The Art of D. Collins • On Display at Andersen Enrichment Center

“The Art of D. Collins” is a collection of original air brush and acrylic works featuring celebrities, African wildlife, and abstracts by Saginaw artist DeVaughn Collins. Exhibition is on display now through January 25, 2024 at the Andersen Enrichment Center, 120 Ezra Rust Drive, across from Ojibway Island in Saginaw. Hours are from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

At the age of 17, DeVaughn Collins began working with airbrush techniques and later explored the world of acrylics. A self-described Afro-centric artist, Collins uses the mediums of airbrush, spray paint, and acrylic to create bold images of African heritage, wildlife and more recently abstracts. His series “Unfinished” depicts celebrities who had a major impact on the arts and popular culture, but left us too soon.

Collins’ mural work can be seen in Downtown Saginaw on the Bearinger Building as part of The Great Mural Project’s “Present” mural, a collaboration of three artists completed this past fall highlighting Saginaw’s rich cultural heritage.

He was a featured artist at the 2023 Old Town Saginaw Showdown street art festival where the public could watch him work and view his larger than life mural combining African heritage and wildlife. His work can also be seen at the Buena Vista farmer’s market and throughout the Saginaw community.

DeVaughn is a life-long resident of Saginaw. He credits his artistic influence to his mother who is a seamstress. Observing how she drew her own clothing designs rather than relying on already created patterns, as well as her decoupage art, ignited the spark that led him to pursue a career in the arts. He also credits a late cousin who excelled in drawing, as well as a childhood mail-order arts entry which resulted in a positive letter of evaluation. DeVaughn attended Central Middle and Saginaw High School where he continued to nourish his artistic skills.

Art @ the Andersen is made possible with the support of the Maxwell K Pribil Memorial Trust, Jury Foundation, Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation, and the Michigan Arts & Culture Council. This project has been established by the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission to give artists in the Great Lakes Bay Region an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work. For more information call the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission at 989.759.1362.