Interview
DaNice D Marshall
DaNice (pronounced Duh-NYSE) is a Boston-based artist in the United States, who pivoted and transitioned away from writing to painting after a serious illness in 2016.
Her storytelling prowess can be seen in her Black portraiture art, where she captures ordinary, every day moments of joy and laughter. There is a familiar thread, the human story and a reminder that we are more alike than we are different.
DaNice is a self-taught artist. She has had her work exhibited in spaces like the Piano Craft Gallery in Boston, The Contemporary at Northern Waters in Upper Peninsula, Michigan and Msanii Hous Fine Art Gallery in Texas.
In 2021, her painting “Free Knowledge Must Bring Your Own Container” was a solo billboard installation for Boston’s Billboard Hope, where she was named “Breakout Artist”.
In 2022, she had her National debut solo art exhibition, when 14 of her paintings were featured in the opening scene of episode 4 of “Naomi” the newest superhero from the DC comic-verse. (The TV show airs on The CW Network and streams on the app. )
Her whirlwind schedule continues with upcoming in-person exhibitions of her artwork in Newton and displays on digital billboards in multiple locations in Boston.
We’re grateful to her, for taking a moment to sit down with us, to be interviewed.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I was born to be a writer, in that way I’ve always been creative. But in 2016 there was a pivotal change and my visual arts journey began. That’s when I started painting abstracts and then, gradually over time these evolved into the Black Portraiture Art that I make today. As you can see, I now paint to tell my stories!”
What inspires you most?
“Patterns. I see patterns in everything and everywhere.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“People laughing! I’m very intentional with my message - which is that people are more alike than we are different, we all laugh and we all want to be loved.”
How would you describe your work?
“Black Portraiture Art. My work depicts people doing everyday activities.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Not so much influenced, as I am inspired by the body of work that Norman Rockwell and Aaron Douglass achieved.”
What is your creative process like?
“I wake up knowing what I must do: I must paint. It keeps my disease in check. So I play jazz and I either begin a new painting, while working on two others, or I will complete one and immediately start another.
In the six years that I’ve been painting, I’ve completed nearly 200 paintings. I only paint something once, never twice. In that way the painting is unique. There is no duplicate in the world. For a theme, I might do a series of two or three, but the work itself will always differ.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist represents everything good in society. Bringing hope and purposefulness to people is essential to the human experience. Creatives like myself must exist! We generate compassion and empathy through our work, and we help people feel things, which is so very important in society. In the worst of times, it’s always the artist who gives the world hope and adds purpose to life.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“In February 2022, my art was featured on “Naomi”Ava DuVernay’s television show. In the opening scene of episode 4 is my solo art exhibition. Fourteen of my paintings! The show aired on The CW Network on prime time and was streaming on the app. It was surreal, like a beautiful dream. You can watch the opening scenes on my website.
Another thing that I’m extremely proud of is when my art was selected in 2021 for a solo exhibition for display on a billboard. To see my painting- ‘Free Knowledge Must Bring Your Own Container’, on top of a building was awesome! ‘Billboard Hope’ exhibition was displayed for a month in Boston, MA.”
