ARTIST SNAPSHOT
Meet D.J. Svoboda
By Sharon Fuentes
While presenting at a recent
special needs conference, I had
the great pleasure of meeting
D.J. Svoboda. The moment I
heard his booming deep voice
say, “Welcome to my Imagiville, where everyone is welcome
and accepted for who they are,”
followed by “Have a great and
amazing and awesome day … every day,” I was
smitten with this gentleman. Then I saw the huge
smile behind the voice and his vibrant colorful
drawings and immediately became a fan!
D.J.’s story is unfortunately not all that uncommon. Growing up, D.J., who was diagnosed with
autism as well as a slew of other diagnoses at the
age of 3, was teased, bullied and called names by
his classmates who often didn’t understand his
challenges or differences. But D.J. took all those
negative experiences and created Imagiville, a safe place in his
imagination where everyone is
treated kindly. “Each Imagifriend
that I draw is different. They
come in many sizes, colors, and
designs. None of them are ever
mean or cruel. They each have
their own special job and purpose
in Imagiville. Every Imagifriend knows that as
long as they have a kind heart, it does not matter
what they look like,” D.J. says like a proud father
speaking of his own children. From Mupperezmo, a dragon-like creation who turns his head
upside-down to see the world from a different
point of view, to “The Shy Guy,” who is so shy
he wears a lampshade on his head, D.J.’s friends
jump off the page, spreading a message of hope
and inspiration and serve as a reminder that
those with special needs are perfect just the way
they are.
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Zoom Autism Through Many Lenses
D.J.’s artwork has been featured in numerous
publications and hangs in museums and on the
walls of corporations, organizations and private
homes. D.J. is the author and illustrator of three
books that star his beloved Imagifriends. You
can even commission D.J. to do a special mural
or an Imaginame where he will create an Imagifriend out of the letters of your name. D.J. is also
a dynamic motivational public speaker, traveling
around the United States, sharing his artwork, his
stories, his optimism and his anti-bullying message with all. And if all of that was not enough,
D.J. dreams of bringing his Imagiville world to
life one day via a TV show and Story app. We
have no doubt that it will happen too! To learn
more about D.J. Svoboda, the Imagifriends and
Imagiville, go to www.myimagiville.com.