Today we’d like to introduce you to Lamont Davenchy.
Hi Lamont, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been creating my whole life, eventually developing as an illustrative artist very early in my childhood. My favorite pass-times included watching cartoons and listening to music. Upon graduating college, I struggled landing a job in the creative field while simultaneously taking on freelance commissions for various branding needs. It started to become clear that I was finding more success in those commissions as opposed to finding formal creative employment. Eventually, I had to develop my own branding (the Sun Symbol of “GDMRNGWORLD”) that would differentiate me from other artists when delivering work. This is what led to my decision to pursue an independent creative career full-time as an artist. Sending out artwork for producer TM88 became my first “break” into an industry, which led to many projects in entertainment (Atlanta specifically) while also defining my career trajectory and clientele.
Along the way, I had to learn several skills outside of illustration in order to support a brand, which included photography, videography, editing, learning the Adobe Suite, setting up shoots, concept development, design, graphic design, and more. Early on, I didn’t have the budget to outsource these skills, so I had to do them myself! Fortunately, I am passionate about creating in its entirety, so exploring new outlets was usually an exciting experience. The culmination of these skills over time led me to where I am today as an artist & creative director.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
By no means is any occupation within the arts a smooth road! There are often several variables that are unknown, and the ones that are known may sometimes be difficult to maneuver. It is a common saying that there is “no rule book” for running a business and being a creative, which is probably one of the hardest concepts to swallow. Since there are no rules, anything goes, which is where things get hazy. There is no way to figure these things out without trial and error, so you have to be willing to take action and fail – a lot. Also, creative careers are expensive to maintain in the beginning. Supplies and start-up costs are expensive, and that’s no fun when you are going through a period of low workload! So you often have to find other ways to make ends meet while it’s slow.
The largest obstacle I experience personally is the separation of the art and business. A great artist does not necessarily translate to great business – those are skills that must be developed separately and ones that you will continue to develop for the entirety of your career. In the beginning, I either lost money or went into the negative over projects. There were times I should’ve said “no” but ended up doing a project for the sake of “exposure”. Once you reach a certain level of establishment in your brand, you have to be careful of how you operate your business in order to prevent misrepresentation of yourself and to protect your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an artist and creative director, specializing in illustration and art direction which includes taking a concept and developing it from beginning to end. This can range from creating & designing artwork, graphics, and merchandise to creating promotional materials in video and motion graphic format. I’m most known for my artistic style – cartoon-like figures with often exaggerated features and artificial reflections to make figures and words shiny. My color choices are usually bold and saturated. All my artwork incorporates my Sun Symbol within the piece itself. This Sun represents “New Beginning” or “Illuminated” when it is used, and also doubles as my signature. I started to stamp everything in the age of social media where getting a credit is not guaranteed, which helps define my work with or without my name attached within a pool of other artists.
I’m most proud of the skills I had to acquire along the way in order to push a brand. Learning photography/videography, editing, and motion expanded my skill set and way of thinking, which diversified my artistry and put me in conversations I’d initially thought I wouldn’t be in. It’s a beautiful thing when you see the fruits of continuing to push your creative skills beyond your comfort zone.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Giving make me happy. There is no other feeling like being able to provide something to someone that makes quality of life better, even if just for a moment. That could be anything – a supportive word, something that makes them laugh, hope, advice, financial help, a helping hand. The list goes on. My main objective in life is to put myself in such a position to be able to deliver life-altering help to those in need and to provide opportunities to those who may not have access. Basically, the Golden Rule – treat people the way you want to be treated. Life is hard enough, but seeing people around me being genuinely happy due to something you provided with goodwill and love is one of the most pure forms of happiness for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lamontdavenchy.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/lamontdavenchy
- Other: www.gdmrngworld.com
Image Credits
Lamont Davenchy
