It is a warm Tuesday morning at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market. There is a smell of freshly baked goods wafting through the air. Colorful, bright stickers, prints, and pins are laid out on display for passing customers. A stand filled with cat pictures sits next to a table covered with stickers, each with a different design. Dandy Knopf (they/them), the owner of Deviant Kreations, is the one behind it all.
Deviant Kreations is a queer-owned and neurodivergent business that sells art. They started selling their work during the pandemic as a way to provide for themselves and to use as a creative outlet. “It also gave us an opportunity to pursue our passion and to create for others,” said Knopf. The business also creates a space where other artists can sell their artwork as well. Knopf’s favorite part of owning a small business is being able to create. “The actual business side of it I enjoy, but I get lost in the creation,” Knopf said. Knopf’s favorite product to make are the stickers. Each sticker takes about two to five hours to design. They have more than 150 interesting designs. Deviant Kreations also has an online shop and does pop-up shops across Virginia.
Knopf is a self-taught entrepreneur and their business has steadily grown and is successful. However, being self taught wasn’t all easy and there were some learning curves. “I’m self-taught so there’s been a lot of difficult and expensive mistakes that have been [made] along the way,” Knopf said. They had to learn how to figure out taxation and how to best price their products so that they can still afford to continue to grow. “Those have been some of the most challenging aspects of it,” Knopf said. “But ultimately, it’s been a rewarding and humbling experience.”
Being neurodivergent, art has helped Knopf in lots of ways. “It helps me express myself where words don’t always allow. It allows me to connect better with people,” Knopf said. They love seeing people light up when they look at the whimsical art and designs. Being a queer artist, people can feel representation or have a safe space to express themselves when viewing Knopf’s art. Deviant Kreations is also partnered with the Friendly City Safe Space, an organization made to support LGBTQ+ people and aspiring allies by giving them accessibility to education, resources and necessities. The business donates a percentage of their sales to the organization to help them grow and provide safe spaces for others in the LGBTQIA+ community. Once a month, Deviant Kreations will let Instagram and TikTok followers choose an organization where the organization can donate a portion of their profits.
Dandy Knopf is a great role model for people who are also neurodivergent and the LGBTQIA+ community. They prove that, even if you feel you may have limitations, you can overcome them and do anything you want to.
