Interview

Written By Adelé Kotzé

Danielle Thompson

Danielle Rossana Thompson has had a passion for visual art her entire life. She is a Jamaican-American who was born and raised in the city of Kingston in the Parish of St. Andrew, Jamaica. She is a family-oriented person who loves nature and all the intricacies these elements add to life. The majority of the concepts behind her work came from drawing experiences from her childhood in Jamaica and the experience of becoming an adult as an immigrant in the US. She loves the royal blues and emerald greens of the Caribbean Sea and the dark red and orange hues of the sunset over the hills such as at Stony Hill, Cherry Gardens or Jacks Hill in Kingston, Jamaica. She hopes to have her audience feel what she was feeling and experienced with the use of her art. Her favorite medium is pencil and charcoal but she also enjoys using chalk pastels, acrylics and oil paint. She doesn’t feel like she truly fits into one particular style of art but if she had to choose one that would best describe her work, she would say it’s expressionism. She draws inspiration from the people she loves, some of whom she has lost, and their favorite sceneries. She also draws inspiration from the Caribbean culture and this is why she has chosen the name Karibiese, which means Caribbean in Afrikaans, to name her collection. She hopes the viewers feel the warmth and nostalgia in her pieces. She also hopes that the viewers will carry a piece of the Caribbean and a piece of her with them when they invest in her work.

 

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica to two loving parents who always encouraged me to pursue the things I love and my passions. Creativity and craftiness was something that was present in both sides of my family. My paternal grandfather was a carpenter, I have several cousins that paint and make crafts from repurposed materials, I have an uncle that does woodworking and my brother did leather crafts. I benefitted greatly from the support I've received from my parents and from feeding off the creativity of my family members. Jamaican people on a whole are very creative. Art was everywhere I went growing up. I was used to seeing many murals, graffiti, roadside vendors of ceramics, hand-made jewelry and ornaments and woodcrafts. This exposure and seeing these works molded me and helped to cement my love of art. My work contains a lot of references to these elements of my memories of growing up in Jamaica. I was also encouraged by my art teachers in Prepatory (Grade) School to pursue art competitions and try new styles of art. Because of that I was compelled to keep practicing drawing and hone my skills.”

What inspires you?

“The colours of the Caribbean, the people of Jamaica, Jamaican food and music and my family inspire my style of art and what I choose to paint. I lived in the States for 15 years before deciding to move back to Jamaica back in March of 2022. During my time living in the US, I continued drawing but I did so sporadically as I was feeling creatively blocked. I felt confined to a set routine and felt stuck in an endless cycle of just living. I moved back to Jamaica because of major life changes. My brother in Jamaica had fallen ill with a relapse of colon cancer and I wanted to be near him during his treatment. Soon after his passing in July, my family arrangement had changed. The stress of these sudden changes and the grief of losing two people that I loved pushed me out of my comfort zone and inspired me to create so that I could process everything that was being thrown at me. The first manifestation of this was the painted portrait I did of my brother which I made for his funeral. I had painted once or twice before but this painting marked the start of many more to come and a new way of life. So I guess what inspires me is the need to process my emotions in a healthy way, connect with others that may feel the same and the innate need I have to create in order to feel fulfilled and accept my purpose.”

“What inspires me is the need to process my emotions in a healthy way, connect with others that may feel the same and the innate need I have to create in order to feel fulfilled and accept my purpose.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“I pursue themes such as portraits of women, especially women of African descent and I try to capture human emotions as I portray these women. I like to draw and paint flowers and sceneries that are native to or more likely to be seen in Jamaica. I also try to capture my emotions in my acrylic pouring pieces. The message in my work is that there is beauty in your culture and heritage. The Jamaican culture is strongly influenced by West African culture due to the fact that the majority of the population is of West African descent. Because of this, this part of my ancestry is the part that I connect with the most. I strive to portray the beautiful and colorful nature of Jamaica's people and their way of life and I strive to capture the beauty of the Caribbean. Another message in my work is that everything won't always be ok, and that is okay. We have to allow ourselves to feel and get to know ourselves, even the parts that are hurt or need work. We need to find a way to identify these emotions, thoughts and ideas and work with them to create something beautiful and authentic to us. This could be in the form of taking risks to try new things and get out of our comfort zones or personal growth and self-acceptance.”

How would you describe your work?

“In technical terms, my body of work mainly consists of acrylic paintings and acrylic pouring pieces. I also have works done in pencil and or charcoal. I would describe my work as vibrant, messy, calculated and yet unplanned just like me. It can be light and uplifting and yet it can also be dark and melancholy. It's whatever I feel when I was feeling it. It's the stress that I've held inside which bubbles out in frustration when I can't find the words to express myself or the relaxation I feel when I can take a breath of fresh air in the morning if I'm able to get up early enough to drink a cup of tea in the backyard with the birds chirping before my work begins.”

Which artists influence you most?

“I don't believe that there is any one artist that influences me. I definitely learn from every artist I come across and every creative work that I see. Since moving back to Jamaica, I've had the privilege of meeting many talented individuals such as Alphanso Blake, Peter Peart, Lennox Coke, Claud Hoilett and Paul Blackwood. These artists have been in the game for a long time and I have been coached by them either by word or by examining their art styles. I started a YouTube channel back in Novemeber of 2022 dedicated to showcasing my art and some of the amazing artists and artisans I have met at local craft fairs and art shows. What I love the most about covering these shows is that I get to show others a little bit of what inspires me to keep going and maybe some of these pieces that I showcase may influence and inspire others too.”

 What is your creative process like?

“My creative process consists of taking picture of things I find beautiful or interesting, whether it is a physical picture or a mental picture. When I see things or people that intrigue me I start to think about all the different creative concepts I can come up with and different ways I could express what those images make me feel. Sometimes I write down those ideas and sometimes I just keep them in my mind where those ideas continue to evolve or become forgotten until something jogs my memory on that idea. I then try to execute these ideas on canvas or on paper depending on if I use paint or dry mediums. I try to adhere to the original plan but I do allow myself to be fluid and give myself creative freedom to deviate as I see fit during the process. I make sure to cover the ground I'm working on with a tarp at least 12 feet in length because I do get and do like to get messy.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“An artist's role in society has always been to show others how creative human beings can be and that we each have an innate desire to create and to be understood. Artists strive to make sense of human emotions and to portray various events relevant to our current times or times of the past. Artists can either provide an oasis from the world or force viewers of art to face a certain reality which may or may not have been ignored by viewers. Artists set trends and assist with the progression and elevation of thought and consciousness. Artists should advocate for free thought done responsibly and with an educated mind. Artists will also have to advocate for themselves and other creatives to limit infringement from AI art, which is derived from compiling artwork and art styles from various artists.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“Since I'm at the beginning of my professional art career, I have not had any exhibitions. I've been focused on growing my collection, networking and planning a strategy of where and when I wish to exhibit my art. I have shown my pieces at the "Orchid Reawakening" Flower Show put on by the Jamaican Orchid Society back in April. I will be showing my work at the Liguanea Art Festival on the 25th of June and I plan on doing a few exhibitions later in the year. Details will be announced later on my social platforms.”

 
Adelé Kotzé
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