Artist’s Name: Danielle Boodoo-Fortune

Artist’s Age: 37

Artform: Painting & Poetry

Why do you do what you do? When did you realize a passion for what you do? 

I’ve always made art because I need to. It was never something I consciously decided to do, but a need that just was always there, from early childhood. I’ve been writing and painting since I could hold a pencil. I recognize now that I create art in order to say what I ordinarily could not. I believe deeply in the importance of stories. I try to share stories in my own way through my work.

What is your educational background? 

I have a background in Literatures in English and studied at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. I was also a teacher for several years.

What are some of the challenges that you have faced while trying to pursue your passion?

The decision to pursue art as a full-time profession was an incredibly difficult one. My family was concerned and had doubts about whether it would even be a viable career option. On paper, it didn’t seem like a decision that made sense at all on a surface level, but I felt strongly at the time like something that spirit was leading me to do. I’ve been a full-time artist for over a decade now, and have never once regretted it.

HAVE you encountered people who have been skeptical about your dreams?

Yes! The most concern definitely came from family and friends.

how did you initially react to those people and how do you act towards them now?

The journey has always been entirely my own. Not everyone can hear the calling in the heart.

Out of all your work, which piece resonates the most with you?

This is always a very hard question! At the moment, a 2021 painting called “Rebirth of the Daughter”.

How do you work? What is the method to your ‘madness’ and how do you filter your creativity?

I used to wait for inspiration to strike and to work in alignment with that sometimes unpredictable flow. The currents of life have changed over the years, and now I’ve learned not to wait for inspiration, but to harness some of that energy and tap into it in a more methodological way. I work outdoors a lot of the time, under a flowering tree. 

What role do you believe “the artist” has in society? / How do you feel your artform has the power to benefit society?

The artist fulfills many roles in society, many of which we don’t see. For me, the role I consider most important is that of the keeper of memories, both personal and collective, the teller of small, seemingly unimportant stories. The artist shows us ourselves and shows us the things that aren’t always easy to see. The artist lifts the veil a little and allows us a glimpse beyond our daily lives.

Where do you see yourself going?

Wherever the path leads.

By what terms do you measure success or perfection? When do you feel like you can say that your work is finished and ready to be experienced by others?

A sense of wholeness. I am always learning to trust my instinct on this, and not to doubt, overwork, or take the piece too far. But the sense of balance or wholeness that resonates from it is what tells me that it is ready.

“The role [of the artist that] I consider most important is that [they are] the keeper of memories, both personal and collective, the teller of small, seemingly unimportant stories..”

~ Danielle Boodoo-Fortune