Danielle Fisher

Danielle Fisher was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Growing up she spent most of her time in Cedar Rapids, but has also lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Danielle is currently a BFA student at the University of Iowa. She works primarily in painting, and sculpture. 

How did you create or remain creative during quarantine?

During quarantine I used creativity as a way to avoid being bored. Previously I had been a very busy full-time student, the sudden abundance of time allowed me to work more freely. I was able to make art without juggling deadlines. During quarantine I found out that my ex-partner had passed away. This same abundance of time left me with a lot of time to create, a lot of time to grieve, and fortunately I was able to do both simultaneously.

What if anything changed about your work or how you work? 

One thing I missed during quarantine was the consistent critiques I was getting as an art student. The thing about having to create solely in my apartment, as opposed to my studio, was that it’s just me in my apartment. At times I found myself questioning the work I was doing but, this time I did not have access to other artists to help me find the answers. For the first time I was the only person providing myself answers and feedback. Because these paintings are part of an ongoing series of works where I examine and document the grief I felt over the loss of my ex-partner I decided to focus on and accept what I created out of the grief with as little judgment as possible. I simply wanted these paintings to represent the grieving process, how consuming, chaotic and heavy it was for me.

What, if anything, about you as an artist or person changed after experiencing quarantine?

Being in quarantine forced me to try and heal from the death of my ex. In a way it also allowed me and my ex-partner to create a new relationship through her death and through the art. I believe grief always gives us an opportunity to heal, but being in quarantine provided me with unique circumstances that allowed me to experience the grieving process mostly through art, and create a new relationship with her. I was able to make these paintings in real time, I was experiencing the grief and painting it as it happened. I had no idea where I was going to land. I am extremely thankful to have reconciled our relationship, her addictions, and her death in a way that probably couldn’t have happened if she was alive.  ​