We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anne Plaisance. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anne below.

Anne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Hi, thank you for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to share what is important to me. My brush is my sword: my artistic tools are my arsenal; I strive to infuse meaning into my projects. Among them, “Badrooms” tackles the taboo of child sexual abuse, while “Wonder Women Now” pioneers an innovative art project, fostering hope and empowerment in women. “Born to” serves as a visual chronicle of a woman’s journey, and “Please tell her that I love her” delves into abstract expressionism, exploring the impact of depression countered by the force of love.

Art is my chosen dialect, spoken through painting, photography, installations, and curation.

The genesis of “Please tell her that I love her” arose amidst personal turmoil – a time when my youngest daughter battled depression and faced suicidal thoughts. I couldn’t create figurative art or portraits anymore; everything felt bleak, a constant reminder of my fear of losing her. I yearned for something different, vibrant, focused solely on colors, composition, and playfulness, devoid of overt meaning initially. It became a lifeline, a buoy to stay afloat and support my family.

The inception of “Wonder Women Now” stemmed from my work in a shelter in Cambridge, Massachusetts, aiding women who were victims of domestic violence. Spanning five years, it began with portraits of renowned women who had experienced homelessness, leading to art workshops at the Transition House shelter in Cambridge. This culminated in an exhibition at the French Library in Boston. Eventually, it evolved into a photographic endeavor celebrating the resilience of women affected by domestic violence.

During the two years of the pandemic, I dedicated myself to crafting an international exhibition in the form of a symbolic house, “Wonder Women Now,” presented in 2022 and 2023 in Cambridge, earning notable recognition with an article in the Boston Globe. Currently, I’m tirelessly working on a Wonder Women Now Tour, set to travel in an Airstream. It promises to be an undertaking of both hard work and immense joy.

Anne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been fortunate to exhibit my paintings in various countries, totaling over 100 exhibitions to date. This journey has been adorned with awards, scholarships, and enriching experiences at artist residencies in places like Vermont in the United States, Japan, and Austria.

Creating impactful art that resonates with me has been a source of pride. Each piece serves as a profound lesson about the world, fostering connections with others on a deeper and more authentic level. For me, art is an outlet—a channel to express frustration against injustices, pay homage to revered artists, and an unlimited opportunity for exploration in techniques, formats, subjects, and means. While in the creative process, I embody the roles of an explorer, a child, a philosopher, and even a hero from the Justice League; painting, in particular, is akin to meditation, a practice I wholeheartedly adore.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My passion lies in empowering women.

Engaging with survivors and undertaking the Wonder Women Now project provided me with insights into my own life, revealing the various forms of violence I had endured—verbal, psychological, and manipulative techniques like gaslighting, projection, and future faking, of which I was unaware.

Consequently, in November 2020, during the covid lockdown, I made the difficult decision to flee my husband, seeking refuge with my children. It was a time of profound fear and terror.

Art became my salvation, quite literally. Initially shrouded in immense shame for allowing such abuse to happen despite my intelligence and education,

I realized the insidious and destructive nature of abuse, silently eroding one’s soul and essence.

During a seminar at the French Library in Boston themed “Art makes the invisible visible,” in November 2022, I resolved to share my story. The shame needed to shift. Talking openly about various forms of abuse and manipulation techniques enhances our ability to recognize and combat them.

Education and societal awareness play pivotal roles. This journey has transformed me into an “artivist”—blending art and activism.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The closure of my advertising agency due to the 2008 financial crisis propelled me into a period of introspection in 2009. I felt it was time to do something solely for myself without external pressure. Thus, I delved into art—an adoration that had remained unexplored beyond being an enthusiast and collector.

Between 2008 and 2010, my travels to Morocco and Bali focused on journaling, fostering a sense of revival within me. In 2009, guided by synchronicities, I enrolled at the Fine Arts Academy in Warsaw, bypassing the submission of a portfolio, opting instead to continue my personal journey.

This decision bore fruit. Today, my artistic career has been an enriching odyssey, introducing me to individuals who have left indelible marks, serving as sources of inspiration, and transformation. Through art, I discovered a new family—a remarkable avenue of expression continually pushing the boundaries of my preconceptions, mindset, cultural norms, societal structures, and education.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anneplaisance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anneplaisance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anne.plaisance
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theanneplaisance/
• Twitter: annepj

Image Credits
All artworks by Anne Plaisance some of the photographs are taken by Eris Buchati, Zoe Perry-Wood, Anna Oliveira, Christophe Herambourg.