Devon Reiffer

I struggle with social media in these times… but the last 6 months I gave myself a break from creating art and allowed myself to consume a lot of my favorite art form- music and dance. Music is my biggest love, it fuels the inspiration behind my own work. I spent much of my 20s and 30s in survival mode… and now more than ever I realize the time to live is now, the time to experience q***r joy is now. The time to dance like no one is watching is now. The time to take up space as a non binary person is now. My music taste is as layered and unpredictable as my drawings. It has been a blast reconnecting with passion, inspiration, and purpose through some of my favorite artists. I feel refreshed and ready to get back to work now. Huge shoutout to for giving one of the best shows I’ve seen in my life, we unintentionally ended up in the front, and I got to be immersed in itttt. This collection of vids represents true healing of all my versions- the brokenhearted, the emo kid, the connection to my childhood, and all the messy versions in between. ART HEALS. ART SAVES. ART WILL ALWAYS BE THE ANSWER. When the going gets tough, lean into the art that inspires you.

We recently went to see Above&Beyond in LA and as tears streamed down my face during “bigger than all of us” I was reminded of the true purpose of art. To experience someone’s Art is to experience feeling alive. Art has the power to connect people of all different places and faces, the ability to make you feel something that words can’t explain… to bridge disconnect, to make you remember that All of this existence is bigger than you, me… it’s bigger than all of us… and that it takes all of us to create change.

Artistically, this year has been so good to me. I’m at the beginning of a new career chapter… and again… I’m just so grateful for all the seasons, reasons, and lifetime connections that continue to support my growth, my shows, and my soul. Looking forward to many more… and hopefully a big solo show soon. Thanks for coming to the opening- please check out the show before it comes down in November!

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I am proud to announce that I got a piece in this upcoming exhibition at Rod Briggs Gallery. I’ll be at the opening reception on the 12th from 1-4pm- come check it out! Hope to see you all there!

“Come Unity”
Sept 2025
Mixed media on canvas
44 x 34 inches

Very rarely do I ever finish a piece and see it for the masterpiece that it is. Tonight, I finished the piece I’ve been working on intermittently since January. For the first time in my life, I’m not completely burned out or crosseyed from scrambling to finish it. I see it for exactly what it is- this is the first chapter of the second book of my art career. This is the beginning… 2.0. A merge of all that I’ve learned.

Last year, I was in an inspirational rut because I was doing a lot of self-work. As I healed the torment, the motivation for my art seemed to lessen. I kept asking the universe if the tormented artist could make powerful art without the torment… and although I didnt get an answer right away…tonight it’s pretty clear that the answer is hanging in front of my face.

So Devon, now that you’re not tormented, do you think you can still make powerful art?
The answer: Yes, of course, in fact… it’s going to be even more powerful because I’m no longer distracted by my inner conflict. I feel better and therefore i want to help others feel better because I’ve been through it and know what’s on the other side. I can see clearer without me in the way.

My art allowed me to connect and discover the true meaning of community and the power of art. In my old life, art and the desire to know I wasn’t alone in my torment lead me to community. In my new life, as these times grow increasingly more painful… I see many communities crumbling as our common threads are being manipulated to divide us and isolate us. The world needs a reminder of our humanity more than ever… and therefore I have never been more inspired to be a part of creating that reminder.

After all, To truly be a part of a “community”, we must come together in unity…here’s the first reminder.
More to come soon. I’m just getting started.

I am so close to finishing this piece… and today was supposed to be an early, full studio day to wrap it up bc I have a deadline. Unfortunately I woke up with a stomach ache and it’s been a slow day of movement… but this is what being an is. It’s hard work, it’s days of pushing yourself even when you don’t know when and if you’re going to make a sale, it’s producing and showing up just as you would any corporate job… even on days when you’re not feeling 💯, it’s laying on the the floor to find comfort and productivity, it’s sharing a pic that says… the art must be made no matter what. My days of letting my art fall behind are so far behind me… but I wish I was laying in bed still. I work harder on my art than anything in my life… because I know these moments are all part of my success story.

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I’m laughing at this setup in my kitchen right now. As a former night owl workaholic,this was my normal. As I get older and more established, these days are few and far between now. However tonight is a special occasion. I have the place to myself for a few days and i get to experience a short visit to the artist bachelor days of my 20s. I’m continuing to work tonight not bc of a deadline but because I’m
Celebrating.

Yesterday I had the biggest, most magical sale of my career to date and I’m inspired as hell. I want to make art because I’m happy and not tormented? Who is this person I see in the mirror? All of the hopes, dreams, sweat, blood and tears of young me that have merged.

Bottom line, yesterday was a milestone. I’m laughing because I know I’m going to look back on this day and be thankful for all of the times I worked like this- i already am as I finally am enjoying the fruits of my labor from 10+ years ago and many, many hours of artist bachelor deadlines. I didn’t know when or how, I just hoped that one day I would make it here.

I’m grateful beyond words.

As I continue to process, I am here to remind you that manifestation is real, soul purpose is real, and divine timing is everything. I’m documenting this because I know very soon setups like this and wondering if it’s all going to work out are about to be behind me forever….And that makes me smile, laugh, and thank every version of me that worked through the fear, doubt, and challenges that made this possible.

whoever is reading this, this is proof and a reminder that it does get better. Keep going. Follow the ping. Follow your heart. You have a unique purpose and if you trust it, it will come together, even if it takes ten years. It may not come easy, but when it works out down the road, the feeling makes up for all of those hard times. Live your truth, trust yourself. Make art in whatever form that is for you. To be passionate is to be an artist. And right now, the world needs your art because art heals and connects us outside of the matrix. Keep rising.

I also can’t wait to finish and share this piece soon!

It's been over a decade since I've done a survey- but a lot is happening and I want to know your honest thoughts. This is completely anonymous and a chance to speak about some of issues you may not feel safe to discuss right now.

Please complete it when you have at least 20 mins- the more honest and thorough you are, the better. Please copy the link and share with your peeps! Thank you!

Speak your truth- ANONYMOUSLY Your voice matters. 🗣️I’m gathering stories/opinions about identity, justice, and equality to hone in on the next chapter of creating art for social change.If you live in the U.S., please take a few to share your experience in this ANONYMOUS survey. Share as much as you feel like sharing- thi...

In addition to trying to get back up on the algorithm I’m sharing this photo from today because it’s been 6 years in the making. This is My best friend Cookie. We became friends over IG back when I was in Philly and she is the reason I discovered Long Beach. In between trips we would chat into the wee hours of the night as I worked on my art and I always said “I can’t wait to have a garage studio so you can come over and we don’t have to hold the phone anymore”.

She’s seen the space before but today, after 3 years of living here she came over and hung out while I worked on the new piece. This pic is what I always pictured when we would daydream about my future Cali life.

Cook has always been the one person to get sneak peaks of works in progress… this is the first sneak peak in person. I used to always look to cook for a reaction to a new piece that i was unsure about, it validated that I was onto something even if I didn’t feel it.

For the first time ever, I’m discovering joy and ease with flow. I’ve been vibing with this piece in a new way. I feel that already, it is special. I know I’m onto something good for the first time…confidently. Today when she walked in, she couldn’t stop staring at the new piece, she kept saying “there’s something about it”. I didn’t need the validation this time, but it was really awesome to see the reaction unfold in real time. To feel a specific new energy in my work… and to have my best friend pick up on it immediately was better than I imagined.

We have quite a story between us, too long for this post, but it’s a tale of two souls who forgot about age and became best friends. We plan on doing this for at least the next 20 years. But today we both realized we were fully immersed and living in a moment that was once just a “maybe when I get to California” convo. I’m grateful. I had to document it and share it. Connection, hope, and believing that dreams can come true is how we get through the storms. Keep dreaming, keep moving forward, we’ll get there. I am proof.

can’t wait to share this piece when it’s done.

My lengthy hiatus has been motivated by exploring my roles and contributions to everything that’s going on. Before all of this I took a break, slowed down and started slowly putting pieces together to find inner balance. I have been on a quest to see if I can make compelling art if I am no longer the tortured artist. All I’ve ever wanted was peace. For myself. For the world. For all people. I was driven by my own chaos and without it my inspiration has been missing.

My art is a visual diary of how I learned to understand myself through the beauty of authentic people. Beautiful authentic q***r people. Art showed me the way to myself. I thought maybe my work had run its course… maybe it was all to get here.

Using this app supports undeserving, selfish billionaires that are advocating to keep us trapped in a system that has been broken since it began- I don’t want to support it but connection, accessible information, and authenticity are things I love about social media.

It’s important to talk about the different forms of protest as we figure out what’s next. I signed on to socials to check in with my people as the masses gathered, rather than shame my anxiety, I put the energy towards finding my role in contributing. as I watched the peace carry out into the streets and saw just how many people are willing to show up for peace, something magical happened... i felt inspired to make art for the first time in a year. All this to say, I want more than anything for everyone to feel safe and get to experience their peace… my art has and will always be a part of the protest. My art is for the people, made by the people, and represents what I believe this world is capable of. I’m going to find balance with these apps- but for now hello, I hope you’re all safe, and I know we are going to win this fight. Each of us deserves to be here. We are in this together. I love you. We all have a place here.

Art and artists play a crucial role in challenging times. Art is a form of expression, emotional release, and reflection. Art helps people process difficult emotions, spark important conversations, and inspire hope or resilience, providing a sense of connection and understanding in moments of uncertainty or hardship.

Now more than ever, we have to support the arts and create safe spaces to come together. Art is power. Art highlights our humanity. This is the first of hopefully many of events… it’s free. It’s one night. It would mean a lot for everyone of you seeing this to share with your circles and come out and support. Hold down the QR code and rsvp if you want to donate… there will also be an opportunity to donate at the door. All of the extra details are on the eventbrite page. I am so excited to be a part of this. I look forward to seeing all of you.

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My 2024 mantra was “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. There’s a big story here, but I’ll save the details for my memoir. In short, for some time, I have been 1 degree of separation from Yeardley Smith. AKA Lisa Simpson AKA Putter from Legend of Billie Jean.It’s been 20 years since I’ve talked to my dad but The Simpsons have been the keepers of little Devon’s fondest memories with him. This show is a gateway to the inner child who still loves him, which is a special type of healing that has furthered my beliefs on the importance + power of art.

I’ve always felt a soulful connection to Yeardley’s work which only deepened when learning about her advocacy + ally-ship for the LGBTQ+ community. She sees the importance of empowering marginalized communities + uses her success for the greater good. I knew this 1 degree was a gift from the universe So I made a trans flag collage portrait of Lisa Simpson for her. It was a token of gratitude, a way to say thanks for never losing sight of her humanity in all the success + for using her platform to make social change.
1am January 1 2024, I asked my 1 degree to pass the art along to Yeardley. I thought about it basically everyday for 365 days. NYE 2024, same spot, exactly 1 year later, I was finally going to confirm that she received the Devon Original. The response was “yeah she loved it + oh, she’ll be here tonight.” Yeardley came in, gave me a big hug, thanked me for my art. This is the start I had to 2025. My heart aches for everything that’s been happening with the fires + the political chaos. I’m reminding myself that the universe doesn’t forget about us. It works on its own timeline because it knows what we need more than we do. All of this to say, I believe the light will always overcome the dark… focus on your light. That’s how we fight. We will not be erased. thank you for the beam of light at the beginning of the year, it’s an anchor point in the chaos. May our paths cross again ❤️

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Sometimes this is what the creative process looks like for me. I have this tendency to just go, go, go… self-care falls to the wayside and it’s not healthy. Sometimes I need the reminder that I’m not a machine- I’m learning that sometimes the work, both creatively and spiritually, is to just stop and sit with it. I forget until I remember.

Today, idk what im gonna get done but I still am showing up, I’m connecting and letting myself be still as long as it feels good… to me, that’s the real art… being able to sit with it and give myself permission to release some of the internal pressure I put on myself. I got this free office chair this week and I have a feeling this is gonna be a game changer. Already starting to see things differently from this view and it feels good. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result… so maybe now that I have a chair, my back won’t hurt from standing for hours on end… that’s a start. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was I. Be patient Devon, life is just beginning, there is nowhere to be but right here. The work is good at every step of the process… not just when it’s finished. I’m on the edge of a beautiful shift… I feel it.

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