Rising Stars: Meet Renée DeVault-Brisco of South Kansas City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renée DeVault-Brisco.

Hi Renée, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been a freelance actor and creator since high school but I only started making art “seriously” in May of 2024. I had never been properly medicated for my ADHD and I believed I couldn’t paint because I just didn’t have the attention span for it. Once getting on the right medication and with encouragement from my husband (who bought me so many supplies) I realized I DID have the attention span for it and I was able to dive into something I loved as a kid but lost as an adult somewhere along the way.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have always struggled with my ADHD and Autism because I feel like I naturally want to create and have beautiful, well thought through projects but then I’ve been hit with lack of energy, motivation, and support. I still struggle with the self doubt that I think most artists do- but it a hundred days self doubt can be pushed aside for one very excited person who buys a painting or a print because they like how the painting “feels” to them. That’s some great stuff right there.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in illustration style watercolor paintings, particularly of animals. I always look at an animal and think “I wonder what that feels like” so I paint with a lot of texture and contrast. My pet commissions are very popular for this reason.

What does success mean to you?
I think I redefine success every day. Sometimes, honesty, success is just dragging my body and soul to the end of the day. Big picture though, I think success is found mostly retrospectively for me. When I feel like I am unsuccessful, I look at how far I’ve come and I think about people who have gone out of their way to tell me how I’ve impacted them. That’s at least when I “feel” successful. Money would be nice at some point too but measuring success by that metric has never led to anything good as far as I can tell.

Pricing:

• Original paintings range from $300-600
• Prints of my originals are $5-50 depending on the size
• Commissions are often in the $150-300 range depending on size and complexity

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ReneeDeVaultBrisco.com
• Instagram: @renee.devault.brisco
• Facebook: Renée DeVault-Brisco Art