We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danielle Festa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Danielle, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I draw my resilience from the example of others who have navigated life’s challenges. Even though our experiences are so different, I see that despite being dealt some of life’s most unfair hands, the individuals I’ve painted have found the strength to transform pain into healing. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I readied myself for battle with my brush in hand. I had fewer than two months until my exhibition, and two incredible humans left to paint. I was grateful to have the opportunity to get out of my own head. When I was working on their portraits, listening to their playlists, I was with their strength and courage, and far away from the reality of enduring chemotherapy and the long road ahead.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I began painting the empowerment I saw arise from my cousin after she disclosed the intrafamilial abuse she experienced as a child. I was in awe of the strength radiating from her and needed to capture that in a portrait. Since then, I have had the honor of painting 24 trauma survivors who felt ready to honor the resilience they have found within themselves through a contemporary art piece. Forming a nonprofit has ensured every survivor ends up with their portrait on their wall as a reminder of their own strength. We have also expanded to bring a community together with the healing power of art in the form of take-home art kits, hybrid workshops, an online platform, and an art cafe that invites visitors to sit down and create something. We have a restoration room, resident artists, and a space to unlock dormant creativity. We want to meet people wherever they are on their healing journey and break down the barriers that are so often associated with trauma survival. We would love to invite your audience to participate in our events online or visit our space if they are near Dover, NH. Donations to the project are also appreciated, as they help ensure more survivors have access to the healing power of art.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Listen, slow down, and be kind to yourself.
Listen to others, really listen. It is so important to be fully present with those who are trusting you with their truth.
Slow down and remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. We can miss important opportunities if we rush.
Be kind to yourself. Often, we can be our harshest critics. Ask yourself, “Would I be so critical of someone I care deeply about?” Care deeply for yourself in that way.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I had a professor at UMASS Amherst, Richard Yarde, who really shaped me as an artist formally and conceptually. He told us that the most influential artists were passionate about what they were painting. People want to see the unique emotional connection you have to your work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theaplombproject.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/theaplombproject
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaplombproject
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theaplombproject
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theaplombproject
Image Credits
Photos by Sun Spirit Photography and Danielle Festa.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
