Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Downey.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Marisa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Art has always been a major part of my life. As a child, I lived for art sets. One of my favorite pictures is of me with my little chili bowl haircut holding my first paint set. Growing up, I created something every day, whether it be doodles, drawings, sketches, paintings, you name it. Sometimes, those drawings even got me into some trouble. Even though I felt so passionately about art, I still didn’t know if I wanted to pursue it as a career. I had teachers telling me I was great in math and science, and that engineering might be the route for me. Others told me I had what it took to become an artist. This was tough, of course. I could pursue this thing that everyone thought I was great at, or I could pursue art. Feeling the pressure, I decided to take the engineering route. It took five years to get through college. This led to many nights of crying over my homework, stressing before tests, but I knew the finish line was close. Before I knew it, I had graduated. I was ready to start my career as an engineer. I had always been in the Austin area and felt it was time for a change, so I began to apply to jobs in the DFW area. a few months later, I am here. Downtown Dallas had called my name the moment I stepped foot in it. While I was here for engineering, the creatives in the area really inspired me to get back into what I loved: art. To get back into the groove, I started to design band tees for my friends and their bands. Eventually, I dipped into creating logos. From there, I went into commissioned art pieces. Every day I come home from work and I get to create something for others to enjoy. This ultimately is what keeps me going every day. Hearing that someone’s loved one enjoyed their gift, or that something of mine is being tattooed on someone really makes being an artist worthwhile.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Art has always been my first love. It truly is natural to me, This does not mean the process was ever easy. I will never forget being in my history class in the 8th grade, having my teacher hold my notebook up in front of the class, and saying “I never want to see this on a notebook ever again!”. She used my doodles in my notebook as her reference. This was the first time I realized not everyone can appreciate art the way some people do.
Being 16 and forced to decide on my career when I didn’t even know what I was going to wear the next day was rough, In my heart, art was the way. I would be a full-time artist in my pretty pink studio, just creating every day. In reality, I knew that wasn’t going to be the case. I knew I had to make a decision that was going to be the best in the long run. If I pursued engineering now, I could afford to live the way I wanted to live later.
I always got angry with my mom when she told me I couldn’t go to art school. Now, at 24 years old, I understand she was just trying to make sure I made good decisions. So here I am, in Dallas, a full-time engineer, part-time artist. Some days, I come home from work too exhausted to work on that painting that’s been sitting on my desk for weeks. Other days, I’m ready to draw on 20 pages of my sketchbook. It is a challenge to find the energy to live both lives. My passion for art is so strong, however, that it’s worth drawing past those sleepy eyes.
Please tell us more about your artwork. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from the competition?
Marisa Dee Art started after I created my first commissioned character piece. I love art in all forms. I do digital art, paintings, drawings, logos, t-shirts, banners, twitch packages, you name it. They told me to stick to one thing, but if you got a knack for all of them, then why not?
Marisa Dee Art is more than a company, it’s truly a friend. In the time that I work with people, I love to get to know them. This is what ultimately helps me create their piece for them. I am extremely empathetic and sensitive to others. I used to think of this as a curse, but it has honestly turned into a blessing. When people come to me for art, I want to embody that person in their piece. Sure, you can have an artist commission something for you in their style, but will they go to that length to get to know you past being another customer?
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood was when I was maybe six years old. My brother, London (who was probably like, five) was my best friend. Wild imaginations I guess you could say. We got a little cardboard box, drew a couple of numbered buttons on it, and cut out a little slot. We literally made an ATM machine. Most kids were probably playing Castle or House, but no, we were playing ATM. I still laugh at that memory because I had no doubt in my mind that our weird imaginations would lead us down artsy paths.
Pricing:
- Character Commissions: $35
- Logos: $50
- Other designs: starting at $20
Contact Info:
- Website: marisadeeart.weebly.com
- Phone: 817-896-5522
- Email: marisadeeart@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/marisasophiaa
- Facebook: facebook.com/MarisaDeeArt
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