Meet Lee Devary | Artist, Illustrator, Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lee Devary and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lee, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from Santa Fe, New Mexico and honestly, it took going away to college to recognize what a special, artistic, beautiful place it is! As an adult, I could appreciate that I was fully immersed in art and culture growing up there, surrounded by visual arts, pottery, jewelry and unique architecture, even the smells there like sage and piñon wood fires! Santa Fe is a Mecca for artists and fosters a very open community for expression. My late father was an artist, a successful oil painter, and my mom is a talented writer who is also gifted at knitting, sewing, and ceramics, and so truly, from day one, I was surrounded by art and creative forces.

Both my parents knew quite a bit about business because they spent decades in advertising in Chicago and then both of them in a way operated their own businesses when I was born, my dad starting his career as a painter and my mom doing freelance writing projects. They instilled their knowledge in me so that very early in my life, I just assumed I, too, could make a little money having my own “stand” selling used toys, or lemonade, or stationery, or even, when I was a little older, I created lavender sachets from lavender in our garden and also baked homemade apricot tarts and sold those outside of the gallery my dad’s paintings were in!

Starting my own Etsy business has not been easy, but it has felt important for me to simply stand on my own with my own art to share, overcoming crippling self-doubt and criticism and to push myself to be seen. Along the way, I’ve learned SO much about how to relate to customers, what people want to see, how to navigate challenges beyond my control…it’s not for the faint of heart except I feel in my bones that somehow having my own business showing my art will always be a part of my life in some way.

Now, I feel like I’m entering a new phase of art and design, looking more to my upbringing and the aspects of Santa Fe that “raised” me, so to speak. I am inspired by the Zuni fetishes that I collect (in Zuni Pueblo culture, animal and human fetishes represent different energetic medicine and help you navigate the world with different tools and strengths). I’m also struck each time I go back to Santa Fe by the colors of the sky and the landscapes–there’s truly nothing else like it–and I’ve been away long enough to really appreciate it on a new level.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Like I’ve mentioned, it has not been easy to run my own business, but something that I come back to over and over is, “how would I like to be treated if I were a customer in this situation?”

I had an incident a few years ago where a customer purchased a shirt I designed and she was so excited to give it as a gift. I mailed it to her, our postal system said it was delivered, and come to find out, someone had stolen the package off this customer’s doorstep. She was distraught, but really wanted the shirt and offered to pay full price again for a new one. I asked myself that question, “how would I want this handled?”, and I had to take into consideration what it costs me to make my goods but also juggle the fact that sh*t certainly happens and my customer was not at fault! It didn’t feel right to me to charge her the full amount for a second shirt, so I gave her a discount and also free shipping. She was beyond thrilled to have it and that I chose that way to handle this unfortunate situation, and it made me feel good to reach a compromise that seemed fair and also to have a very pleased customer.

For me, integrity is one of my pillars of life and business, and it is my intention to infuse my design work and Etsy shop with it. My hope is that I attract customers and a support system who feel the same. Integrity seems to be really lacking in our culture today and in my little part of the world, I feel it’s important to foster and bolster it as best I can. It’s things like this that keep me engaged with my Etsy store and also creating work I’m proud of, and to keep striving for better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My happy place is Rocky Mountain National Park, so most definitely at least a day or two there to hike and take in the epic views of our mountains! And I almost always see wildlife there, which is exciting. If there was a good concert to see, Red Rocks is magical and beautiful and always a fantastic time. The Boulder Book Store is also one of my favorite places–three stories of books! It’s so easy to get lost in there and just enjoy some time exploring.

I also love to eat, and like Ginger Pig and Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings (both have locations in Denver and Boulder) for Asian yummies; Misaki (Denver/Superior) for ramen and sushi; Pupusas Lover (Denver/Boulder) for the BEST pupusas.

Boulder and the surrounding areas also also have some wonderful coffee/tea shops with specialty coffee and sweets, so that would also be on my list: Dushanbe Tea House in Boulder is very special; Cafe Fritz in Hygiene is really sweet and delicious; Moxie (Lyons/Louisville) is a special place for coffee and baked goods and also live music on weekends!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many different people to acknowledge at different stages of my life!

My parents, my dear family friend Sandy who passed away recently–she saw me in a different light than my parents and constantly encouraged and celebrated what I created.

My amazing friends who have supported my art and business and cheered me on!

Something that I try to keep in mind often is a quote by dancer, Martha Graham:

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

You do not have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction–a blessed unrest–that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”

Website: https://www.leedevary.com

Instagram: ipeakedinpreschool/myowndamnthing

Other: Etsy shop: myowndamnthing

Image Credits
All photos taken by me.