Danielle Meredith (DAM) - Artist
Danielle Akenese Meredith (DAM) is a Samoan/Tongan artist who was born and raised in GI (Glen Innes), and hails from the villages of Fuipu’a and Vaito'omuli Palauli (Samoa); Kolofo’ou and Faleleu (Tonga). After high school, Danielle studied a Bachelor of Visual Arts at The University of Auckland, where she nurtured a notable interest in painting and later studied fashion design. Then, it was time to find a job and working in various arts administration roles took precedence over her creative practice. However, Danielle found fulfilment in her service to the arts community as an operations manager at Tautai, a Pacific arts trust, where she helped other creatives to bring their musings to life.
Danielle valued her role as an opportunity to serve creative communities that were on the pulse of the arts scene. There, she witnessed emerging Moana artists shaping the future of that space. But even the most rewarding work was taxing, and Danielle was on a fast track to burnout. Neglecting her own needs left her longing to balance her mahi and her personal artistic journey. Eventually, Danielle was given an unexpected and much needed opportunity to do so.
In November of 2022, Danielle resigned from her job. Severely depleted, she made a courageous choice to seek replenishment. The first few drops in Danielle’s cup poured from the process of making bespoke earrings that were inspired by her grandmothers. Both of her grandmothers were skilled seamstresses, and their bold sense of style made them fashion icons in Danielle’s eyes. Through moulding vivid colours and flamboyant shapes, Danielle took vital steps towards reclaiming a salubrious sense of creativity.
During this urgently transformative time in Danielle’s creative haerenga, her late grandfather became ill. “One of the reasons I left work was to help look after my grandfather. He stayed at home with us and passed in February and it was really hard for our family. Then three months later my grandmother on my mum’s side passed away. She’s the matriarch of our family. So that was an incredibly hard time for us.”
As Danielle navigated intense grief, her health deteriorated. She was in and out of hospital battling acute endometriosis. Haemorrhaging and heartbroken, Danielle felt herself plunging into a thick darkness. Nevertheless, she was determined to show her most recent works in her first ever solo exhibition!
Miraculously, Danielle succeeded. Despite many complications and rescheduling surgery, Danielle found the strength to produce a striking collection of portraits that are now showing at Kim Meredith Gallery in Central Aukilani. The faces depicted are a representation of the village that got her through it all. Danielle hopes that whoever sees the paintings can feel their lucent energy. “It literally comes from feeling like I’m in a dark place and reaching for the light.”
From where Danielle’s sitting, she is just getting started. With her ancestors' protection and guidance, she feels poised to share more of her creative side with the world. For Danielle, expressing her creativity is a spiritual necessity, and connecting with others is a welcome reverberation.