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

Davis, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have been drawing and creating art for as long as I can remember. But it wasn’t until I was about 18 that I realized I wanted to actually pursue art seriously. I started doing online art commissions and was absolutely thrilled to find an audience in the online sphere. The idea that people were willing to pay for my art and appreciate it was incredibly validating.

I knew I had to take my art more seriously and pursue it as a career. I decided to focus on art through higher education and ended up attending The Pacific Northwest College of Art. I am currently in my 2nd year!

Art has always been a way for me to express myself and feel liberated. It’s a medium where I can truly be myself and create something that is uniquely me. Making money from it has been a happy coincidence, but it’s not the reason why I create art. I simply enjoy the process of creating and making art that represents what I would consider a population that exists in the margins of the margins.

Davis, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Davis Bashungwa! I am an Intermedia artist who got my start in colorful illustration but I have moved into doing a lot of Mixed media artwork! I’m 22 years old, originally from Olympia Washington, and currently attending The Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland Oregon. I started attending PNCA in August 2022 and was awarded the Equity Scholarship through PNCA, which is a scholarship for incoming students who have demonstrated a commitment to working with impacted communities to end racial injustice.

As a Black transgender artist, I’ve historically struggled in traditional schooling due to my race, gender, and neurodivergence. I was often ignored, overlooked, and sometimes abused by the schooling system. Art was the one thing I loved and felt confident in doing, and through the years, I’ve dedicated my art journey to creating things that make me happy. I post art online under the handle @frogwhomp and focus my art within the Queer BIPOC realm.

My biggest inspirations are the things I grew up interacting with and watching; Sgt Frog, an anime about alien frogs who invade earth, Adventure time, Tamagotchi, coloful plush toys from then late 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s, among a plethora of other comics, manga, medias and other artists! Some of my favorite right now are Louise Zhang, Laura Soto, Sebastian Masuda and other classic artists like Alphonse Mucha!

What sets me apart from others is my unique style, which is a combination of bright colors, bold lines, and a touch of whimsy. you can view my online portfolio here: https://frogwhomp.carrd.co/ and my professional practice here: https://dbashungwa.carrd.co/

As for what problems I solve for my clients, I have a lot of experience working face to face (often times message to message). A lot of my commission process involves a lot of communication, through almost every step of the process i make sure to update my client with sketches, color pallets, mood boards, etc and make sure they are able to express what they want though my work. I believe that my art brings joy, positivity, and representation to people who may not always see themselves reflected in mainstream media.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I was going through a difficult period all through Middle school . I was struggling with my mental health as well as trying to explore my identity, and I wasn’t getting the support I needed from the school administration. One day, I always was drawing in the margins of my work just to keep myself engaged and I’ve had teachers who would mark down my entire work just because of it. I have been told many times by teachers that was a failure, and that being an artist just wasn’t a realistic career. In period in my life, I did feel defeated. But either it was my ego, my ignorance or my stubbornness but I didn’t give up. I kept drawing, even when it felt like the whole world was against me. I found solace in my art, and I used it as a way to cope with my struggles. I had friends who drew so through them and the supportive community of artists online we all encouraged each other to keep going. I started to gain more and more confidence in my abilities, and I began to see that I could make a career out of my passion for art. Looking back on that experience, I realize the push back from people around me was a turning point. It taught me about how important self vigilance is and that pushing against something bigger than you is more about how you choose live your life and creating space for yourself where you stand, there are always others like you out there that are looking for space.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Every time I make something, put it somewhere, and someone says “I look like them” or “That’s me!”. It’s something I didn’t get much growing up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://frogwhomp.carrd.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frogwhomp/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/frogwhomp
• Other: https://frogwhomp.tumblr.com/