j


Support the "lives" of artists through customer support

Alex Duffey from our Americas Support team established a new program to support artists. We asked him about a story with Ms. Devon Bragg, the artist who inspired him to establish this program.

 

Please tell us about the encounter with Devon Bragg.

 

The first encounter with her was when I found her Instagram in May 2018. Devon had just under 1,000 followers at that time, however she was clearly someone who was a fan of our products and our values. I was impressed by Devon's work, then an idea to support her came to me. It was an idea that could also be spread out to support creative activities of artists by offering refurbished products. I immediately discussed it with my manager, offered a refurbished Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 to Devon. Needless to say, she was very happy to receive it.

What kind of supports did you continue to give her after that?

Devon's followers kept increasing for a few months after we offered the product, soon the number of followers quickly exceeded 10,000. Around that time, Devon told me that she was planning to visit Portland. I wondered if I could support her on that occasion and talked with Megan Davis Manager of the Wacom Experience Center. Megan also loved Devon's work, and asked her to hold a live demonstration in the Wacom Booth at the "Rose City Comic Con" held in Portland. Devon kept working more actively online and eventually was hired as a background artist by a major cartoon cable network.

Please tell us about your future initiatives to support artists.

Our customer operations team will continue to support up-and-coming artists like Devon, who one day could be an influencer and would then already be an advocate for Wacom. Artists that Wacom can help grow, and in turn, make them lifelong users and advocates for Wacom. Our continued plan is to find artists that we encounter through our everyday customer support activities and events. We would then reach out and support their activities making full use of Wacom products.

Finally, we introduce a message
from the artist Devon Bragg.

"It was my dream to work in the field of art, but I had no idea where to start. I was disappointed with myself, and at a loss every day. In the form of comics, I was able to express my frustrations in my everyday life. Alex was the first person who shed light on me when I was like that. He said that my works spoke to him, and that he believed in me enough to send me a Wacom Cintiq Pro. More than that he offered me the wonderful tool, that alone was incredible.

Without his help, I believe I wouldn't be where I am today. That gesture lit a fire under me to push harder, faster and stronger towards my goal. One day I hope I can do something like what Alex did for me. It all starts with someone believing in you. I was given that - and it changed my life. Nothing beats that."
(Devon Bragg)

 

s

Ms. Devon Bragg's profile

Devon Bragg is a jack-of-all-trades artist originally from Columbia, Maryland who moved out to California to pursue her dream just under two years ago. Coming from a horse-girl life and an editorial illustration background, Devon had no idea if her dream to change everything about her life made any sort of sense - but she did it anyway because art is her oxygen. With a lot of french fries in her system and enough diet coke to fill a truck, she scrapped everything to pursue her love for the animation industry which had been so influential in her youth. She has spent her time being a character designer for Disney and a background painter, vis-dev and generalist artist at Nickelodeon where her work family, who she owes everything too, resides. When she isn't drawing or painting, she's hiking so she can pretend to be Link from Breath of the Wild.

Instagram: @devonbraggart

Explore projects

Reflecting on the Last Five Years: Progress and Future Trajectories of Social Initiatives

We will reflect upon our five-year journey with CEO Nobu Ide about the intention to connect the future of Social Initiatives with our Meaningful Growth.

Read more

Our Sparks. “Focus: The Autistic Superhero Loves Comic Art!” by Yvonne Wan

Discover the inspiring works of community creators who collaborate with us. Today, we feature “Focus: The Autistic Superhero Loves Comic Art!” by Yvonne Wan.

Read more

"CREATE Program" Expanding Future Possibilities and Connecting Hopes

Wacom Canada has been involved with the "CREATE Program" at Sisler High School as a partner to support students who want to embark on career paths in the creative industry.

Read more

Our Sparks. “Join The Journey” by Arian Rahmatzai

The 'Our Sparks.' pages showcases community creators whose works inspire and collaborate with us. This time features Arian Rahmatzai's artwork, a German talent who interned at Wacom.

Read more

Supporting Children's Dreams of Becoming Creators - 1: Initiatives with Kinko Town

The aspiration of children who dream of becoming creators is what ignites our team members’ enthusiasm and drives many of our initiatives. One such initiative involved teaming up with an animation workshop in Kinko Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

Read more

Wacom Yuify: Making the world a safer place for creators

Wacom Yuify is an innovative service being developed to authenticate creators' works by embedding invisible micro-marks into artworks and, therefore, addressing unique needs across various regions and cultures.

Read more

Initiatives in China – Bringing Digital Ink Technology to More People

Lannie Zhang, the only product manager in the Ink Division in China, took the time to talk to us about the initiatives planned to increase awareness and promote the use of digital ink technology.

Read more

wacom

Our Sparks. “At the beach in the early afternoon” by sammy

We would like to introduce the artworks by artists in Oiso Town, Kanagawa, Japan, where we have been working together to support the writing/drawing initiative.

Read more

wacom

Wacom Experience Center - A space for everyone to be creative

The Wacom Experience Center Portland was created for people to interact with the creative community in the city. We took a look back at its growth with Megan Davis, who has been playing an energetic role there.

Read more

Connected Ink 2022: What happens here is everything

Connected Ink 2022 opened with two key questions. Let’s take a look back at some of the sessions in Tokyo that explored them.

Read More

Our Sparks. “Wind Carrying Light” by Syuro

We would like to introduce the artworks by artists in Oiso Town, Kanagawa, Japan, where we have been working together to support the writing/drawing initiative.

Read More
oiso town tn

How can we support the “writing/drawing" initiative with Oiso Town?

The partnership with Oiso Town has developed into a city-wide initiative. We spoke with Tadakuni Tsubota of the Creative BU Retail Partnership about this initiative.

Read more

A side of the Connected Ink polyhedron - 2


How do team members see Connected Ink? The next team member is Yohei Himori who is involved in the planning and operation of Connected Ink together with Heidi.

Read More ::before ::after


s

A side of the Connected Ink polyhedron - 1


How do team members see Connected Ink? The first team member is Heidi Wang who has played a key role in the planning and operations when it all began in 2016.

Read More ::before ::after




th

How can we overcome barriers that exist in society? / Call & Response

In collaboration with Heralbony Inc. and the General Incorporated Association, Connected Ink Village, Wacom launched a new initiative called "Call & Response” in September 2021.

Read More ::before ::after



d

What Lingers in the Afterglow / Connected Ink 2021

Here’s a look back at the opening and finale of the nearly 70 sessions held that day and reflect upon what has happened since Connected Ink 2021.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Our Sparks. “The spark of love” by Jacky Yang

Our sparks meet constantly changing situations, unexpected challenges, and new opportunities. We called on our team members again to show how they see their spark in the world of today and the future.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Keep asking questions and moving forward / Connected Ink 2020

Connected Ink 2020 was the beginning of a new commitment and challenge for Wacom to continue asking those eternal questions that always play in our minds.

Read More ::before ::after

d

“Stage KOPPA”, a stage that connects stories

"Stage KOPPA" was created as a stage for Connected Ink 2020. It is a stage that changes its shape and role in response to different situations while connecting the various stories that occur there.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Our Sparks.
“Mam and Dad’s Child Interest” by Stella Wang

Our sparks meet constantly changing situations, unexpected challenges, and new opportunities. We called on our team members again to show how they see their spark in the world of today and the future.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Our Sparks.
"A moment on an autumn mountain" by Takahiro Yamamoto

We had an internal art contest for our Social Initiatives. Let us share the existence of the spark in our team members’ hearts with their artworks.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Online drawing class for elementary school students during stay-at-home period

Yoshinori Mita, a team member of Japan held an online drawing class together with FC KAZO and illustrator Suiiro to provide something fun for elementary school children to do during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Wacom's new initiative through soccer

As an official partner, Wacom supports FC KAZO, a soccer club in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. We’re excited to introduce our new initiatives with this inspiring club.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Our Sparks.
"The spark is in you! Mirror portraits during times of isolation" by Oliver Madlener

We had an internal art contest for our Social Initiatives. Let us share the existence of the spark in our team members’ hearts with their artworks.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Online Sketchnoting workshop for children during school closures

Our team members in Germany organized an online workshop “Young Wacom” for the children while schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Support the "lives" of artists through customer support

Alex Duffey from our Americas Support team established a new program to support artists. We asked him about a story with Ms. Devon Bragg, the artist who inspired him to establish this program.

Read More ::before ::after

d

3. How KOPPA began /
The story of the Traveling KOPPA

KOPPA began in April 2019. Tamotsu wanted to make something that can be used again after an exhibition. We asked Team KOPPA about their thoughts.

Read More ::before ::after

d

2. No need to destroy it anymore /
The story of the Traveling KOPPA

We put it together ourselves, set it up, put it back, then travel together again. The Traveling KOPPA, our new display furniture came to be.

Read More ::before ::after

d

1.Meeting KOPPA /
The story of the Traveling KOPPA

KOPPA started out as a challenge: Tamotsu Ito, an architect from Japan, wanted to utilize leftover building materials. Our meeting was pure happenstance.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Our Sparks.
“That Spark Inside” by Simone Wolters

We had an internal art contest for our Social Initiatives. Let us share the existence of the spark in our team members’ hearts with their artworks.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Marketing lecture for future engineers

We gave a marketing lecture for students who are learning to be engineers at the National Institute of Technology Tokyo College.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Efforts by our sales member, who are responsible for a pen tablet until the very end

Every year, we take pen tablets that have been sitting in our warehouse and gift them to high school clubs and winners of high school art competitions to help students create digital contents.

Read More ::before ::after

s

For the Future of Education
Lifelong Ink x AI

"AI Ink for Education" was developed to capture eye movement information and pen movements while learning, in order to ascertain the characteristics of learning by each student and to create an educational environment suited to each student.

Read More ::before ::after

d

Wacom Intuos have been introduced in a school to make classes more fun and creative

Yoana Simeonova, a software designer working in Bulgaria, introduced Wacom Intuos in a school to make children's IT classes more fun.

Read More ::before ::after

Back to top
A+ A-
Support