Deonne Moore shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Deonne , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Art always makes me lose track of time and helps me rediscover the joy within myself that I sometimes forget. Life is hard, and the days can feel too long to not be doing what truly makes you happy. I am a firm believer in optimism—there is always a way to find good in anything, because where good exists, bad cannot. It is up to each of us to uncover that good.
I choose to live each day in love, joy, and positivity. A big part of that is sharing my God-given gift of art as a reflection of that light.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Deonne Moore, also known as Your Neighborhood Artist. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, I am a visual artist who works across multiple mediums, with a specialization in pencil drawing and acrylic painting. I have been creating openly since the age of twelve, when I discovered that art was the one thing that allowed me to escape, bringing me joy and focus to the point that I would forget everything else around me—even eating. Art became my sanctuary and my way of traveling mentally, no matter where I was.
In 2016, I officially launched my custom art company, Your Neighborhood Artist LLC, by accepting commissioned portrait orders. Since then, I have expanded my practice to become not only a professional artist but also a curator, art event coordinator, and teacher. My work has been collected internationally, and I have received numerous awards recognizing my creativity and artistic vision. Beyond creating, I have given public talks and speeches on the power of art, as well as built platforms that bring artists together in meaningful ways.
Currently, I am focused on growing my annual art expo, developing my first solo art exhibition, and creating an impactful community art outreach program that makes art accessible, inspiring, and transformative for all.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationships that shaped how I view myself most deeply are my relationship with God and with my children. God blessed me with children, and through them, He gave me a purpose far greater than anything I could have imagined for myself. My children have helped me grow in ways I never thought possible. They taught me discipline, showed me the true meaning of unconditional love, motivated me, and continually encouraged me. They have built me into a strong woman and reminded me to put God first in everything I do. Together, they revealed how fulfilling life becomes when He is leading the way. I consider myself successful because of them, and I continue to press forward and work harder every day, guided by God and the children He has entrusted to me.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me to cherish everything—especially the things most people take for granted. In August 2025, I lost my 16-year-old son to cancer. This was his second battle, and during the year leading up to his passing, I gave up everything to be by his side. I stopped teaching, shut down my business, and withdrew from the world. Every day was spent caring for him and drawing closer to God.
No amount of success could have prepared me for the pain of losing him. But watching him suffer while still fighting to live for me—and the heartbreak it caused—taught me how to accept giving him back to God. Suffering, if you let it, will build you up. It has made me stronger than I ever imagined I could be. Through it, I’ve learned that no obstacle is too great when I walk with God. Success alone could never give me that. And I now know there is no true success without suffering.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I believe the smartest people often get the simplest things wrong. They live under the illusion that they are in control, that there is an answer for everything, and that with enough effort or knowledge, every problem can be solved.
But life has a way of showing us otherwise.
When my son was dying, I watched doctors—intelligent, skilled, compassionate people—scramble for answers. They ran hundreds of tests, searching for something to explain what was happening to him. Every single test came back negative. They could not accept that there was no answer.
But I knew.
I finally looked them in the face and said, “There is no answer. Only God has it. And He has told me to give Him His child back, because he was never mine to keep.”
That moment changed me. It showed me that some things in life cannot be explained, solved, or fixed—not by science, not by intellect, not by willpower. And that’s a truth many people struggle to accept.
We like to believe we hold the answers, but the truth is: some things belong only to God. His wisdom stretches beyond our understanding, and His plan unfolds whether or not we can see it.
There’s no book that holds every answer. There’s no formula for why life unfolds the way it does. And while that truth hurts, it also frees us. Because we were never meant to carry the weight of the world—we were meant to trust the One who does.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I only had 10 years left to live, I would no longer hold back my true thoughts. I would be bold in everything I do and say. For too long, I have been careful, reserved, always mindful not to offend. My heart has always leaned toward spreading love, believing that love should never wound.
But the older I get, the more I realize that sometimes love demands boldness. Love isn’t always quiet, gentle, or agreeable. Sometimes, love looks like truth—raw, unpolished, and uncomfortable. Real love tells the hard things, even when they sting.
If my time were limited, I would stop filtering myself through the lens of what others might think. I would speak freely, not out of arrogance, but out of love strong enough to risk misunderstanding. I would live unashamed, knowing that honesty, even when it hurts, can be the deepest form of care.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artbydeonne.com
- Instagram: artbydeonne
- Facebook: Your Neighborhood Artist
- Youtube: @yourneighborhoodartiststl1333
- Other: TikTok: artbydeonne
