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

Alright, DJ thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Every year in the month of May, artists and animators participate in an event called “MerMay”, where we draw a series of mermaids following a prompt or theme. My love for MerMay and passion for diversity inspired me to start a new project called “World Class Mermaids”, a collection of mermaids drawn by myself, with input from a large array of consultants from diverse backgrounds.

So far I’ve completed over 30 pieces paying tribute to countries like France, Brazil, Singapore, and Senegal, as well as Indigenous communities including the Ojibwe, Hupa, and Quechua people. I’ve managed to find consultants for nearly each character, all of whom are more than happy to educate and share their culture with me. Every mermaid has their own set of merchandise I sell in my store, and I donate 90% of profit to a charity of my consultants’ choice,

This wonderful passion project has allowed me to make new friends from all over the world, learn more about global customs and traditions, and refine my artistic skills.

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 studied at Brigham Young University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in animation.. After some time unemployed during the COVID pandemic, I was brought on to Encore VFX and have been in the industry ever since. I currently work at Mindshow Inc as a 3D rigger; in other words, I create a digital puppet for animators to perform with. It’s a challenging but rewarding career.

Since my day job is more technical, World Class Mermaids is very much a passion project that allows me to still enjoy artistry as a hobby. Not only that, but I get to see my artwork come to life on stickers, shirts, mugs, etc. I think this collection is unique simply because it’s passed through so many hands. It’s not just one artist’s vision, but rather a symphony of diverse voices coming together to create something beautiful.

To all who read this, you’re more than welcome to find me and reach out if you want to see your heritage represented in my artwork.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I’d say one of the most important things we can do right now is support the Hollywood writers and actors who are on strike. Creatives need benefits, reasonable hours, and livable wages, and human connection NEEDS to be valued over the possibilities of AI. You can help by donating at entertainmentcommunity.org

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

In second grade, I wrote and illustrated a storybook that I thought was just the coolest thing ever. I was sure it would make a fantastic movie, and so I wrote a letter to Disney, asking if they could turn my idea into a film. My mom mailed it to them, and not too long after, I got a response that they don’t take ideas from outside the studio.

My mom thought I’d be devastated, but I wasn’t. I just said “I can try again later”, and I never gave up on my dreams. Over 20 years have passed, and I’m now working in animation, on projects I consider myself lucky to be a part of. Never give up on your dreams. It’s okay to pivot and find new dreams if that’s where life takes you, but either way, never give up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DJToonItUp
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djtoonitup/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djtoonitup
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dj-stevenson