We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniela Barbani a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Daniela, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am someone who tries to live her life without regrets. I believe that I’m right where I should be, and all of the decisions I have made have led me to this very point in my life and in my career. That being said, I also believe that happiness is fluid, especially when it comes to being creative. Many of us artists do what we do because we can’t imagine a life without making art. It’s a part of our being. Sometimes being an artist is amazing. Other times, it can be so frustrating. I think that anything you do that you love is going to have moments of happiness and moments of utter exasperation. There have been a few times where I have questioned the career path I’ve chosen…as an artist and as a teacher…but I ultimately can’t picture myself doing anything else. I love what I do. I love that I can incorporate my passion for animals and wildlife into my art. Even though this journey has been difficult in many ways, it is extremely rewarding. Not only do I get to make art, I also get to spread the joy of it through teaching. Seeing my students fully immerse themselves in their artistic practices is an incredible experience for me. I also get to use my art to help raise awareness and make a difference regarding animals.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I like to joke that I was born with a crayon in hand. Some of my earliest memories revolve around making art. Both sets of grandparents always had a box of crayons and pencils for me to use whenever they babysat me. Fortunately, I grew up with a family who saw the value of being creative and helped cultivate those skills in me. I always had a sketch book with me in school, and loved to draw my favorite things, like animals and cartoons. Because my mom taught elementary school, I always wanted to be a teacher so that I could be just like her. She would sometimes invite me to her class to do art lessons for her students. It wasn’t until I started college that I realized I could actually do art AND teach at the same time. So I started my journey on becoming a college art professor. I’ve been teaching as an adjunct professor for almost three years now, and it is only the beginning of my career. It has not been an easy road, but I am nothing if not determined!

In the midst of teaching, I also volunteer with a wildlife organization, CLAW-Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife, because I am extremely passionate about our local wildlife population. Almost 100% of the art that I make revolves around these animals and the struggles that they face. I’ve been with CLAW for seven years now, and it has been a wonderful experience being able to make a difference using my artwork. You can see examples of the activist artwork I have done on my website, danielabarbani.com.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I get to do what I love! Not many people can say the same. It’s not always rainbows and sunshine, but it is rewarding in so many ways. Not only do I get to express myself creatively through my practice, I am using those skills to teach the next generation of artists. Seeing my students fall in love with art is such a cool experience! Together, we are building a community of artists and creatives. In addition, I get to use my favorite method of art, printmaking, to be a voice for the voiceless. Printmaking allows me to make multiples of the same piece. This means that I can distribute the work in AND outside the gallery to help raise awareness for social issues, like urban wildlife.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Support doesn’t always have to be financial (though it is nice! Many of us are struggling!). It can be something as simple as liking an artist friend’s instagram post, or re-sharing (with their permission) their artwork. Word of mouth also goes a long way. Talking to other people and artists, mentioning your friends’ names to them, and sharing their work is a huge way to help support artists. The printmaking community is especially small. Many of us have created connections with each other because of mutual friends in common. I can’t tell you how many fun opportunities I have come across due to someone mentioning my name to someone else. Support is going to look different depending on each person, but I encourage everyone to see the value in what other artists are doing. If you can’t afford to buy a piece of art, that’s okay! Maybe someone else you know would be interested. Many artists have their own websites and Etsy pages where they sell their work. Don’t be afraid to take a look and share it with friends!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.danielabarbani.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/artinthemachine
• Other: Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/artinthemachine CLAW: www.clawonline.org @artinthemachine across many platforms.

Image Credits
Daniela Barbani