We’re looking forward to introducing you to Adrienne DeVine. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Adrienne, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I lose track of time tending my garden which gives me great satisfaction and brings me peace…I feel at one with myself and the earth during those moments. I prefer early morning hours when it’s still cool and I work until I break a sweat or whenever my alarm goes off if I have something else scheduled that I need to do. It’s even more satisfying when I harvest the fruits of my labor; that being said, this year has been especially challenging as I have encountered a full-on assault by a host of furry and winged … ummm, neighbors, I’ll call them. I’ll be revamping my fruit and vegetable garden set up with defense as a priority for the next season and in the meantime, commune with my house plants for pleasure.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, my name is Adrienne DeVine; I’m a visual artist and part-time art instructor and educator. As a mixed media artist, I work with a variety of materials and techniques. In most of my recent work, I have used canvas, paint, paper, wire, raffia, and found objects for wall art, suspended wire sculptures, and installations. Rhythm, repetition, and symbolism are characteristic elements in my work along with the infusion of cultural, historical, and autobiographical elements.
Currently, I am leaning into my educator role and shifting my focus to creating a series of artists’ books that serve as both aesthetic objects and archives of cultural and historical knowledge. I am refining an interdisciplinary curriculum framework that centers art, Black history, and legacy, paired with a curatorial framework for arts and culture work partly shaped by my participation in a Studio Museum seminar. Together, these frameworks are designed to deepen student engagement in classrooms; foster knowledge, personal growth, and creativity across all ages; weave art into the fabric of communities; and encourage meaningful exchange among diverse stakeholders. The core values that form the foundation of these frameworks make space for content and context informed by audiences themselves, ensuring that education and cultural work remain responsive, inclusive, and alive.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Two people immediately and will forever come to mind. Marjorie Wyatt, one of my preschool teachers, and Shirley Ageno, my third-grade teacher. They both recognized the artist in me before I had words or understanding of what made me tick, and each of them gave me the tools and opportunities I needed to freely express my creativity very early on.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say this quote from Viola Davis in ‘The Help’ but use proper grammar. Here’s the quote:
“You Is Smart, You Is Kind, You Is Important”
So I would say to myself…
You are Smart, You are Kind, and You are Important
Matter of fact, I think I’ll start saying that to myself daily, thanks for asking!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to creating handmade artists’ books that preserve erased histories and spark connections between art, learning, and lived experience. I’m experimenting with different handmade book forms and I want to publish at least one limited edition volume that is in alignment with my teaching and learning framework. I believe teaching and learning is a values driven process characterized by a mutual exchange of knowledge and ideas between the teacher and the student. I also believe that relevance makes a difference in how information is received and processed, and teaching is most effective when the student can discover connections between the subject matter and their own life experience. My role as an educator is to help illuminate those connections; to broaden students’ artistic references; and to expand their understanding of people, including themselves, whose histories are too often silenced and erased from the American narrative, as is so aggressively taking place today.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I am definitely most at peace when I’m outside communing with nature… most often that’s in my back yard and especially in the spring. On ideal days, the sky is blue, the air is clean, there are puffy clouds in the sky, bees are gathering pollen, birds are singing and chirping, squirrels are playing chase, an occasional butterfly meanders through, kissing flower blossoms, while trees sway from a gentle breeze, and my body absorbs the warmth of gentle sunrays that seem to dance with the clouds. All is well and good.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://adriennedevine.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriennedevinemixedmediaart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adevineartist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADeVineArtist/
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/adrienne.devine1/
