Darby Raymond-Overstreet, Printmaker & Digital Artist
Name:
Darby Raymond-Overstreet
Business:
Digital Artist and Printmaker
Hometown:
Flagstaff, AZ
Website:
Darby is an incredible printmaker and digital artist who I came across in 2020 via the SWAIA Virtual Indian Market. I was taken aback by her graphic prints and mixed-media portraits, and knew that I wanted to collaborate with her some day. She was gracious enough to meet with me a few months ago, and the rest is history. To create these framed prints, I worked with Darby to select one of her designs that represents balance and is reminiscent of the weavings in her Diné/Navajo culture. I selected three complementary shades that mirror the hues of Santa Fe: Adobe, Cloud, and Sky. You can shop the framed prints here.
-Zippy
How long have you been doing your craft/business, and how did you get started?
I have been creating my work for about 8 years now. I took my first printmaking class as a college student and I became captivated with the experience of creating prints that first week I spent in the printmaking studio.
What was your professional journey before working in this field?
I started working as an artist pretty much right after I graduated from college. I have maintained various positions that helped to support myself and my work, but my art has been my main career. I have been fortunate to have shown my work in galleries, art markets, and museum exhibitions since 2016 as well as doing work with different institutions, companies, and small businesses.
What makes your pieces special?
My work is distinctive in that I create with geometric forms that are derived from the weaving tradition of my culture. Diné/Navajo people are known for several different artforms, but I have always admired our weaving tradition. In my work I bring some of the visual elements from that traditional artform into different mediums including printmaking.
What is your favorite thing about your work?
I love the process of creating. It requires absolute presence, so I am so grateful that my work brings me to that state of mind and I feel that the peacefulness I experience comes through in the pieces that I make.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your work?
For me, I love working in the studio and diving into projects so much that it can be a challenge to give that same time and attention to things like social media marketing and website updates. That part of my work is not nearly as exciting to me as creating the art, but it’s still a very important part of what I do.
What advice can you give to budding creatives and entrepreneurs in Santa Fe?
I think it’s important to follow your dreams and pursue your goals, but also keep in mind the community that you are interacting with and always be sure to give back to those that supported you and helped you along the way.
How long have you been in Santa Fe and what brought you here?
I moved to Santa Fe in 2017 with my partner who had a temporary job opportunity here. We actually hadn’t planned to stay, but there was so much that we grew to love about the area that we decided to stick around.
What do you like most about Santa Fe?
What I like most about Santa Fe is how invested the community is in cultivating spaces for art and supporting artists. There is an abundance of opportunity for artists via markets, museums, galleries, and local businesses, and that’s really special and what I think makes Santa Fe a great place to be.
At the end of the day, why do you do what you do?
I am just doing my best to live a good life, and to me, a big part of that means honoring my family, my community and my craft.
Do you and your family have any special holiday traditions?
We have started this tradition of holiday scavenger hunts where we split up into teams (there are a lot of us) and we drive around the neighborhood looking for specific holiday decorations. It’s a lot of fun and our whole family gets pretty into it.
What are you most looking forward to this holiday season?
I’m looking forward to sending and receiving holiday cards!