Danielle Petti is an MFA Candidate at Western University, currently based in both Waterloo and London, Ontario. Danielle has a BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University (2012). She has worked as a photographer for over 10 years in Toronto, Turin, and Waterloo. As an artist, she is cross-disciplinary, drawing from experience in photography, painting, printmaking, several crafts, and folk arts. She has received several awards from Canada Council for the Arts and Region of Waterloo Arts Fund. She has exhibited in galleries and artist-run centres in Waterloo, Toronto, and London, Ontario. Danielle aims to create responsibly and sustainably; by resourcefully sourcing material from the recycling bin and by foraging for bits of earth both globally and locally, on the traditional territories of Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Neutral peoples.
Danielle Petti
As Guest Curator at Minds Eye Studio Art Gallery and Yoga Studio, I am pleased to welcome Danielle back to the gallery for her exhibition Bodies. You can read about ORIGINS, Danielle’s first exhibition at the gallery, here.
Artist statement:
Bodies is an art exhibition of small and large scale paintings on repurposed canvas that blend the sublime nature of celestial bodies with the earthen beauty of geological formations. Using both foraged earth pigments and traditional oil paints, I wanted to capture the essence of space rocks (like us) and their storied journeys. Many of the artworks are rich with the robust hue of red ochre, as a homage to human beginnings and timeless art made with dirt. By weaving together the past, present, and future, I invite viewers to reflect on the mysteries of space as both a connection to us and a future frontier, to question our role in the broader environmental narrative, and to urge us to boldly envision our path forward. This exhibition is a call to both remember and reimagine our place within the universe, at this pivotal moment of rapid change and profound reflection. I’d like to thank the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund for their support in making this body of work.
Bodies runs until May 26th. Private viewings are available and the artist reception will be held on Friday, May 24th at 154 Victoria St. S. Studio#7, Kitchener at 7:30 pm.
“In a way, the earthen rocks connect us with all other celestial bodies.”
Since the ORIGINS exhibition in the summer of 2022, you’ve been on artist retreats, and you recently completed the first year of your MFA. How have these experiences changed your art practice?
They've changed my practice a great deal! On my residency at Joya Arte y Ecologia in Spain, I brought only a paintbrush, I used the land to find surfaces to paint on and to make paint with. It elevated my resourcefulness when creating and it was really great responding to the landscape in that way. I really hope to do it again! This first year working towards my MFA has led me to have a strong critical eye on my practice. It's an excellent supportive environment that is allowing me to grow as an artist in ways that I'm not even aware of yet.
During our communication leading up to this exhibition you mentioned that you were inspired by last month’s solar eclipse. Can you tell me a little more about how that experience contributed to this body of work?
It started with my fascination with the foraged red ochre I used in my studio. This ochre colour is prominent throughout the body of work and prompted contemplation about rocks on other planets. In a way, the earthen rocks connect us with all other celestial bodies. The eclipse happened when I was part-way through making this work. It was the manifestation of that earth-space connection I try to make viewers feel. I definitely thought about it very frequently when creating the rest of the paintings.
In your last interview for Culture Fancier, I asked about your dream project. Two years later, is it still a collaboration with a geologist or climate scientist that would help inspire a sense of love and respect for our planet via visual art, while being in dialogue with facts and solutions?
The great thing about studying at a university setting is having access to great geological science facilities and the generous help of other grad students! I'm currently analysing my foraged pigments at an Earth Science lab, and I'm excited about how it can inform my art practice. I often find that scientific information is just as poetic as art.
What do you think is one thing we can all do to question our role in the broader environmental narrative, and to remember and reimagine our place within the universe?
I generally hope to invoke deep respect for nature and motivate a commitment to more sustainable living practices. But more than those small steps, Bodies is about belonging. We are space rocks. To me, realizing this helps us to visualize and forge a path forward. It's hard to find a balance between looking forward (space exploration) and looking back (at our home planet which needs restoration). Inspiring minds to engage with art, space, or astronomy can be transformative. Introducing children (and adults with child-like curiosity like myself) to the wonders of the universe through stargazing and art-gazing can ignite a lifelong passion for science and exploration. I think this would encourage a broader understanding of our place in the cosmos, the environmental challenges Earth faces, and would cultivate a sense of stewardship for our planet by highlighting its uniqueness and vulnerability in the vast universe.
Follow Danielle on Instagram.
Interview by Glodeane Brown
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