We recently had the chance to connect with Danita VanHoose and have shared our conversation below.
Danita , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
As of September we moved into a studio, where I finally got access to my entire art supply hoard for the first time in two years. It felt so good unpacking all these forgotten treasures. I am so grateful for this space and the growth it took to get here.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Danita. I go by Beehives and Bouffants in the art world. I do recycled and repurposed material art, specializing in baby doll assemblages. I make unusual, cute and creepy, whimsical and absurd of many mediums and types. You can regularly find me in person with my art at Macabre Market and the Happening. Or you can find a selection of my creations any time at The Whimsy Artisan.
I’m part of a community art group, HouFoundme where we do monthly meet ups that provide free art workshops of varying kinds while doing free art raffles.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I’ve always been an optimist person, and had great plans for myself. I used to think I wanted to be famous, and plotted and schemed on how to achieve this. As an adult I would think that would be horrible. I’m not to keen on hollow interactions, and that is primarily what you endure on a regular basis as a public figure. I think I would have gone full shave my head crash out like another well known diva.
I think my lack of people skills that held me back from aggressively pursuing this dream was a saving grace.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I don’t think I’ve ever been very good at hiding the pain. Once I accepted it I was able to start channeling it into creating and building. A lot of things I do are fun and silly, mindless little doodads that make me laugh, and incite a wide range of emotions in others, but when I really devote my time, effort and being into a piece it really shows. With my paper collage you’ll see much more emotion and expression than you would with my footasaurus collection.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I wouldn’t know what to think of what the public version of me is. I feel like I have lived many lifetimes since I have been here, and many more in all the other places I have lived. Who is to say what layer is real when perception is so different from one person to another, from day to day.
I don’t even think the version of myself I perceive is real….. why would strangers know me better than that by only looking through a dirty window?
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I think external validation chasing is empty. I have been talked down to by so many people attending the events I have gone to because they either don’t like what I do or don’t understand it.
What I do brings me peace and offers a satisfying outlet. If I was concerned with everyone else’s opinions about what I’m doing or needed praise I would stick strictly to paper collage- a more accepted medium. I LOVE collage, but I also love chopping up dolls and using all the parts of multiple projects. I don’t do it for the acceptance of the masses. I do it because I like it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/beehivesandbouffants
Image Credits
Me
