Making Honest Art in a Weird World: Creativity, Vulnerability, and Queer Storytelling with Davis G. See
One of my favourite things about hosting this podcast is getting to talk to people who are building entire worlds out of their imagination.
And this week’s guest does exactly that.
Davis G. See is a writer and independent game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. He writes fiction, essays, and narrative games that explore the messy, complicated, and sometimes uncomfortable sides of being human.
His newest project, Desert of Ash, is a post-apocalyptic visual novel that explores survival, intimacy, and connection in a world that’s quite literally falling apart.
Which, honestly… feels a little on the nose right now.
But what makes Davis’ work interesting isn’t just the setting.
It’s the questions he asks about human relationships inside that world.
Survival Isn’t Just About Food and Water
In most post-apocalyptic stories, survival usually means the basics.
Food.
Water.
Shelter.
You know — the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs starter pack.
But Davis wanted to push that idea further.
Because in real life, humans don’t suddenly stop needing connection just because things get difficult. Intimacy, companionship, and relationships still matter — even when survival is on the line.
That idea became one of the central themes of Desert of Ash.
What happens to desire?
To identity?
To relationships?
When everything else is stripped away.
It’s a perspective that adds a layer of humanity you don’t always see in stories about the end of the world.
Making Queer Art Right Now
Another thread that runs through our conversation is the reality of creating queer art in the current cultural moment.
Davis started developing Desert of Ash several years ago, during a time when conversations about representation felt like they were moving forward.
But as we’ve all seen over the last few years, the cultural landscape around queer media has shifted in complicated ways.
For Davis, though, the answer was pretty simple:
Make the work anyway.
Because if you’re going to face criticism or resistance regardless, you might as well make something that actually says what you want it to say.
The Quiet Reality of Independent Creativity
One of the moments in our conversation that really stuck with me was Davis describing what it feels like to release a creative project as an independent artist.
There’s no big team.
No office celebration.
No dramatic moment.
You basically hit “publish”… and then sit there wondering if anyone out there will notice.
Eventually, though, the feedback starts to trickle in — someone plays the game, someone leaves a comment, someone says they connected with the story.
And those small moments?
They’re often enough to keep you going.
The Power of Being Honest in Your Work
One of the things Davis said during the conversation that really stuck with me is that all of his work, even when it’s fictional, contains pieces of himself.
Every story reveals something about the person who created it.
And when you look at a body of work as a whole, those pieces start to form a much bigger picture.
For Davis, that openness — that willingness to be vulnerable through his work — is becoming a defining part of his creative identity.
And honestly?
That’s kind of what great art does.
It reveals something real.
Creativity, ADHD, and the Human Side of Productivity
We also got into a topic I’ve discussed with many guests on this podcast: ADHD and creative work.
For Davis, receiving a diagnosis helped shift how he understood his relationship with productivity and creative momentum.
What once felt like laziness or failure turned out to be something he could actually understand and manage.
And that shift created space for a healthier creative process — one that includes patience, reflection, and occasionally just giving yourself permission to take a break.
Which, let’s be honest, a lot of creatives struggle with.
Final Thoughts
At its core, this conversation is really about something simple:
Honesty in creative work.
Davis’ approach to storytelling — whether it’s through writing, games, or speculative fiction — is rooted in the idea that meaningful art comes from putting real pieces of yourself into what you create.
Even when that feels uncomfortable.
Even when it’s vulnerable.
And especially when it’s a little gay.
Because the stories that resonate the most are usually the ones that come from the most honest places.
Listen / Watch the Full Episode
You can listen to this episode of GRAFIK CONTENT featuring Davis G. See on:
👉 YouTube
👉 Spotify
👉 Apple Pods
Connect with Davis + Play Desert of Ash
