Buying Local Podcast · July 17, 2026 · 36 min

How David Globerson Built a Career as a Full-Time Illustrator | Buying Local #83

Meet David F. Globerson, founder of DFG Illustration, as he shares how he built a full-time career creating custom pet portraits, fine art, brewery labels, children's book illustrations, and more. He also discusses the future of artists in an AI-driven world, why human-made artwork still matters, and how relationships helped grow his business in Upstate New York. Learn more about David and commission artwork at www.dfgillustration.com . 0:00 Introduction to David F. Globerson & DFG Illustration 0:43 Becoming a full-time commission illustrator 2:21 How pet portraits unexpectedly became a business 5:00 Creating meaningful artwork for clients 6:00 Gallery shows, original artwork & commissions 7:10 Building DFG Illustration during the pandemic 9:48 Dave's portrait painting process from photo to canvas 12:42 Improving the client experience through better systems 14:03 The pressure of delivering meaningful artwork 16:04 How long custom paintings actually take 18:22 Beer labels, children's books & saying yes to opportunities 21:51 Networking and growing through relationships 25:29 Why human-created art matters in the age of AI 32:48 The future of DFG Illustration 34:34 Where to find David and his artwork Follow Buying Local: Website: buyinglocal.us Facebook: facebook.com/BuyingLocalNY Instagram: instagram.com/BuyingLocalNY Twitter/X: x.com/BuyingLocalNY LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/buyinglocal/ #BuyingLocal #DFGIllustration #PetPortraits #Illustration #UpstateNY