Photo courtesy of Danielle Pagano

For Danielle Pagano, art is more than just a hobby. Art is an escape, an outlet to express her feelings and a way to connect with others. However, Pagano never viewed art as a way to make a livelihood for herself, that is, until recently. 

Pagano, an Oakland University junior majoring in computer science, has spent her college career making waves in the Metro Detroit art scene. This summer, two of Pagano’s pieces, “Hoarding Island” and “Duality,” were selected to be showcased at the Detroit Artists Market. 

Pagano’s “Hoarding Island,” which depicts a pile of various items on a kitchen countertop, invites the viewer to consider the paradoxical nature of maximalism. While some find clutter to be an eyesore, others find it comforting to be prepared for their uncertain future.

“Beyond its visual complexity, “Hoarding Island” aims to encapsulate the anxieties of late-stage capitalism — a period where leisure time is increasingly spent in the pursuit of consumption,” Pagano said. “The normalization of online shopping blurs the line between consumer and product, while trends shift as rapidly as the break of dawn.”

Katie Pfohl, curator of modern and contemporary art at the New Orleans Museum of Art, hand-selected Pangano’s “Hoarding Island” for Hot DAM!, an annual Detroit art exhibition.

“Facing a time of transformation in Detroit and beyond, [the exhibiting artists] yearn for change, seek solace and imagine new ways of being and belonging in a complicated world,” Pfohl said about the Hot DAM! exhibition.

Pagano’s pathway to success as an artist has been far from linear. In fact, she came close to giving up art altogether.

“I went to an International Baccalaureate school (International Academy of Macomb) for high school. While there, I was able to take a lot of art classes, and fell in love with painting,” Pagano said. “I got pretty good throughout the years. My manager saw my art and was impressed; he asked to commission a piece from me.”

It meant a lot to Pagano to commission a piece as it was her first experience having someone find monetary value in her artwork.

“I took over a year to complete my first commissioned piece. I experienced extreme feelings of self-doubt and put a lot of pressure on myself to make the piece perfect,” Pagano said. “I almost stopped painting because I could not handle the pressure. For some time, I went back to painting as just a hobby.”

Pagano began painting more seriously again as she faced numerous challenges in her personal life. She found painting as an effective way to channel her emotions.

“I went through a lot of big hardships in my personal life [throughout college] where painting became an outlet for me, or, sometimes, just a way to escape,” Pagano said. “When I am faced with hard times, art is a good way to forget about what I am going through. Art is the light at the end of the tunnel, letting me know that I will be okay.”

Pagano’s most recent exhibition piece, “Duality,” demonstrates Pagano’s sentiments of escapism. “Duality” features three self-portraits and portrays themes of mental illness and drug abuse.

“We sometimes take communication for granted, that is, being able to express your thoughts in words. But feelings are so internal that they are difficult to express in just words,” Pagano said. “I like art because it gives me the ability to express my emotions in a unique way. We can unlock a new level of humanity by seeing the world we all share filtered through someone’s existence.”

Pagano’s “Duality” will be shown at the Detroit Artists Market’s Summer Block Party on Saturday, July 27 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

To see more of Pagano’s art and upcoming showcases, visit her Instagram page, @daniellepaganoart. Those interested in commissioning a piece from Pagano may contact her via email at [email protected].