At the start of the pandemic, I was putting in 80-hour workweeks for two full-time marketing jobs. I earned a combined salary of $129,000 a year.
But a part of me felt something was missing. I always had a passion for making art, and I wanted time to pursue it. So in April 2020, I quit one of my jobs to start a side hustle. I wanted to see if I could really make it as an artist.
I called my brand DomoINK, which is a play on my name and the materials I use. I create original artwork using crayons and markers, and print my designs on everything from socks to laptop cases to sneakers.
“Black Hair is Dope”: I created this portrait to challenge stereotypes about Black people wearing durags. It serves to humanize and normalize that this headpiece is an essential aspect of our culture.
Photo: Domonique Brown
There were a lot of sleepless nights, but investing in my talent has paid off. I’ve gotten the chance to collaborate with big companies like Disney, Samsung, Lowe’s and the L.A. Lakers.
Today, I make $22,000 a month selling art online through my website, my Etsy and Society6 shops, and retail stores like Target and Home Goods.
Growing up, I was often the only Black kid in my class, and I found it hard to find things that represented my background.
My father and I would go out of our way to find greeting cards that had images of Black families on it. We’d buy them from individual sellers because many retailers didn’t carry them.
I created this piece for Bath & Body Works to commemorate Juneteenth.
Artwork: Domonique Brown
I never limit myself when it comes to experimenting with ideas.
For example, I created a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. with crayons. My Tik Tok showing my process went viral and led to a collaboration with Bleacher Report to draw UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis in the same style.
And this year, I was hired by Bath & Body Works as an illustrator to create an image of what Juneteenth means.
During the weekdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., I work from home as a marketing manager.
After I log off from my day job, I switch gears and create artwork. I spend about 10 hours during the week, including weekends, on DomoINK.
For about an hour, I’ll go on TikTok or Instagram trying to find trending videos, and then put my own spin on those trends to advertise my shop.