Some artists go their entire careers trying to get their work placed with a major retailer. Ciojwé Davis did it at the age of 10.
Davis’ artwork is on display at Target stores throughout the nation as a part of its back-to-school sales campaign. The displays greet shoppers as they enter the chain’s retail locations and point the way to school supplies and other back-to-school related items. For Davis, having her designs selected was the thrill of a lifetime … a lifetime that has just barely reached double digits.
“When I saw the designs (inside a Target location) I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” said an excited Davis, who said though she knew her designs were selected she was unaware the artwork was on display. “My mom, my sister and I just got in the car and we drove to Target and I walked in and saw the display. It was exciting.”
Davis’ designs being displayed at Target is the result of a collaboration between the design firm, Knock, and Juxtaposition Arts in North Minneapolis. Knock has a contract with the retailer and it reached out to Juxtaposition and other talent sources to come up with a kid-designed display. Juxtaposition combines art and design education and youth empowerment with a social-enterprise business model to engage and employ young artists. Davis’ initial design must have really stood out because she wasn’t even supposed to be in the running for the honor.
“When we got the call from Knock we got 10 or so paid apprentices and had them meet with the Knock design team. Ciojwé is in our VALT (Visual Art Literacy Training) program. She isn’t even old enough to be a paid apprentice,” said Jared Hanks, Juxtaposition’s director of Outreach and Engagement. “She’s not getting paid (at Juxtaposition); she was at Juxtaposition just because of her love for art. She was the youngest one there by five or six years, but her design is the one that stood out.”
Davis’ initial design was of a pencil with hands, legs and a face.
“I just took school supplies and animated them,” said Davis.
Davis said she was shocked when her artwork was chosen by the team at Knock.
“I was sitting next to a teenager and I really liked her stuff and I thought she might win,” said Davis.
Knock brought Davis in a couple more times to test her skills before finally decided to award her the coveted contract – a contract that paid her $3,000.
“They (Target and Knock) paid $3,000 to this 10-year-old girl. That’s pretty special and says a lot about what we have going on here at Juxtaposition,” said Hicks. “It’s affirming. This is what we’re here to do.”
A paid artist at 10-years-old, Davis isn’t sure art will be her lasting vocation, although she is working on a comic strip that she hopes to publish.
“I really like drawing, but I kind of want to be a basketball player,” said Davis.
Who knows, maybe the Minnesota Lynx have a future point guard and team designer rolled up in one.
