SEEDS

Some stories start with a grand plan. This one started with an easel.

If you've followed my work for any length of time. Whether you collect my pieces or you're here for the behind-the-scenes of how I navigate this art life, this one's for you. Today I'm sharing something I've been genuinely excited about: my new collaboration with MEEDEN Art Supplies.

For My Collectors

You know the work. You've seen the textures, the bold strokes, the compositions that feel like they're both structured and alive. What you might not know is how much of that comes down to the tools I trust.

MEEDEN has been part of my studio for years. Not as a sponsor, not as a brand deal, just as a brand I genuinely reached for. So when this collaboration came together, I wanted you to know it came from a real place. This isn't me putting my name on something I don't believe in. This is me finally making it official with a brand that's already been in the room.

For My Fellow Artists

Here's how it actually happened, because I know you appreciate the real story.

I've been using MEEDEN supplies for years, but there's one piece of equipment that really changed how I work: their Multi-Function Art Studio Easel. It's the one that lays completely flat, letting you paint as if your canvas is on a table. I love to paint upright. When I'm in production mode, painting flat is the most comfortable and efficient way to paint. It also helps me shift my perspective and literally opened up new ways for me to approach my work.

I bought a new one, and I was so impressed that I decided to create a post about it. Before I posted, I did something a lot of artists overlook: I reached out to the brand first. I emailed MEEDEN to let them know I was planning to share about their product. They loved it. That email opened a conversation, and from that conversation came an invitation to join their ambassador program.

Here's what made it even more meaningful: this year, MEEDEN is celebrating 11 years as a company. That's one year longer than I've been painting. To be invited into their world during this milestone year felt like something worth honoring.

The Collaboration

I want to be clear about something: I am not a traditional ambassador. This collaboration is built on authenticity, not obligation. I'm sharing what I actually use, what actually works, and what has genuinely shaped my practice.

If you've been curious about MEEDEN, whether you're looking to level up your studio setup or you're just starting out. I've got you covered.

Use code FLWRBOYY at checkout to save 12% off your order on all MEEDEN Products.

A Final Thought

The art world can feel like a closed room sometimes. But a lot of the doors I've walked through opened because I was honest, I was consistent, and I reached out. This collaboration is proof of that.

Whether you're here for the art or here for the journey — thank you for being part of it.

— Von Deon | The Flowerboyy

Conductor

Every piece of art carries a story. In this case, many stories woven together. This painting “Conductor” was born from a deep admiration for Conductor Williams, a celebrated music producer and beatmaker whose craft has shaped some of hip hop and R&B's most compelling sounds. Known for his ability to build cinematic, layered soundscapes, Conductor Williams has produced for a wide range of artists, bringing a signature depth and intentionality to every beat he touches. His work isn't just music, it's architecture. Each track is carefully constructed, with every element serving the whole. It was that spirit of purposeful creation that sparked this piece.

But the inspiration doesn't stop there. My love of hip hop music runs through everything I create, and Conductor is no exception. Hip hop has always been an art form rooted in sampling. Taking pieces of existing music, stories, and culture, and reshaping them into something entirely new. That's exactly what I do with my work. I sample stories, images, and experiences, layering them to create something that feels both familiar and fresh. Just as a hip hop producer flips a classic record into a new anthem, I flip everyday narratives into visual statements.

And then there's the word itself, conductor. A conductor stands at the front of an ensemble, guiding each musician, drawing out the best in every voice. That role of leadership and drawing greatness from others resonates deeply with me. My work aspires to do the same: to lead inspiration in others, to be a catalyst that moves people toward their own creative and personal discoveries.

Inside the Image

Conductor is a rich, layered composition that commands attention the moment you encounter it. The figure at its center carries an undeniable presence. Poised, intentional, and powerful. There is a deliberate tension between movement and stillness, as if the conductor is mid-gesture, holding an entire world in that single motion. Textures, tones, and fragments of imagery intersect throughout the work, reflecting that spirit of sampling pieces of culture, memory, and identity colliding and harmonizing all at once. The palette is bold yet measured, making space for every element while keeping the whole in perfect balance.

Who Are You Conducting?

As you sit with this piece, I invite you to turn the lens inward. We are all conductors in some way, leading something, guiding someone, directing the energy of our own lives.

What is the ensemble you are leading? Is it your family, your community, your creative practice, your own healing? Who looks to you to set the tempo, to signal when to rise and when to rest?

And perhaps the deeper question: what conducts you? What forces, passions, and people are leading your journey, shaping the music of your life?

Conductor is an invitation to reflect, to recognize your own leadership, and to honor those who lead you. Let it move you wherever you need to go.

Interested in This Piece?

If you would like to inquire about Conductor availability, pricing, or anything else reach out directly by email at Mr.vondeon@gmail.com. I'd love to connect.

Wish my brother Mose a Happy Birthday!

Thanks for inspiring so many. Love You Brother.

You Were Created To Create

The Best of the Best

From the very start I’ve always wanted my artwork to be masterful. I wanted to have the highest quality artwork on the highest quality canvas, with the highest quality paint created with the highest quality brushes and tools. This idea made me cringe at the work that I created early on. I felt like the work was inferior because I didn’t have the best of the best. It even slowed me down when I was in the process of planning a new series I wanted to paint. I would wait so long trying to save up money to buy all of the top of the line materials. Eventually, I caved and I’d end up creating with materials that were in my budget. This wasn’t ideal at all. I was spending so much time trying to save money and find ways to afford the highest quality materials. It wasn’t until I started to study artists that I admired who would change my perspective on this. 

The Art of Freestyle

I grew up in a Hip-Hop household. Ever since I can remember I’ve been listening to old school Hip Hop with my Dad. He introduced me to groups like The Sugar Hill Gang and Afrika Bambaataa. He’s an old head so that’s the best that he could do at the time. My oldest brother, who is six years older than me, was a DJ. I can remember getting off of the school bus in front of our house to the sound of him spinning 2000’s Hip–Hop records. He introduced me to B.I.G, Nas, Ludacris, Nelly and a whole lot of other artists. I remember reading XXL and The Source Magazines and seeing all of the images that each of these artists were portraying. Most of them having an urban look and the environments that they were either being photographed in involved graffiti the majority of the time. At some point I’d come to learn that graffiti and Hip-Hop went hand in hand. They both originated as art forms fueled by self expression and community connection. They were largely created by an underrepresented and disenfranchised people to bring awareness to the rest of the world about their plight. 

In Graffiti all someone would really need is a can of spray paint or something to write with. Yes, most of us recognize Graffiti as specific ‘Tags’ or names combining multiple colors and layers to create a ‘piece’, but the earliest creators of Graffiti were able to express themselves with just one color in the most basic styles. 

In Hip-Hop all you really need is your voice. Yes, Hip-Hop is made up of Beats, Rhymes, Dance and general style overall. However, If you look at the earliest creators in Hip Hop it came down to beat boxing and rhyming off the top of their heads with raw vocals. 

The thing that I find most fascinating about Hip-Hop and Graffiti is the speed in which the artists create. They both involve the art of freestyle, designing ‘songs’ and ‘pieces’ off the top of their heads using words and rhythm. The freestyle is a combination between subconscious and conscious creation. What comes out says a lot about the artist. Who they are, what they’ve been through and their current perspective on the world. Looking at these mediums through a fine art lens both stand out to me as forms of expressionism. Freestyle is exactly what it sounds like. There are no rules or boundaries, just freedom.

Be Like Basquiat

There is a long list of artists that inspire me. I’ve taken time to study them all. I’ve looked closely at their work wherever it was available. Online and in books, I’ve even traveled to see some of them in person. I’ve read biographies and adopted perspectives and philosophies that I felt I could benefit from in my own art practice. Jean-Michel Basquiat is somewhere at the top of that list. Maybe top 5. What I admire most about Basquiat is his ability to create with such freedom. He lived his life as a creator and it seemed to radiate as his sole purpose. Looking at his work over the years I had many questions. Why was it so chaotic and random? What materials did he use? Why was he painting on so many different objects? I learned that he created as much artwork as fast as possible because he believed that he would die young. He wasn’t concerned about how the work looked. He just created because he felt he needed to at all costs. He painted on old doors and refrigerators, walls and Football helmets. Anything he could get his hands on. His materials were “whatever wherever”. This guy is truly inspiring to me. Understanding the way he created changed my practice and my outlook on creating as a whole. 

Vessel

For all practicing artists,

Through my “thinking and trying” I have been pushed to “doing and being”. We all are born with a talent to create. We don’t know why, we just are. Our creator gave us this skillset and talent to carry out a greater plan. With that we must create because we are the vessel for our particular creation. How the world sees it, understands it, and uses it is out of our hands. So, in my opinion, we should stop thinking about what we can do or should do. Stop trying to do something we think will be received well and instead do what we feel and be who we are. This takes the sting out of the feeling of needing more to accomplish what we think we cannot accomplish without the extra tools or products. Use what you have, like Basquiat. As corny as this is about to sound it is absolutely true. We all have a super power as creatives, because we have the ability to create something from nothing. When we use all of ourselves without limiting our work to a specific societal standard or quality of tools & products. That super power becomes unstoppable, there is no kryptonite for the uniqueness of your human experience coming through your work. You have everything you need to create what you are on earth to create. So use what you have, be a vessel for your creation and let it be and do what it is supposed to be and do for others.

-Von  

Burn the ships, Then sink or swim.

“If I can save up enough money, I can have the show that I want. If I can have the show that I want, I can show the world my perspective. If I can show the world my perspective, everything will change for me.” This is how I used to think until I realized these “IFs” were limiting my expectations and affecting my actions. 

This is an exercise in language. 

Get The Paint On The Canvas

When I decided I wanted to be a painter, I just said “I am a Painter”. At that point I hadn’t even put any paint on canvas. I vividly remember the day I saw an art related post on social media that inspired me. I got up, ordered an uber and headed to the art supply store. With less than $100 to my name and I spent it all on 2 small canvases, a few paint brushes and a variety of paints. I think I picked five colors. It may seem like a lot for less than $100 but at the time it was Aaron Brothers and they were going out of business, so I cleaned up. When I got home I started researching how to paint. Looking for a step by step video or some kind of instructional on how to paint. I spent about three hours looking for something to guide me. I’m sure the thought was something like “If I can find a good how-to video, then I’ll be off to a good start. I never found a video. It wasn't an option for me, I needed to be the painter that I decided to become so I just started. That day my motto to myself became “Get the paint on the canvas”. I remember painting until 3AM that next morning. Taking my time and thinking through the work that I was creating while listening to Anderson Paak. This was the start of my journey as a painter.

Three years later, I’m in the same apartment. I gained some pretty cool accolades, a few thousand dollars of art sales under my belt, and an understanding of what I want out of my art practice. My dream was to have a stand alone studio. I would meet new people and refer to my apartment as my studio. It technically was because it was a studio apartment, but I knew the truth. I wanted a painting studio so badly because I felt like it would make me a real professional painter. Thinking “if I could get a studio, my practice will go to the next level”. I would be able to work way bigger and experiment with a variety of tools and materials in the space. This stayed on my mind and hoped that I could grow my practice enough and make enough art to help me obtain my dream of having a “real working studio”. So, I set out to do just that. I created a brand and a company, found ways to connect people with artwork and constantly shared my story hoping that these actions would catapult me to the highest of heights. When I was young a mentor told me to write my goals down. I learned that writing down my goals helped me to gain clarity and specificity, while serving as a reminder of what I wanted whenever the process became difficult. So, I had a checklist going:

• Get 2,000 instagram followers ✅
• Sell a painting for $500 ✅
• Get my art into a Gallery ✅
• Show my art 20 times in public ✅
• Get a studio space
• Sell a painting for $1,000 ✅
• Show at 3 Major Art Fairs
• Art Basel
• Get my Artwork on TV ✅
• Generate $100,000 worth of business

… And so on.

I was doing it. I started, it was working and I kept on going. Three more years pass and Boom, a moment of clarity.

Burn The Ships

I became what I said I would be. I was a painter. Expressing myself through my work, sharing it with other people and I was lucky enough to earn some decent money in the process. I checked off a handful of goals, but there were still a lot of goals that were unchecked. “Get a studio space” was staring right at me. At this point I knew that I'd become a more refined artist. I had proven to myself that I could do this over and over. I needed a studio space if I was to grow and scale what I had created. I was living my dream and I had no doubt in my mind that I would obtain everything I’ve ever wanted and more.

With so much confidence in myself and my ideas, I had a clear vision of what my life and practice would look like. As always doubts crept in. Maybe I wouldn't get a studio. Maybe I would just work out of wherever I was living forever. Maybe that was the best choice. I put so much effort attempting to get a studio but I didn’t know how I’d do it. The vision of how things could be wasn’t enough, I needed to stop hoping I’d hit my goal of getting that studio that I’d wanted for so long and  make it happen. Thinking back to the day that I decided I was a painter. I remember firmly making the choice and "burning the ships". I left myself painting as the only option. Remember, I spent my last dollar on art supplies. I depended on the sale of those small canvases to pay my rent and feed me! I was so inexperienced, when I think back on it now I realize just how insane and risky making a decision like that is. 

Looking back over my checklist and thinking back to the day that this all started empowered me to take control, make a firm decision and yet again, burn the ships. At this time I was living in an apartment in Glendale that I hated. Again, I was running my business and creating large amounts of artwork from that apartment. It was the end of my lease and I decided, the next place that I pay rent will be a working art studio. I started my search for the perfect studio immediately. I found a few that I liked. Then, one in particular that stuck out to me. I’d seen this space before on Facebook Marketplace and reached out to them two years prior, but got no response. So I took another shot and I got a response the next day. I went to see the space and right then and there I knew it would be the new home of Flower Boyy Studio. The price was right and the location was right. The studio itself was clean and spacious with all of the natural light that I’d need. I paid the deposit and rent and within a week I was completely moved into my first studio. 

Check

Sometime during my first month of working in the studio I found the time to revisit my checklist.

• Get a studio space ✅

Staring at me again was the line that read “Get a studio space”. I checked it off the list and added a few more items. My studio and it is everything I expected and more. I wanted it so badly, I was patient and I learned that it wasn’t so hard to obtain after all. Half of me believes that things that we desire most have a divine timing and happen when they are supposed to instead of when we want them to. The other half of me believes that we have the power to obtain whatever it is we want as long as we are open to receiving it. We tend to get in our own way and limit our capacity to turn our ideas, wants, visions and dreams into a tangible reality.

This is an exercise in language and thought.

“I think therefore I am” is a quote I live by daily, but I like to take it a step further and say “I speak therefore I am”. Whatever we think about is what we talk about and whatever we talk about manifests itself in our reality. When I began painting it’s all I could think about and talk about. I was always looking for opportunities to paint something, practice and become a better painter. I would have visions of myself drafting invoices, speaking at gallery events, delivering artwork to collectors homes and the general public recognizing my brand. About five years into painting I remembered how I spoke what I wanted to be and began being it. 99% of the time it is just that simple. While my thoughts run wild with possibility, these days I find myself very aware of my language. “IF’s” become “When” when I begin to believe it. I speak my reality and what I want my reality to become. Sometimes the things that I say can sound delusional to some, but I speak what I believe. Sometimes I speak what I wish I would believe and secretly I think that I eventually will if I say it enough. 

-Von     

Taking the time to reflect and refine.

I took some time off. I guess I can’t really call it time off because I didn’t exactly stop working. I made a series of paintings, spent some time traveling and selling some older paintings that I had in my inventory. It was a slow time, intentionally. I needed to refocus, stop creating so much just to create and consider how I was shaping my future with what I was creating. I was feeling a little burn out, plus the work I was making was no longer interesting to me. Usually I would try harder to psych myself out or “get” myself back into the work, but I let it go and took it slow.

The Slow Burn

My work became uninteresting seemingly out of the blue. In 2023 we have unlimited access to information at our fingertips. I’m not one to purposely watch Netflix or scroll instagram for inspiration. The majority of my inspo comes from within.

Although I’ve always had the motivated and inspired spirit to create, I was missing the understanding of how to connect with others through my work.

Time and time again I would create a piece or a series and it seemed as if it would go right over everyone’s head. It left me feeling crazy and ultimately led me to seeking approval. I studied and learned what “everyone” liked to see an artist create. I lost my way and fell into the trap. I found what would get me the likes, comments and the reaction I was looking for. I became comfortable in that and started to feel like I was connecting with my audience. I wasn’t aware that this would completely kill my creativity and desire to create work that would help me connect with the world around me. I hated that. 

The Geographical 

I knew the best thing that I could do was to get out of my head and out of my space immediately. I booked a one way flight to Michigan, Moms house. There is something about relocating that always helps me recalibrate, especially at home. An environment where I first discovered that I needed to create. My Moms house is tastefully outfitted with some of my best and worst paintings. She knows she can always order a custom painting for free, so she leaves her basement open and available as my workspace whenever I decide to come to town. I spent three weeks in Michigan taking in the slow suburban pace, looking through old photos, watching movies, eating comfort food and cranking out one of 3 polyptychs, a 9 piece painting, that I sold to a new collector I met at the end of my stay. This was the first part of my “geographical”. It gave me some time to be at peace, collect my thoughts, and create with a similar energy I had when I was 15 years old. It’s interesting how much my environment affects what and how I create. When I was creating at home I was confident in my creative choices, I had no interest in outside input and I was sure I would find a buyer at my price by the time I was complete with my work. 

When my mission was complete in the Midwest I booked a one way flight to see my Brother Mose and now Sister in Law Jasmine in Manhattan. This was the catalyst. First off, the energy in Manhattan is insane to me. The way the city looks and moves is incredibly inspiring. I dropped my bags off at my brother's apartment on the East side and took off walking through the city. I walked aimlessly taking the city in through my camera lens. There were a few moments where I felt like I was in a stereotypical movie about New York City. I saw two guys pushing a massive painting across heavy traffic, the sunlight hitting them through the middle of two skyscrapers. I saw a girl in a brown sherpa coat walking 6 fluffy brown dogs, they were practically matching. I was sure I would see someone hoisting a piano up to the 9th floor of an apartment building next. I made my way to the Whitney Museum and took my time combing through the contemporary art wing. I had been in NYC for almost 8 hours and I was already juiced up and ready to create with a new approach.  

I had meaningful conversations with Jasmine and Mose about art, got to look at so many works by master painters and sculptors and learned the stories of many of the contemporary artists I admire. All of this helped me to focus my energy on a fresh and more refined take on my story. 

The Intensifying

When I arrived back in LA I was ready to create with more discipline, focus and energy. I was aware that I needed to use social media to my advantage but I made a choice to not be distracted by it. I now understand it as a tool to progress the visibility of my work. Before I left for Michigan I found a lot of joy in creating abstract paintings and patterns. I enjoy the feeling of painting unplanned. I had the idea to take that abstract style of painting and combine it with a basic figurative style. I had a clear vision of how this work would look and I knew that it would help me to articulate my narrative. At the moment the focus of my work is life painting. I am sharing my life, the people I surround myself with, my experiences and thoughts. I’ve found value in the specificity of a personal story and I no longer make artwork for anyone but me. My inspiration still comes from within, However now the goal of each work is rooted in how I can connect with each person's experience rather than their need to buy.   

-Von

Why are you an artist? Do You believe the artist has a job? 

If you’re an artist, you’re a storyteller by default. It really doesn’t matter if you relate to that title at all. If you are creating work and showing it to others, you are communicating some story in the best way you know how. Your way. 

I created my very first painting in 2016. It was a two color black and white painting, a 16x20 inch black background, with curvy white shapes that resembled cells under a microscope. It wasn’t much, but I spent all night listening to Anderson Paak and forming this amateur piece of art. It was 6am by the time I was done and I felt accomplished. From there I wanted to delve deeper into painting. I had no knowledge of what I was doing whatsoever, but as I learned more and strengthened my skill, I was able to create visually appealing art. How did I know I was creating visually appealing art? Of course I thought everything I produced was excellent, which obviously wasn’t the case. It was the response from the public that let me know I’d created something that looked “good”. Then I had a moment and a bright idea emerged, Voila! I should just make what people like because that’s what creating artwork is all about right? Wrong! That was my truth for the next two years until I recognized how underwhelming the act of painting had become. On the upside I had spent dozens of hours perfecting a process that would help me create visually appealing art quickly, so making art for other people’s taste wasn’t 100% soul sucking. I learned my style and process. I’d become burned out on making paintings that I didn’t really care about, and I had a burning desire to do something different. I needed to find the root of why I even bothered to make paintings. Again, a bright idea emerged and lit my path. This time it was crystal clear. I needed to create work that was personal and share my story. 

I’d become so versatile and efficient with the tools I’d used to make paintings, I could create anything. So I began to tell my story painting by painting. Not only did interest increase in my work, but I was able to connect with so many people. They could relate to my story. I found that the power of honesty and genuinely sharing my life gave my work so much more substance. Taking snippets of my life’s story and turning those moments of time into paintings. It’s truly a vulnerable thing to do, yet it creates a sense of empowerment, acceptance and connectivity to my audience.

Why Am I an Artist?

I was born an artist. I wish I could drain every ounce of cliche from that statement, but it’s true. I can help but to create. I believe this is the same for many others and when we are young we create off of the strength of our adolescent or childlike nature. We create with our emotions and imaginations. As we grow older we begin to experience the fullness of our lives. We travel the emotional spectrum from bliss to misery stopping at acceptance and refusal before working our way back. When we arrive, we continue to create but now off of the strength of our complicated nature and certain reality. 

What Is My Job As an Artist?

Artists are vessels used to communicate our human experience.

Because I can create paintings, I believe that I am responsible for prompting change in whatever area I am called to at a given time. In my opinion, all artists have the gift of being able to articulate emotions through whatever medium they create in. This is so powerful because the complexity of issues like race, religion, politics and sexuality can be articulated in ways that allude misunderstanding creating clear definitions to complicated ideas.

To all of the artists, art lovers and communicators,

I hope this brief writing inspires you. I hope you are inspired to use your voice, press your issues and activate those around you to join your cause to effect positive change. Your gift is a powerful tool to continue to prove your points and validate the popular or unpopular opinions of your initiatives.

-Von