From Corporate Leader to Rising Artist

Deitra Charles, a member of the Bendix Building community sat down with us to give us a glimpse into her journey as an artist. From corporate leader to rising artist, she takes us through her journey of pursuing her passion as a profession.  

 How did your journey in art begin?

I’ve been painting, drawing, and sewing since I was a little girl. My mother taught me how to sew and recognized my talents from this. She then did everything she could to encourage me to develop it. I went to undergrad at LMU as a business major but did not like business. While at LMU, I started working at the costume store there and the costumer taught me how to do millinery. This led me to start doing millinery for school plays and dance shows at LMU. However, when I graduated, I realized I needed a real job and so I took a job in business.

I ended up working for Toyota and Lexus in their corporate office in Torrance, California. I started in customer relations and worked my way up to their global knowledge department. Although, this was a great experience, I still knew it wasn’t what I needed to do or wanted to do. In 2014 the company decided to move out of state to Texas and that’s when I had to make a decision. I decided to go back to school for art and get my MFA. Funny enough, it didn’t occur to me that I had to apply and get accepted. I was accepted at Claremont Graduate University to their MFA program and from there I rebranded myself taking a leap of faith.

What is your artistic style?

 I create what I feel. I'm inspired by my family and loved ones. I am very close to my family and my mom. I also really enjoy peace, serenity, and calmness. With that said I have many photos of my family and things that symbolize peace, serenity, and calmness that I’ve kept for years with the intention of painting them one day.

 Another aspect of my art is that I draw and paint woman of the African Diaspora who I feel need to be elevated. As a child, I attended predominantly white schools that did not teach Black history.  What I learned about Black history was taught to me by my mother and my oldest sister who are well versed in this subject.  There were so many amazing people who many just did not know about, so I researched their stories and embraced them as if they were family.  I created these works in graphite giving them a sense of age and history and I titled them with their names as a sign of respect and so that those viewing the work will hopefully look them up.

 
What is your greatest achievement/moment so far in your art career:

In January 2020 I was in a group show curated by an artist Rakeem Cunningham.  Cunningham somehow came across my work and asked me if I wanted to be in a group show. That was huge for me.

 I was also in a few publications; Art Habens, which is an online publication based in England. I was in Studio Visit magazine and am going to be in another upcoming issue. I was also in New American Paintings magazine. 

 The next big achievement that took my breathe away was getting accepted to a residency at Chateau Orquevaux for a 2 week residency. I will just be painting in France in a chateau I mean talk about inspiration. 

Are you working on anything specific right now?

I am currently working on a commission piece as well as some pieces that I’ve been wanting to paint.

I just really like to create what is in my heart. I’ll set up a few canvases and think okay “what do I want on you today?” and then I’ll go through my photos and use my imagination to place it on the canvas.

What are your favorite pieces?

 Oh my goodness that is so hard to say. Each one means so much to me. I would have to say the squirrel piece “Navigating life - He side-eyed me” is one of my favorites. It was on a fence on my backyard and was just hilarious because I started assigning human traits to it. That one just brought me so much joy.

 The other one is entitled “Come on, I’ve got you"; I did this one for LA Metro as I was accepted into their pool of artists. This piece is two people where the one on the ground is beat down from life and drained. The curvature on her back mirrors that curvature on the tree. The other person is pulling her up to her feet symbolizing one lifting the other up. It just shows kindness because you never know if you’re going to be the one helping or the one needing the help.

If I might add a third, it would have to be an untitled piece that I painted in 2018 of my niece and brother-in-law from a source photo taken by my sister. They were all in Boston sending my niece off to BU. This painting depicts one of the many beautiful father-daughter moments that they share.

What do you enjoy about being a part of the Bendix community?

 It is really amazing to have so much talent in this one building. I feel like it is part of art history. I just love the set up here and it makes me feel so free to create.

Is There anything else you’d like to share about your experience being an artist? 

 It is challenging because you don’t know what you don’t know. Since this hasn’t been my life for so long, I am trying to figure out the business side of it. However, I do know that It’s never too late to start.

Visit Deitra’s studio at the Bendix Building in suite 204.

“Navigating life - He side-eyed me” (middle)

“Come on, I’ve got you" (Far Left)