A costume designer is a blend of both artistic and practical skills; Devon Painter analyzes plays, psychoanalyzes characters, researches periods and events, and uses visuals and inspirations, to develop a visual community in which to tell the story. This requires flexibility to explore all manner of choices to arrive at a completed design in a timely, affordable manner. She organizes her artistic ventures with a practical, calm and inspirational hand to motivate both a cast and a costume shop to invest in her vision. Painter's aim is to develop the best show possible within both budgetary and workload constraints. She helps an actor discover a character, supports an actors’ choices, as well as helps the costume shop stay in budget, and effectively move the show through the shop in the designated time slot. After earning her MFA at the University of Texas at Austin, she worked in regional theaters as a draper, dyer-painter, and a first hand and design assistant. Painter moved to New York in 1998 and began her freelance career as a costume design assistant to many award-winning costume designers, including Desmond Heeley, Jess Goldstein, Susan Hilferty, Paul Tazewell, and Andreane Neofitou on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in television and in opera. She now designs at major regional theaters across the country, including the Guthrie Theatre, The Denver Center, Geva Theater Center, Indiana Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and American Players Theatre.
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