Deante “Deecor” Howard is a faith-driven artist born and raised in Kansas City, whose work blends bold storytelling with deep emotional resonance. Voted Kansas City’s Best Visual Artist in 2024, the US Times calls him “The Artist to the Stars,” due to his paintings have been collected by celebrities, pro athletes, and fans in over 17 countries. Through powerful, hand-painted portraits — especially of athletes — Deecor captures the spirit of perseverance, legacy, and the beauty of overcoming. His work is more than art — it’s a movement rooted in purpose, identity, and glorifying God through creativity and reflecting God’s greatness by performing his craft with excellent.

My childhood was divided between two passions: sports and art. However, at the tender age of 14, a spinal illness abruptly ended my athletic aspirations! God made a pivot, which I didn’t know at the time, steering my focus towards the world of art, and I honed my drawing skills during recovery. I never planned to be an artist because I was raised in an environment where success as an artist, especially for someone like me … a young black boy from the hood of Kansas City, seemed like an unattainable dream. So, art, while I loved it …was just a hobby. Yet, a chance encounter in 2020 with a successful artist who shared my background reignited that dormant passion. In 2021, I decided to give art a real shot and began selling his artwork on the side, while continuing my corporate job . To my delight, my artwork resonated with audiences, leading to commissions, media features, and recognition across borders. But beyond the accolades, my true motivation lies in spreading joy, inspiration, encourage and hope through my paintings. Every stroke is infused with a message of resilience and optimism. This is why I continues to create art today. Howard

You can learn more and see Howard’s work at his website www.deecor.design and follow him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/howard.d.artist