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Devon Lawrence is obsessed with drawing people. He gets the most practice when he hangs out with the Norfolk Drawing Group, artists who gather every Tuesday to draw and swap ideas. Occasionally, they camp out at Norfolk restaurants and bars to sketch customers. “It’s been an amazing experience,” he said. “It’s been a great place to meet people.” That’s how Link found him.

DEBUT WORK

Lawrence won his first contest in second grade at Dutrow Elementary in Newport News. He drew a San Francisco trolley. Back then, the Crayola 64-pack “with the sharpener in the back” was his favorite medium.

“From that point on, I didn’t want to do anything else,” he said. “I really liked the attention.”

Lawrence said his work helped him overcome his shyness in middle school. Drawing girls was his specialty. “It really impressed people. I don’t think I learned too much in middle school,” he said. “It caused a little problem with people’s boyfriends.”

LEARNING THE ART Lawrence studied art at Thomas Nelson Community College before enrolling in the graphic design program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The 2001 grad wanted to learn to illustrate books and magazines, but he wasn’t a big fan of school. “Most of my best work was done outside of class. I couldn’t handle academics and art.”

LOOKING FOR ART

After graduation, Lawrence packed his 1988 Toyota Camry and drove to Miami. He planned to spend a few months there before grad school at Savannah College of Art and Design. After five months, he ditched the grad school idea and moved back to Virginia to avoid more debt. He was hired to detail cars at a local Mercedes dealership. When that didn’t pay the bills, he picked up a pizza delivery gig. “I basically paid off all my debts that I earned from that whole Miami experience.”About four years ago, Lawrence decided to give grad school another shot. Before the semester started, he was diagnosed with Myositis.

LIVING WITH THE ILLNESS

Myositis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the muscles. “I couldn’t raise my arms over my head. I couldn’t walk up steps. I couldn’t rise out of bed. I was rolling out of bed to get up,” he said.

Since then, he has been a self-employed artist to allow time for treatment. He travels to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore at least once each month . “Once you get it, you’re stuck with it for life, but it can go into remission, so right now I’m focused on getting that into remission.”

The disease often hampers his creative process, he said. “It takes a lot of concentration to do what I do, and sometimes I’m in immense pain.”

SIGNATURE FIGURES Lawrence is known for his Crack Babies characters. He created the first one at Virginia Commonwealth University during an art class that he hated. Now, the figures represent the way he copes with his illness. “They’re a little broken and battered, but they’re still doing their thing. Some have a half a body. Some have no arms. They’re broken but not defeated. That’s how I feel about myself.”

Reach DeAnne M. Bradley at 222-3897 or deanne.bradley@link757.com.