artist statement
cv
artist statement
biography
Thousands upon thousands of trivial moments that meant nothing and every significant experience captured on tape are replicated in memory. I delve into the intricate relationship between memory and malleable materials, exploring the nostalgic terrain of my childhood influenced by novelty, pop culture, and television.
Using personal anecdotes and defining experiences, I use textile techniques to materialize memories into tangible forms. through characters and icons. I confront the notion of television and novelty as both escapism and a reflection of our lives, blurring the boundaries between fantasy and reality. The textiles playfully embody the exaggerated scale of nostalgia that childhood objects often hold in our minds. By elevating the everyday images to a level of whimsy, they reflect my ongoing dialogue with memory: where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary and nostalgia is both celebrated and questioned.
My exploration into the malleability of memory goes beyond mere nostalgia; it delves into the complexities of identity formation and the inherent distortions within our recollections. As I manipulate fabric and memory alike, I invite viewers to reconsider their own perceptions of truth and reality. Through tactile and familiar imagery, I seek to provoke a visceral response that transcends the boundaries of time and nostalgia, inviting viewers to remember - whatever that may be.
CV
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2023-2024
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2019
2017
Devann Donovan
@devanndonovan
Education
Master of Fine Arts, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Bachelor of Art in Painting, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC
Solo Exhibitions
Forget me Knots Solo Show, Slow Play Brewing, Rock Hill, SC
Replays, Elizabeth Dunlap Patrick, Winthrop University
Selected Exhibitions
Eerie, Wonder Gallery, Columbia, SC
Friends of Friday Arts Project Exhibition, Courtroom Gallery, Rock Hill, SC
11th Annual Juried Exhibition, Spartanburg Libraries, Spartanburg, SC
NASAD Accreditation Alumni Show, Winthrop University
3rd Place, Winter Juried Show, Charlotte Art League, NC
Red, Invitational Exhibition, c3Lab, Charlotte, NC
Room Service, Charlotte, NC
Fonta Flora, Ballantyne, NC
Vivid, Rutledge Gallery, Winthrop University
United States Postal Service Annual Meeting, Vendor Show, Myrtle Beach, SC
33rd Annual Juried Competition, Arts Council of York County, Rock Hill, SC
Anonymous, Charlotte Art League, Charlotte, NC
Love, Exhibizone, Ontario, Canada
Once Upon A Time – Evocations of Childhood, Queen City 15 Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY
MFA Works in Progress Exhibition, Restored and Reflected, Winthrop University
Just Checking In, Winthrop Union of Student Artists, Winthrop University
Rise, Play + Inspire Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Unapologetically Human, ASUS Queen’s University, Kingston, ON
Intergalactic Open 2, Shockboxx Gallery, Hermosa Beach, CA
Visiting Artist of the Month, Seacoast Artists Gallery, Myrtle Beach, SC
Quarantine Creatives CCU Alumni Artists, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC
Art at a Distance-American Life in Isolation, Art Works, Richmond, VA
Go Figure!, SAA Collective Gallery Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
Water & Oil, William H. Miller Studios, Myrtle Beach, SC
Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum’s 9th Annual Collectors’ Event, Collector’s Café and Gallery, Myrtle Beach, SC
Reclaimed!, Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Fayetteville, NC
Perspectives: America, Specto Art Space, Harrisonburg, VA
Real People 2019, Old Courthouse Arts Center, Woodstock, IL
Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum’s 8th Annual Collectors’ Event, Collector’s Café and Gallery, Myrtle Beach, SC
Senior Exhibition, Coastal Carolina University, SC
Awards & Grants, Honors
3rd Place, Winter Show with Guild of Charlotte Artists, Charlotte, NC
Small Grants Award Recipient, Arts Council of York County, Rock Hill, SC
People’s Choice, 3-Minute Graduate Showcase, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Artist Talks
Visiting Artist Talk, Catawba River Art Guild, Rock Hill, SC
Class Tours through Arts Council of York County
Visiting Artist Talk, Introduction to Fine Arts class, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Replays, MFA Thesis Exhibition Artist Talk, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Guest Artist Talk, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC
MFA Artist Talk, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
3 Minute Graduate Showcase, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
1-Minute MFA Artist Talk, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Curatorial Experience
Forget Me Knots, Slow Play Brewing, Rock Hill, SC
Gallery Manager, Arts Council of York County, Rock Hill, SC
Dalton Gallery, Perimeter Gallery, Lewandowski Classroom Gallery, Loading Dock Gallery, Courtroom Gallery shows
Genesis, Foundations Showcase, Lewandowski Student Gallery, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Various Visiting Artists, Clinton College Gallery, Rock Hill, SC
Exhibits Preparator, Museum of York County, Rock Hill, SC
MFA Overseer & Fine Arts Assistant Curator, MFA Works in Progress Exhibition, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Studio Technician Assistant, Graduate Assistantship, Fine Arts Dept., Winthrop University, Rock Hill SC
Health, Safety & Security Student Representative, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Graduate Council Student Representative, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Teaching
Professor of Art, York Technical College, Rock Hill, SC
Adjunct Instructor, 3D & 2D Design Foundations, Photo Media Studies, 3D Media Studies, Winthrop University
Art Appreciation, 2D Design & Drawing, Central Piedmont University, Charlotte, NC
Photography Instructor, ST-Arts Summer Program, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Adjunct Instructor, 3D Design Foundations, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SCPainting & Drawing Instructor, ST-Arts Summer Program, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Instructor on Record, 2D Media Studies Drawing, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Teaching Assistant, Sculpture 1, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Special Projects Graduate Assistantship, Fine Arts Dept., Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Private Academic Tutor due to COVID-19, Elementary - College level, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, SC
Children’s Art Educator, Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC
Publications
Gallery Talks Series, Arts Council of York County, Rock Hill, SC
Pressley, Mari, "Devann Gardner Profile Story". The Johnsonian
Winthrop Anthology, Literary Magazine, Spring Edition
myhorrynews.com, "Myrtle Beach Art Museum takes education programs online due to COVID- 19"
WPDE News Channel 13, review of leading KidsArt Programing and COVID-19 adaptations.
"Murrells Inlet artist paints bright future for area youth". Post and Courier Georgetown Times
“Education Corner with Tracey Roode and Devann Gardner”. Villa Voice
Kisner, Joshua, “Myrtle Beach Art Museum hires CCU alumna as new art educator”. The Horry Independent Business Journal
"Myrtle Beach Art Museum hires CCU alumna Devann Gardner", Coastal Carolina University News
Morgan, Janet, "Coastal Carolina University students paint mural in North Myrtle Beach", The Sun News
about
my name is Devann Donovan
Devann Donovan, from Murrells Inlet, SC, has curated an artistic career rooted in her personal narrative. Armed with an MFA from Winthrop University, she possesses a unique ability to weave the threads of her life into captivating artworks that transcend mediums and elicit profound emotions.
Devann's practice is a playful exploration, with a constantly changing attraction to new mediums that leaves no medium untested. Her work knows no bounds, as she navigates from paintings and textiles, to sculptures and videos. She has showcased from NC to CA and most recently Spartanburg, Columbia, and a solo show, Forget Me Knots, in Rock Hill, SC.
Currently residing in Rock Hill with her husband and three dogs, Devann is the Art Instructor at York Technical College. She previously held the position of Gallery Manager at the Arts Council of York County and continues to program and teach children's art classes there.
