I first discovered Deun on Instagram. I actually remember squealing in excitement as I looked through her page (not kidding). Her aesthetic was so dead on! I loved her eye for simplicity and depth. Her use of clean lines and vibrant colors are captivating. She always seems to bring out the raw beauty in all of her subjects. Most of all, I loved that she has a heart for God. Whenever I find dope people who are passionate about life and love Jesus it stirs me up inside. In my opinion, the creative industry is always in need of more people of faith; especially those who are not afraid to stand for what they believe. Deun's work speaks for itself and it gives me no greater joy than to introduce her to you all. -Maureé

"I'm glad he decided to colour me brown."

I am 24 years old and I'm from Dallas, Texas.

As an artist, I would describe myself as undeniably original. I am obsessed with exploring the various facets of minimalism and I enjoy creating visuals that I don't see.

My life, at the moment, is filled with so much art. so many projects and things to look forward to. It's really exciting. I've grown comfortable with my style of expression. It's comparable to being comfortable in my own skin. I am able to express myself the way I desire and I've come to realize that being care-free of other peoples opinion is extremely empowering and liberating. God has allowed me to be in a position of influence, which is awesome because I get to inspire other people to do what they love.

"I love good grain. there is something mysteriously charming about it."

Relevancy is strongly connected to your growth as an artist and your consistency. If you continuously create content that is invaluable, relevancy will never be an issue.

I am always inspired by my boyfriend, Eric Michael Ward. He oozes a fragrance of confidence that attracts almost everyone he meets and I admire that. He encourages me to live a life that doesn't seek validation from other people and that's when I'm able to give my best and genuinely create my interpretation of art.

"I pray that you grow up love your brown skin. so rich. so smooth. incomparable. a shade of delight - God painted you so beautiful."

When I think of sisterhood, I think of a healthy and loving relationship between people who are genuinely rooting for the other person. I think of a support system that never fails because of the mutualistic bond that grows and strengthens over time.

A message that I have for other women: Believe that God is who he says he is.

Deun Ivory