AN AMERICAN DREAM GIRL

By Will “Topiltzin” Sanchez (In Photograph Daniella Calabrese)

On a rainy afternoon, just another cold dreary February on the North coast, if melancholy was a temperature, this was it. As I gathered my interview items, including pens and notes scribbled on a well-used legal pad, my attention was off. Scattered thoughts, distorted patterns, random dream sequences. I composed myself as best as I could to make my meeting. Knocking and hearing a muffled voice answer through the glass barrier, “Hello, hi, how are you? It’s open, can you close the outer door first, I don’t want my cats to run out.” Closing the entry door behind me, her two feline roommates were a moment late and curious as to the guest when she opened the parlor door fully, revealing the fortress of solitude.

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My eyes adjusting to the dim lighting, first the silhouette of her voluptuous form highlighted by black attire, an alternate style of fashion, dressed in a fitted jersey shirt, paint covered pants and combat boots. At that moment, long dark hair shows framing her facial features of high cheek bones leading to full lips pursed. At perspective, scanning onward to the physical beauty she is, enticing fair skin with tattoos exposed which ink her backstory, a palpable aura of temptation indeed, yet an innocence of awe in her exotic dark eyes with the world around her that breathes forth an artist. “Hey, glad you could make it, thanks again for this!” searching and finding a warm greeting welcoming me into a quaint home anchored on the west side of Cleveland.

“Thank you, Daniella, I really appreciate the time.” As I glanced around at my surroundings, trying to detect a semblance of character through the collection of eclectic décors self-altered to her liking, and original pieces that catch the eye which are curated throughout her home. The artwork, I would learn, is from the beginning of her visual creative journey, with a much darker mood, reflecting emotional vulnerability during the time of her late teens, the first time she picked up a brush. To current projects, with the evolving explosion of colors and multilayered canvases infusing her other passion, jewelry design. Taking a seat, one of her fur babies wanted a closer inspection of the intruder and allowed me to introduce myself properly with a few pets and scratches behind the ears. His brother was a bit more stand-offish, perched under the archway across her studio area, satisfied nonetheless to watch. “I hope you don’t mind the cat hair, it’s everywhere, would you like something to drink, water?” Preparing myself, “I don’t mind, yes, sure, water is fine, thanks.” Explaining she has never been interviewed before, “Here you go, I’m really excited!” Taking the bottled water to quinch my thirst and refocus, “Do you mind if I record this? It’s just for my memory.” “Not at all.” She answers in her wisp of a voice attempting to hide the nervousness with a giggle, I plug in my phone and press record.

My first acquaintance with Daniella Calabrese was during 2020, when many emerging artists overtook the internet in a world deprived of human contact, in both the physical and spiritual. Artists of all formats with the burning desire to connect adapted as best they could, the ending result was the transformation of communication benefitting all and how we make use of the creative industry. Daniella being a case in point, “I love that I’m an artist in many different forms. I’m not regular, ordinary, or common. Not everybody understands me, and I don’t need them to. I’m strange.” An independent artist, designer, singer, and songwriter born at Hillcrest hospital in Mayfield Heights into a family of musicians and creatives, “My mother played piano and sang, not professionally, but my father has been performing since I was little.” Her father continues to this day to perform his musical passion with the guitar for the great delight of all, it certainly is an environment which had a heavy influence upon the muse, “We had a recording studio in our basement, I still remember being about four years old watching them and being inspired to write.” Her first live performance was with her father at age fifteen, “I was so scared, I was visibly shaking, and got sick beforehand!”, twisting her mouth and thinking out loud, “I’m not really good when the spotlight is on me, I was ok when the music started though.” Then joining several bands of different genres afterwards has allowed her stage anxiety to be more controlled. At the same age range of her pursuit in music, she would craft jewelry, which led to her beginning to dabble in visual arts later in life, “I was nineteen when I started painting.” pointing to an emotionally charged piece hanging on the wall, “I guess I work the same way as my music, I just go with the flow and begin then let it go where it goes.” Today her work expresses a vibrant style inspiring visions of spirituality.

In a random thought, it occurs to me, with the step forward during the pandemic, transforming artists into independent contractors, these days, we are in the midst of taking two steps back with public funding. One cannot debate creatives are hard workers, in most cases for free, whether it be countless nights lost in their medium or working for others to make ends meet. Daniella is no different, in fact even more so as she relays her work schedule at different locations during her typical week, very admirable to say the least, “I work at a retail shop, another bartending during the day and again slinging spirits at night on the weekends.” Laughing to herself, “Today is my only day off, so finding time to create is impossible!”

What is impossible is for an artist to hide the chaos encased within, then manifested to a fine point overtime. A creative’s best ability is to navigate life, from a very early age she demonstrated advanced artistic talent, her energy is sure to absorb, and it is the world that is her canvas.

Website: www.daniellacalabrese.com

Instagram: @daniella_calabrese5

Facebook: @DaniellaCalabrese5