Daily Inspiration: Meet Dee Rovetta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dee Rovetta.

Hi Dee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in New Bern, North Carolina. I have very distinct memories of being at peace at home, running through the grass in the summertime in my grandparents’ yard between my aunt’s house… I feel honored to still have those memories. My art practice has evolved from a mental health self-care activity to something I use to speak when I don’t want to use words. It has brought me so much discovery and healing.

I picked up a brush for the first time with the intent of being an artist in February 2020. I chose to take that leap and move out of a city, I had lived in for 7 years and change the direction in which I was going. I wasn’t happy at that time. I didn’t know if this was going to work out. 2 1/2 years later, I’m surrounded by my art, pieces of my soul, reminders that I chose myself. Great things can happen when you choose to prioritize yourself.

I get to share all of this through my art — reminders that we are human, that our experiences matter, and that nothing you make has to be pretty, socially relevant, or even good at all. All that matters is that you decided to choose to spend time with yourself. That’s all my art practice is. Spending genuine time with myself and expressing myself through the artwork.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I decided to go back to graduate school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling around the same time, I decided to be an artist, so you can imagine the stress and expectations that I put on myself in both realms.

There’s pressure to always create content, always be at the top of your game, and always be ready for the unexpected. Admittedly, I’m human. I can’t do everything and master every skill or concept right away, it’s just not possible. Having that in the back of my head throughout the time I’ve been juggling the two has been helpful, though.

It helps me to be softer and kinder to myself. I’m doing well at all the things I’m doing, there’s no need to beat myself up for not doing more. Now, that’s easier said than done, but I’m starting to see a change!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an abstract artist.

A Black woman abstract artist, which is an important distinction. I mainly use watercolor and acrylic paint either with brushes, my hands, or palette knives. My style right now is deeply expressive, working through things like painful memories or complex moments in my life through the use of vibrant colors and bold black lines.

I’m most proud of myself for deciding to be an artist 2 1/2 years ago. I decided with no prior experience, no idea what it meant to be creative let alone a full-time artist. I didn’t even realize I had been a full-time artist for 2 1/2 years until just a few months ago! I’ve built a community of genuineness and honesty about our experiences as human beings. All of my work comes from a place of care in my heart.

I know firsthand how hard it is to go about everyday life with unresolved trauma, issues, and unanswered questions. I want my work to be a comfort to those who look at it. To feel stillness and peace in the placement of the color or the unexpected little things.

I believe in connecting with my audience in multiple ways, touch being one of those, so I tend to use a lot of texture in my work. I let people touch my paintings because we were all so deprived of them for so long. I encourage people to be gentle, touch and spend time with my paintings.

All artwork isn’t made to never be touched and only gazed at. The special part about my work is that all of it is made with the intention of connecting with whoever looks at it.

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I honestly feel I haven’t done anything that remarkable by becoming an artist. It wasn’t on my radar at all and I had every intention to just become a counselor, but the pandemic showed me that if you don’t choose yourself now, when will you ever have time to?

I was a daycare teacher at the time, I wasn’t happy, and I was coming home miserable because I wasn’t fully fulfilled. I wasn’t fully invested in what I was doing every day. Making the decision to leave my job and move to Raleigh was the scariest thing I have ever done.

My boyfriend and I were in agreement that we needed a change, but we didn’t have a fully concrete plan. Thankfully, I decided to go to graduate school, got into a really great online program, and then started doing art full time.

Pricing:

• Earrings are priced between $25-40
• Paper paintings are priced between $50-150
• Canvas paintings are priced between $200-2.000 depending on the size.
• Art prints are $20 each

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.rovettadesignco.squarespace.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rovettadesignco
• Facebook: facebook.com/rovettadesignco
• Twitter: twitter.com/rovettadesignco
• Other: patreon.com/rovettadesignco