Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Designa.
Dani, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Born & Raised on the tiny island of Bermuda. I go by the name Dani Designa, my entire existence has been influenced and intertwined with art and being a creative. I realized very young that I was artistic and had a natural talent for bringing my ideas to fruition. When I was a young girl, I customized and handmade cards for special holidays while in primary school and sold them for a small profit, this lit my entrepreneurial torch. Middle school days I created CD’s of the best songs out at the time, designed the covers and sold them. In High School, we didn’t have a yearbook for our graduating class, so I created one. When I think back now, I realize that graphic design and visual arts are a natural part of me. Once I decided to continue my journey in visual communication, I came to the states and attended Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC where I majored in Visual Arts. After graduation, I ventured to Atlanta and wanted to update my skills even more by attending Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD Atlanta) where I did a concentration in Graphic Design. While attending SCAD, I started a graphic design business and clothing brand one called Trixxsta Designs and the other Trixxsta Clothing which I’m currently developing and building today.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I named my business Trixxsta, a nickname given to me by my brothers because I always played pranks on them when I was a kid and the name just kind of stuck with me during my early adulthood. But for my clothing brand, I turned the name Trixxsta into a positive by promoting its meaning as the “Unexpected Iconz.” We are a brand that focuses on the empowerment of the “Underdog” proving critiques wrong and Self-Love. When no one else believes in you, believe in yourself and trust your instincts to lead you in the right direction. Through Graphics, Quotes and Stylish Fabrics, I create fashionable handcrafted apparel for both men and women. My main focus for Trixxsta Designs are specializing in digital Illustrations, logo designs, custom business card design, as well as custom apparel work for other businesses and/or special events. I also seek to inspire by giving design tips I’ve learned along the way.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
I guess artists can be lonely from the standpoint of expressing ideas that the world hasn’t approved yet. I find at times that people don’t always see your vision until the world sees it and says it’s amazing or dope. Sometimes without the societies acceptance, people can turn a blind eye without ever giving it a chance. I think this can cause some artist to shy away from displaying their artwork because that can be isolating in itself for fear of rejection. Unfortunately, in this world we live in it seems to be popularity over real talent, which I hope changes someday. I think it’s more important to know who you are and stand for what you believe in regardless of how many people gravitate towards your ideas or not. Stay true to your vision because that’s what makes it so great, it’s YOURS, and there will never be an exact duplicate. If I had to give any advice to those looking to connect with other artist I would say continue to put yourself out there using social media, put your work in various events and opportunities that has the ability to showcase your work. Use these platforms to network and align yourself with like-minded individuals who are just as dedicated and hardworking as you are. These people will be your inspiration and motivation to keep on going during times of struggle.
The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
I think financial concerns are just another obstacle like many things in life that we need to overcome. It’s important to have an understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish with your craft and set goals that are cost-effective enough to be able to execute. When finances become an issue, I think it’s about creative problem solving to get pass that burden. I’ve had to work different jobs or start other businesses to support my ultimate purpose/goal of being a creative in my own lane. Also, there may be people that appreciate or believe in the growth of your artwork who are willing to financially invest in you, so I guess using the resources around you can be effective as well. Ultimately I think its a matter of how bad you want to bring your vision to fruition, how determined you are, what your willing to sacrifice, how focused and resilient you can be when attempting to get past the struggling phases. My philosophy is, its all part of the process, how you handle the hard times will determine the person you will become.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
I guess artist can be lonely from the standpoint of expressing ideas that the world hasn’t approved yet. I find at times that people don’t always see your vision until the world sees it and says it’s amazing or dope. Sometimes without the societies acceptance people can turn a blind eye without ever giving it a chance. I think this can cause some artist to shy away from displaying their artwork because that can be isolating in itself for fear of rejection. Unfortunately in this world we live in it seems to be popularity over real talent, which I hope changes someday. I think it’s more important to know who you are and stand for what you believe in regardless of how may people gravitate towards your ideas or not. Stay true to your vision because that’s what makes it so great, it’s YOURS, and there will never be an exact duplicate. If I had to give any advice to those looking to connect with other artist I would say continue to put yourself out there using social media, put your work in various events and opportunities that has the ability to show case your work. Use these platforms to network and align yourself with like-minded individuals who are just as dedicated and hard working as you are. These people will be your inspiration and motivation to keep on going during the times of struggle.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can view both my Trixxsta Designs and Trixxsta Clothing online at www.trixxstadesigns.com. Also, check out and follow my Facebook / Instagram pages @trixxstadesigns and @trixxstaclothing. You can support the brand by attending pop up shops, vending events, purchasing/ordering online designs and apparel. Any of these would be greatly appreciated. Also if you would like to take a peek into my day to day life and happenings, you can follow me on Instagram @danidesigna.
Contact Info:
- Address: Lawrenceville, GA
- Website: www.trixxstadesigns.com
- Phone: 4703143563
- Email: trixxstadesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: @danidesigna, @trixxstaclothing, @trixxstadesigns
- Facebook: trixxstaclothing, trixxstadesigns
Image Credit:
Julius and Randy (photography) and Danielle Watson (Art Layout)
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
