Highlights
- Davilyn says that while she had a challenging childhood because of her racial background, she now feels proud of being both Filipino and Australian.
- She found her happiness in art.
- She consciously chooses to draw racially ambiguous and racially diverse characters to show that differences aren't just 'normal', they should be celebrated.
"I didn't have blonde hair or blue eyes. I was dogged for being different."
Growing up in the 1980s, dark-haired, dark-eyed Davilyn Lynch stood out in her white Victorian neighbourhood of Mitcham. Although she had a very western upbringing, there was no mistaking it - she looked different from everybody else.
A young Davilyn with her parents Source: Davilyn Lynch
I didn't fit the norm
"I'm embarrassed to say I was ashamed of being biracial. Growing up in the 80's was hard - people weren't as open-minded as they are now. I didn't fit the norm - my mum was a Filipina nurse from Leyte who met and married my dad a year after she arrived in Australia."
While her parents suspected that Davilyn didn't have the easiest time with her peers, they didn't know how bad it got at times.
"I grew up quiet and shy...so quiet my parents didn't know the extent to which I was bullied.
Davilyn was a quiet and shy child. Source: Davilyn Lynch
"When I was 11 years old, I was sent to school camp and my dad had lent me his Fuji camera to use. I was really excited to use it; but there was a group of boys that ganged up on me for 'looking like an Asian tourist'. They followed me around, saying ‘Ching Chong, Ching Ching’ using racist Asian accents. It was one of my most horrible childhood experiences as I was away from home and didn’t have my parents to turn to for support."
Painting a thousand words
While her parents were unable to support her during the incident, what they were able to support her with was her finding respite in the arts.
"My father taught graphic design in Swinburne and he was the one who got me interested in drawing," she shares.
Davilyn credits her father for getting her interested in art. Source: Davilyn Lynch
"Art became my happy place. It was my way of getting out of the loneliness I felt as a child. Even then, I would draw a lot of illustrations of children. I would also draw myself as if I were popular."
Although art became therapeutic for Davilyn, she initially didn't see it as a career. After her studies, she took on different jobs in retail. It was only five years ago when she decided to revisit her love for art.
"I hit a road block working in retail. When I shifted to art, it felt like I found myself again," she admits.
"I hit a road block working in retail. When I shifted to art, it felt like I found myself again." Source: Davilyn Lynch
Conscious diversity
Upon shifting to art, Davilyn started doing commissioned work and selling handmade greeting cards and artwork in markets. Later on, she was taken in by an art agency.
"I've been doing illustration for children's books in Europe. I worked on a children's book for Wombat Books here in Australia as well. I drew the child in that story as dark-skinned. His mum was white with red hair and his dad had dark skin as well.
"I opt to draw children who look mixed or different even if the story isn't about diversity or race. I want children to see themselves in the stories and for them to know that even if others look different, they go through the same things they do."
Davilyn opts to draw children as diverse, coming from different racial backgrounds. Source: Davilyn Lynch
Artwork by Davilyn Source: Davilyn Lynch
Davilyn and her husband, who writes children's books, are hoping to team up in the future to create more projects focused on diversity and acceptance.
Davilyn's illustration of her family Source: Davilyn Lynch
The gift of different
Now living in Tasmania, Davilyn admits that she still tends to stick out from the crowd because of her biraciality, but that she doesn't feel picked on or odd as she did as a child.
"I'm proud of my background. This is who I am and I celebrate this. Because I am who I am, I've become more open and empathetic as an artist and person.
"Because I am who I am, I've become more open and empathetic as an artist and person." Source: Davilyn Lynch
"My 2-year old son also doesn't have blonde hair or blue eyes. He also looks a bit mixed as I do. The world isn't perfect, but he's growing up in a more diverse, more accepting environment.
"He's getting to know his heritage on all sides and getting to understand that being multiracial is a plus."
"The world isn't perfect, but he's growing up in a more diverse, more accepting environment." Source: Davilyn Lynch
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