Biography

Dion J. Pollard

Known as DionJa’Y · Washington, D.C. → Oxon Hill, Maryland

“I paint pieces that evoke emotion, spirituality and love.”

Dion J. Pollard, also known as DionJa’Y, was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in poverty. He recalls times when he and his brothers searched for food in trash bins, as meals were often scarce at home. Attending school with holes in his clothing made him a target for teasing, yet even in hardship, his artistic gift remained a constant source of hope.

DionJa’Y began drawing at seven, and at thirteen — inspired by his brother’s comic book drawings — seriously developed his skills, quickly advancing from reproducing images to creating highly detailed original work from his imagination.

Starting with pencil, he expanded into acrylic and oil paint, pastels, ink, watercolor and digital painting, drawn to the rich texture of oils and acrylics, the spontaneity of watercolor and ink, and the raw expressiveness of pencil and pastel — later extending his exploration into three-dimensional, mixed-media work.

He now frequently exhibits at curated events and is a resident artist at Arts’tination Gallery at National Harbor, Maryland. His work is held in the private collections of journalist Roland Martin and Jacquie Hood Martin, Jazz-Pop artist Peta Belasco, and musician Tracie Braxton, among collectors throughout the United States and internationally.

A Brief Timeline