August Digital Cover Story - Deonna Craig

Deonna Craig: Building a Legacy, One Layer at a Time

Deonna Craig is a force—visionary, maker, curator, director. As the founding director of BUTTER, she’s transformed a once-hypothetical art fair into a nationally recognized platform for Black artists and creatives. But her impact doesn’t end there. A full-time artist, community-builder, and cultural connector, Deonna has forged a path that didn’t exist before her—and now others are following in her footsteps. With a background in sociology and an obsession with ancient art, she brings a rare mix of intellectual depth, spiritual presence, and logistical wizardry to everything she does. In this interview, she shares what it means to “dream in layers,” why legacy drives her work, and how a life-changing moment in a sweat lodge helped her find the courage to bet on herself. At once mystical and grounded, Deonna’s story is a reminder that building something meaningful from scratch isn’t just possible—it’s prophetic.

BUTTER returns to the Stutz Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2025. Discover the lineup and plan your visit at www.butterartfair.com.

Per usual, we’ve edited the transcript for clarity and brevity.

Polina Osherov: You’ve built a career, a platform, and a movement that didn’t really have a blueprint. What do you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out?

Deonna Craig: I wish someone had reminded me that the journey—the messy, imperfect, exhausting, beautiful process of building—is just as meaningful as the final product. That first year of directing BUTTER, I was so focused on the end date, the finish line… I didn’t stop to enjoy any of it while it was happening. I was moving through the motions, doing all the right things, but I wasn’t present for it. I had to relive it later through photos, through “remember when” conversations, and that broke my heart a little. Because it was like this beautiful symphony was playing all around me and I didn’t sit still long enough to hear it. That’s something I carry with me now—pausing to feel the weight of what's being created in the moment.

As an artist, I’d also add this: don’t forget yourself. Don’t lose the spark that made you want to create in the first place. There are seasons where creativity doesn’t flow naturally, and in those moments, you’ve got to schedule it. I know it sounds strange, but creativity doesn’t always just "happen." Sometimes, making time to make art is the most radical thing you can do. And that discipline—that return to your “why”—is what keeps your spirit intact when everything else feels scattered.

Also—and this is important—being an artist is a business. A lot of us wait. We wait for someone to bring us clients, to market our work, to validate our careers. But I tell people: don’t wait. Do the things. Figure it out. You want more opportunities? Build them. You want structure? Learn it. You want visibility? Create it. That’s part of my artistry now—making the road, not just walking it.

PO: You wear so many hats—director, curator, artist, community-builder. How do you stay grounded?

DC: I stay rooted because I asked for this life. During the pandemic, I made a moodboard with everything I wanted: to travel, curate, create, connect with other artists. None of it existed yet. BUTTER wasn’t a thing. But I wrote it down, and now I’m living it. On tough days, I look at that old moodboard. Everything I wished for is happening.

PO: You’ve said you “dream in layers.” What does that look like in your work?

DC: It means I look at art—and life—from multiple angles. I’m creating for someone a hundred years from now, but I’m also channeling my ancestors. I’m painting as Deonna, but also as a role model, a curator, a teacher. Each hat brings a different perspective, but it’s all still me at the core. I want my work to speak across time. If I stay centered in authenticity, the rest falls into place.

PO: BUTTER has become more than an art fair—it’s a cultural landmark. How has it evolved?

DC: It started as a “what if.” What if you took the ceiling off what art could be in Indiana? Now, it’s not just a fair—it’s a movement. People build their year around it. It means different things to different people, which makes it powerful. It’s also shown how creative energy spills into every corner—bars, businesses, fashion, tech. I’m seeing more people embrace art in their everyday lives, and I think BUTTER helped catalyze that.

PO: You draw from ancient art, travel, memory. How do you connect those timeless elements to contemporary work?

DC: I think of myself as a future ancestor. I’m creating in the present with full awareness that what I make will outlive me. Like petroglyphs—those artists probably didn’t know we’d study their carvings 2,000 years later, but we do. So I approach my art with that kind of intention. What story am I telling? What mark am I leaving? I want people to see themselves as living memory—what they make today matters.

PO: What has helped you gain traction in a city not always known for embracing new creative work?

DC: I believe when your intentions are good and the timing is right, things align. The city was ready for something new. We had the right people, and we acted instead of just talking. But we also showed up with data, with results. People came to BUTTER—again and again—and that helped prove the point. Of course, there are still barriers. Some folks don’t want to see good things grow. But I stay focused on the work.

PO: What keeps you going when the work gets heavy?

DC: I know with everything in me that I’m supposed to be doing this. This isn’t a job—it’s a calling. There’s no separation between my life and my purpose anymore. Even on the hardest days, even when I’m tired or discouraged or dealing with doubt, I can’t not do this work. I’m literally wired for it.

I used to hear my mom, who’s a minister, talk about being "called" to preach, and I didn’t really get it. As a kid, I thought, Who called you? Like, did someone call your phone? But now I understand. I feel it in my bones. My dreams are filled with this work. People show up in my life with exactly the right thing at exactly the right time. There’s a divine synchronicity to it.

And I never imagined I’d be living my dream. Ten years ago, I was asking, What is my thing? I saw other people finding theirs and felt lost. But then I found it—or maybe it found me. And now I’m in it. And I’m grateful every day that I get to live out something that feels so perfectly designed for who I am.

PO: Was there a moment when that clarity first hit you?

DC: Yes. I went through a Temazcal ceremony in Mexico—a traditional sweat lodge. No psychedelics, no fancy wellness spa. Just heat, chanting, smoke, darkness. You're releasing, you're calling in whatever is meant for you. You're speaking to your ancestors. You're resetting your life. You're setting intentions. It’s a rebirth.

I went in with a very open mind, and when I came out, everything changed. That’s not an exaggeration. I lost 100 pounds because I told myself it was time. So I did it. I quit my job. I became a full-time artist. I just bet on me—completely. I realized I was the only one blocking anything from ever happening. No more excuses. No more waiting for someone else. I took charge of my life, and the things that were meant for me started coming to me. It was a total life change.

PO: What advice would you give to young artists or cultural leaders trying to build something from scratch?

DC: Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. This work is a massive group project. Speak in dreams. Ask others about theirs. That’s how you find your people. And then—do the stuff. Everyone dreams, but execution is what sets you apart. Dream it. Then do it.

PO: What’s next for you?

DC: I want to turn my curiosity into a conduit, bridging ancient stories with modern souls. I’m deeply drawn to petroglyphs and ancient rock art, not just because they’re beautiful, but because they’re messages. Markings left by people who needed to say, “I was here. I mattered.”

I want to continue to travel with intention. To visit these sacred sites. To study them, learn from the cultures that protect them, and build experiences around them. I want to invite others, especially young people, into that journey. Through workshops, talks, and immersive travel, I want to awaken curiosity. To show that ancient art isn’t something far away in a textbook. It’s alive. It’s legacy. And it’s a mirror.

I’ll keep making art. I’ll keep paying homage to those who came before us. But more than that, I want to build pathways for others to remember, reconnect, and reimagine what’s possible. When you understand where we've come from, you move through the world differently. You remember you're part of a longer story.

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This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our friends at Life in Indy.