Dave Behm

Dave Behm | Sliced | 2025

You spent many years working in graphic design. At what point did you feel the need to move toward a more personal artistic practice?

I’d always been curious about leaning more into the artistic side of my personal work. Funny thing is, I’d had an iPad for years and barely touched it for drawing. Then one day I watched a coworker casually creating these beautiful pieces for her project, and it lit a spark. I picked up my iPad that night and just started drawing, I was hooked.

How did drawing on the iPad change your relationship with the creative process compared to traditional design work?

The iPad took away a lot of the friction. It let me stay in the moment longer. I could experiment, follow instincts, and see where things went instead of worrying about strategy. In my design work, I’m usually thinking about outcomes, constraints, and objectives. Drawing this way shifted my relationship with creativity from solving problems to simply discovering things as the piece develops.

Dave Behm | Into the wild Tiger | 2026

Your works often feature fruit, animals, and botanical elements. What draws you to these quiet, everyday subjects?

It’s funny, I never pictured myself drawing this kind of work. I used to want to draw skulls and gritty, grungy stuff. Then I took a Procreate class by Freya.art, and the very first project was… an apple. I honestly surprised myself with how it turned out and how relaxing it felt to draw. The class focused on nature and fruit, and something about it just clicked. It felt natural in a way I didn’t expect.

Dave Behm | Into the wild Lion | 2026

Many of your compositions feel calm, balanced, and timeless. Is this an intentional emotional goal when you start a new piece?

Yes, very much so. I’m drawn to how a piece makes you feel when you look at it. It can inspire you, give you hope, make you happy, or even a little sad. When I’m drawing, I’m chasing that same feeling. It’s incredibly therapeutic for me.

Dave Behm | Into the wild Panther | 2026

Your art translates naturally into home décor and lifestyle products. Do you think about functionality or interiors while creating, or does that come later?

Honestly, both. I’m a big fan of home remodeling and decorating shows, and sometimes I’ll see certain colors, styles, or products and the ideas just start flowing. Other times, a piece comes from a feeling or a mood I’m in, and I’ll think, “Oh yeah, that would make a great kitchen print,” or “That would look perfect on a lampshade or as bathroom wallpaper.”

How has your background in branding and commercial design influenced the way you approach composition and detail in your art?

Working at agencies really trained my eye to care about the small details and make intentional choices. Even when a piece feels loose or organic, there’s usually some structure holding it together. I still think about things like hierarchy, rhythm, and negative space, which all come from years of branding work. The difference now is that those rules are there to support the feeling, not lead it. And with my personal work, I get to be both the client and the agency, so I’m seeing each piece from both sides.

Dave Behm | Breakfast | 2025

What do you hope viewers feel when they spend time with your work in their homes or everyday spaces?

My tagline is “Find Calm and Live Boldly,” and it reflects how I try to approach life. We all face challenges and obstacles, and staying calm helps create the confidence to move through them. At the same time, I believe in living fully and pushing ourselves to be the best we can be.