be wrong and unknowledgeable, however that is its own negative feedback loop where someone won’t engage with the arts because they don’t know how, but will never know how because they won’t engage with the arts. At that point, the only way to break the cycle is to dive into it anyway.

There are always opportunities throughout the year for everyone to participate in the arts and become more art oriented. For instance, taking a drawing course to learn the basics or attending a public gallery showcase of local visual artists to talk about art. Altogether, the more one knows about art and the community surrounding it, the more one knows how to best support it.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I would say that the most rewarding aspect of being an artist in my opinion is sharing the experience of an artwork with someone. I touched upon this slightly earlier, but as someone who focuses on the concept of narrative, I love hearing how people are connecting with an artwork of mine. Especially how someone explains their interpretation of the details and how they link together into a plot line. Every time it will be a distinctly different narrative that is unique to the individual telling it. It is like having someone tell me a story, except their inspiration is from something I created, which ultimately gives that creation unlimited narratives. That aspect of interpretation is an integral part of how I explore the concept of narrative in my artworks while also being a way to share an experience with someone and inspire myself.

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