Jamie Knowles ’10: Sculpting a Creative Career Across Art, Fashion and Media

Jamie Knowles ’10 took his very first art class as a sophomore at Davidson College. 

Today, he’s carved out his place at the intersection of art, business and culture, working as a marketing leader for independent media group DAZED and running his own brand, Roverlund. The creative problem-solving skills he learned at Davidson have carried him through a rapidly changing New York City creative scene — now, he wants to help create the same opportunities for today’s student artists. 

It all began in Professor of Art Emeritus Cort Savage’s sculpting class. 

It was outside of his comfort zone — Knowles came to campus interested in biomedical engineering — but Savage’s class transformed the direction of his life. By the time he graduated with a major in studio art, he’d taken every sculpting class the college had to offer. His work incorporated a little bit of everything: found objects, fabrics, literature and performance art. 

After Davidson, Knowles moved to New York City and began a life as a studio artist. His work featured in museums across the city, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, but he found himself increasingly interested in the business side of art. 

Wanting a closer look behind the scenes, he took a job with the marketing department at Sotheby’s, a corporation involved in the buying and selling of fine art pieces. From there, he landed in the world of fashion marketing at Vogue. 

“Every experience informs the next,” he said. “My art background and my work at Sotheby’s got me into Vogue, where I was learning about art and fashion through international partnerships and growing cultural spheres. So much was changing in NYC in the 2010s. Digital media was taking off, Instagram was just getting started and I had to rely on the creative problem solving skills I learned at Davidson to stay ahead of the changes.”

Outside of his sculpture classes at Davidson, Knowles enjoyed learning about art history from Professor of Art Emeritus Herb Jackson, who taught him the importance of being a business-minded artist. Now, he hopes to give the next generation of scholar-artists the knowledge and confidence they need to thrive in art careers after graduation. 

“As an alum, I’m really passionate about expanding the reach of Davidson’s arts programs,” he said. “Part of that is helping provide career pathways for student artists who don't know what they’re going to do. Sometimes, a connection is all you need to get started.”

These days, Knowles serves as Managing Director for DAZED, an independent media group whose content spans fashion, music, film and art across cultures. His second job is running his own business, Roverlund, which creates design-forward pet accessories – one of his pet carriers appeared twice on Oprah Winfrey’s Favorite Things gift guide.  

Knowles is also the current chair of the Davidson College Art Collection Advisory Committee (ACAC), which he first joined more than 12 years ago. Through his volunteer leadership, he helps collect art for the Van Every/Smith Galleries, bring prominent artists to campus, broaden the college’s art curriculum and put together special events for alums. 

An especially proud moment for Knowles was the dedication of With These Hands: A Memorial to the Enslaved and Exploited, which, he said, demonstrated the power of public art on campus. He hopes the college will continue to partner with artists like Hank Willis Thomas and invest in art that explores history and legacy. 

“I feel so lucky when I think about my arts education at Davidson,” he said. “Looking back, I don’t know where I’d be right now without my friends, my professors and my time in the studio. It’s a privilege to now help build that experience for today’s students.”