Meet Ren Dobson

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ren Dobson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ren, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Honestly, I never imagined myself doing anything else. I’ve been making art since I was practically in the womb. From a very young age, I was encouraged by my family to put my energy into the things that interested me, and I have always gravitated towards anything that allowed me to express myself creatively. If my family had not been so supportive, im not sure if I would have been able to pursue art as seriously as I do now.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I make 3d printed wearables. I’ve been working in 3d modeling software for about a decade now. I bought a 3d printer to make jewelry in 2022, but I quickly realized I wanted to make much bigger pieces. That’s when I changed my focus to much bigger things like headpieces and even body armor.

Being an artist is very hard, and there were many times when I thought I would have to give this dream up. If im being honest, I think the only reason I was able to reach the success I have today was because of my parents. They provided me with a roof over my head and food to eat until I was 25. Being able to remove the stressors of basic expenses allowed me to sink 40+ hours a week into my craft. Talent is definitely a huge factor in what makes someone successful, but I believe it’s important to recognize that I would be nowhere without the privileges and tools my parents provided me. I was raised in a very hard-working immigrant household that taught me that if I want anything in this world, I have to fight for it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my Friend were visiting, I would want to show them the many queer establishments located on Cedar Springs, like Sue Ellen’s and Round Up. The Drag scene in Dallas is Incredible, diverse, and Creative. I think a lot of people who aren’t from Texas think that queer people can’t thrive here. If someone were visiting me, I would want to show them that even in Texas, queer people are still free, loud, and Bold.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Someone who has been extremely helpful and supportive has been my partner, Aika. I swear they have more faith in my abilities than I do. Whenever I need someone to help me with parts of a project or even just some moral support, I know Aika will be there for me.

Website: https://darrencdobson.wixsite.com/rensportfolio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renbot.obj/?hl=en