Please tell us your name and little about yourself:
My name is Donovan V. Casanave and I was raised in Lacombe, La., a small town about one hour outside of New Orleans. I hold an undergraduate degree in marketing and organizational behavior and a master’s degree in business administration. As a former professional basketball player overseas and current corporate leader, I had relinquished my art to the sidelines of my life due to my busy schedule. However, I’ve since turned my hobby into a second career by launching DVC Art in 2007 and creating museum-quality works of art for collectors.
As a self-taught painter, I use the paint brush to tell stories in bold, huge abstract compositions. My work is spiritually charged, pure and raw, exquisite and fine – and is inspired by my international travel to over 21 countries and everyday life as an African-American man.
What are your 3 keys to success:
1) Don’t be afraid to take chances.
2) Believe in yourself and speak life into your life. (Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue…)
3) Become a sponge…learn everything you need to know about the work you want to do and then create a strategy on how you’re going to achieve your goals.
Please share one or two of your favorite artists and why you like their work?
I admire quite a number of artists but my favorite artists are Jamali and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Jamali is an internationally renowned contemporary artist who invented a unique style called “mystical expressionism” where his paintings are influenced by his dreams. Jean-Michel Basquiat was a graffiti artist who evolved into an acclaimed Neo-expressionist in the 1980s. He was embraced by Andy Warhol who, like many others, admired his abstract fusion of symbols, words and figures.
What projects/showcases are you currently working on that our readers should know about?
I just concluded a showcase at the M. Francis Gallery in New Orleans however you can still see my work at the Museum of Cultural Arts Houston (MOCAH) gallery and various retail outlets in Houston, Texas. I am currently working on a new series of work so check out my website or Facebook page for updates.
Please share your website:
For more information about DVC Art, please visit www.dvcart.com or www.facebook.com/DVCArt.
