Devin Birmingham

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Hi! My name is Devin Birmingham, originally from Littleton, Colorado, and still living here. I am an artist specializing in fine art mediums such as graphite, charcoal and oil painting, though I have dabbled in a little of everything from watercolors, to jewelry and ceramics and other art forms. I love to read (largely fantasy novels, though I enjoy the classics as well), and am a self-taught musician, mostly guitar.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

There's so much to love about Colorado, but the Rockies stand out as one of the best things about living here. From concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheater, quiet drives up in the mountains to hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, there's so much beauty to this state that one can never get enough of or even see in a lifetime.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

My company is called DeVine Fine Art LLC, a fine art "studio," if you will. I create fine art paintings and drawings that may enrich the lives of any potential collectors, and/or if nothing else, perhaps inspire others to pursue their own interests in fine art.

It started from a revelation that I had been working my entire life in jobs or career fields that had nothing whatsoever to do with my talents or passion, and one day I woke up to that fact. I wasn't particularly happy doing what I was doing, nor had I been, and my health was not as good as it could be sitting behind a desk. I put in my notice to my current employer and launched into an endeavor that I never really believed I could pursue when I was younger.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

Even if this is something that you love, you still have to treat it like a job. You have to get up and clock in every day at the same time, be productive, and you'll have to do your due diligence to research what it takes to launch the business as it relates to state and federal compliance.

You have to be patient with yourself. Ignore the scrutiny of others and be your own rock. Self-doubt will be a constant challenge, and that too must be faced head-on.

No matter how bleak things may seem, stay the course. When you think you've failed at your dream to own your own business, keep at it anyway. These things don't happen overnight, and will likely take years to evolve into what you wish it to be.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

I've completed a few small commissions for folks hoping to keep a piece of art as a keepsake or gift when moving from one home to another. That my art can be called a piece of their home is quite fulfilling in principle alone.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I'll probably always continue to make art - whether sales grow or not. It may flourish in number of commission requests, start selling greater quantities of original pieces, or who knows? Maybe even mentoring or tutoring art students or hosting classes may be in the future.

It may not be or accomplish any of those things. Yet I've realized that its existence is what is important to me. Whether I can make a complete living off my art, or it is something I keep alive in my spare time - DeVine Fine Art is something I do for me.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

So many. First, I think that society has evolved into something that forgets that art isn't dead. We are all so focused on the swift pace of life, the saturation of social media and status, polarization of ideals and lifestyles, that it seems like art has no place - but that just isn't the case. It's still here and very necessary, the world just needs to be reminded of that.

Another misconception is that your work will sell itself. There is so much talent out there in the world that to get noticed seems to require a massive amount of marketing yourself to find the right collectors. It takes time, it takes tenacity, and to be honest, I don't think I've really found my collectors yet.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

Well, gaining a foothold in this industry is something that will remain a struggle no matter how much time passes. Getting people to notice you, your business or your work is a daily battle in a world moving so fast. Adapting and finding ways to make art relevant through marketing is just something every artist has to acknowledge and learn how to do.

Secondly, maintaining the resilience to continue creating despite the ups and downs is crucial to the success of business, especially in the fine art field. Selling or not, you have to be consistent in your pursuit of art.

Also - pivot if you need to. Getting burned out painting? Switch to drawing for a while. That's getting tiresome? Maybe change your subject matter. Playing it too safe? Afraid that you'll scare people off with what you really want to create? Shatter that roadblock early on. If people don't like your content - they're not your audience anyway. Most importantly, keep your passion in any way you can.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

Musical artist... I've had a variety in many various genres. We'll go with classic rock, in which case I'd have to say Pink Floyd, and they still remain a favorite to this day. I just wish they had been able to put their differences aside to stay together longer.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

I have many fellow artists both locally and abroad that I could name drop, from those I know personally to talent that I simply follow from afar and overseas, but to exclude anyone would be a disservice, so I'll just give a shoutout to the entire fine art community, wherever you are. Keep creating - the world needs art more than they know.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

I have a few social media pages. On Facebook and Instagram, a search for DeVineFineArt (devinefineart) should yield my page, or you can visit my website at devinefineart.com. I like to keep it simple and consistent.