We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dacota Maphis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dacota, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I won an award in fourth grade with a watercolor painting, also a few other awards at that elementary school as well but didn’t give it much mind. Creativity was always hanging around the things I made for fun but never thought it would be a way to make a living. College time arrived without an idea of a major, I went with what sounded fun. Music, that thought was inspired by my love of a piano I got as a birthday gift at age thirteen, making up music more fun than piano lessons. After one fun semester of music I realized I could never be as talented as the students I studied with. Next idea, I got excited about was being an art major. Mid semester one of the teachers told me I would never become an artist. I left my portfolio and didn’t think about it again.

I have been a photographer ever since I was in high school, shooting and developing B&W photos in my home for the school’s newspaper and yearbook. Thought briefly about making photograph a living, I sold some and received a few awards but, in the end, I didn’t want to do that either as a living. There were other creative jobs like Interior Design assistant, creating 3D display art form concept-to-instillation, florist and I produced three beautiful children that enjoyed my creating wild and crazy birthday cakes.

It took me a long time to realize my creativity, I supposed I took it for granite. So I would have to say the realization came when I created a process useing my photography and Photoshop. I have named my process : Photo Revised Art. Which allows me to create digital art pieces that will always only come from my imagination. This creative path is one I can enjoy forever.

Dacota, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a full-time, award-winning artist. Born in Greenville, South Carolina and now creating daily in Clearwater, Florida. I live life as if it is art—believing that the true magic happens on expressing that art and sharing it with others.

With over 45 years of experience as a photographer, my creative journey has also included wearable art, oil portrait painting and collaborative painting. But what I am best known for is my signature style of digital work: Photo Revised Art, a process I created.

Each piece of art begins with one of my original photographs, which I transform using Photoshop and my vivid imagination. The result is a completely reimagined, dynamic artwork that blends realism with abstraction, emotion and movement. This unique process has been my artistic passion for the past Sixteen years—what I call my “day joy.”

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

“Art is life and life is art… expressing that is where it gets interesting.” Dacota Maphis

All the art I create comes from my imagination, sometimes subconscious, sometimes adding personal feelings, even when creating abstracts. These feelings and memories that infuse my art are to me like the rings in a tree, connect me to a place in time which allows me to grow stronger, and I believe this makes me a better person.

One of the best things about being an artist to me is when I am at a fine art festival or gallery or art center that is showing my art and someone engages and smiles while never looking at me. They are fixed to one of my art pieces, their eyes have found something in the art that connects their soul. Sometimes they express their feelings other sometimes I just watch their face and enjoy the glow inside me. I am always grateful that I have made my way to a place where I can share my art with others and enjoy the happy faces that give my art a good home.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

There is a goal I have had since I was nine years old, something that I thought I could only do when I would reach the age of sixty. Crazy thought, crazy nine-year-old thought but it still has stuck with me. Now that I am working with Designers through my Digital Art Catalogue and doing less fine art festivals, I believe I will be able to connect to the idea of writing. The first book I will write is going the be about my journey into art shows and the creation of my digital art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iartdacota.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iartdacota/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dacota.maphis
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_sBrJgw0V8

Image Credits
Catalog by Pamela Joy Trow