Alumni Profile: Danielle Cartier
Sonoma State Art Studio Alumna is Multifaceted
Professor, muralist, business owner and curator. These are some the many terms Sonoma State Art Studio alumna Danielle Cartier uses to describe herself. Danielle graduated from the BFA program in 2014. “When I was a student at SSU, I found my community in the Art Department. I would spend as much time as I could working in the studios and classrooms. I loved being surrounded by other makers and professors who challenged my practice and ideas. Having my very first studio at SSU taught me the importance of having a disciplined studio practice.”
Danielle waited a year after graduating from the BFA program to apply to graduate school so she could develop her portfolio and get through the process of applying to an MFA program. She applied to programs all over the country and settled on the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “When I was a student at SSU, I knew I wanted to continue making and learning about art. I simply felt like I had to keep going – the same way I do now! I admired many of my professors and older classmates at SSU who were going through MFA programs. Watching their path was inspiring to me. I saw graduate school as the next logical step for the development of my art career”.
Danielle is more than an artist, wearing many hats at once. Not only is she a visual artist, she also teaches art studio and art history courses to undergraduate art students, leads public projects and teaches mural skills in various communities. She manages her own art gallery curating local emerging and established artists work into the space and also runs youth and adult art classes and workshops from the gallery. She also participates in art exhibitions and lectures throughout the country. “Being an artist requires you to be extremely organized and manage your time well.”
Danielle describes being a business owner as exciting and challenging. “I have spent years learning how to transition my creative studio art practice into a successful business. There are unexpected challenges you must overcome always when you forge your own path. Being a female business owner is very similar to being a female artist. I am the secretary, the sales woman, the web designer, the creator, the publicist and the bookkeeper. As an artist I am familiar with adapting and learning new processes to achieve a goal.”
Danielle’s future hopes include having art students and young emerging artists work alongside her and to help young people find their way into their own careers within the arts. “I love the idea of being a creative mentor to others. I think this idea is so strong for me because of all the incredible teachers I have had throughout my life.”
What can current students take away from this? “The best advice I can give current students is to never stop being determined. Keep discovering. Study and learn from your role models and anyone you admire. Read all that you can about topics you are interested. Surround yourself with people that encourage and support your growth. And most importantly, always be independent. Never lose sight of your own agency and power as an individual. Stand up for yourself when you need to. Don’t let anyone or anything stop your shine.”
by Leigh McTaggart