Paige Davis

So much about being queer, to me, is about authenticity. For this reason, I intentionally cut to the quick when I'm working with a client, or even when I design for myself. I think it's very important to understand the root of why I am making something, or what I want the viewer to feel, or understand how I feel when I approach a new piece or initiative. Those goals or values are going to inform what the rest of the piece looks like.My struggle with my identity left me with an understanding that at one's core there is truth, and we make decisions every day that either accept and affirm or deny and hide that truth. I think that being my most expressive and authentic self has brought be to a place of confidence that was stunted before. I believe this informs my work, as not all elements have to be "useful". Sometimes assets are there to help tell the story you want to tell best, and aid in the communicative nature of design as a visual language. Sometimes elements exist just to make you feel a certain way, or because they make me, the designer, feel a certain way that resonates with the goal or energy behind the piece that I want to tap into.

I really love queer mixed media, or multimedia work. I think that queer people often have a unique creative perspective where "rules" and conventions are more often stretched and pushed and even disregarded. I think there are so many queer artists out there who are using mediums in new and unexpected ways, or combining mediums to create new and exciting approaches to art and design on the whole.

Music is a huge part of my life, so I am very inspired by queer musicians like Rina Sawayama, Janelle Monaé, Kevin Abstract, Lil Nas X, and Dorian Electra. Not only are these artists incredibly talented, but their work resonates with me personally. Even aside from loving their music, each of these artists has a vibrant and engaging visual style that is deeply important to their creative output. I admire many of their artistic choices both aurally, and visually, and that effort and consistency is very inspiring to me.