Category Archives: Danielle O’Keefe

Artistic pursuits of Danielle O’Keefe, that includes oil painting, acrylic painting, pastels, crayons, markers, graphite, pen and ink, mixed media and knitting.

Danielle O’Keefe’s Year of Watercolor (2009)

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Danielle O’Keefe’s Year of Watercolor represented a giant leap forward in her artistic skills, compared with artworks she had produced in her younger years. Motivated by her positive experience with the 2008 Art Exhibit and Fundraising Event for National EB Awareness Week, Danielle started creating more art in 2009. This was the year she learned how to work with watercolor paints. As you look at her 2009 watercolor paintings you can literally see her progress with the medium from month to month. Her favorite subject was portraits and she used photographs of close family members and some of her good friends as her baseline reference material.

Danielle O’Keefe’s 2009 Watercolors and other Artworks

Little Boy Joshy, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, June, 2009
“Little Boy Joshy”
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
June, 2009 (13 years old)
Nora, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, July, 2009
“Nora”
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
July, 2009 (13 years old)
The Eyes of Dina, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, August, 2009
“The Eyes of Dina”
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
August, 2009 (13 years old)
Pinwheel Flowers, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, August, 2009
“Pinwheel Flowers”
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
August, 2009 (13 years old)
Guess Who!, Finger Paint on Canvas, Danielle O'Keefe, August, 2009
“Guess Who!”
Finger Paint on Canvas
Danielle O’Keefe,
August, 2009 (13 years old)
Lady Blue, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, September, 2009
“Lady Blue”
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
September, 2009 (13 years old)
Green Eyes, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, September, 2009
“Green Eyes”
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
September, 2009 (13 years old)

Danielle’s watercolor titled “Pinwheel Flowers” was one of her first true original compositions. Thus, still life compositions and abstract compositions were among her themes. After having worked in watercolors for most of the year, with some experimental use of graphite outlining in her watercolor paintings, an interest was expressed in developing skills with graphite and ink by themselves, along with a desire to create additional works using other mixed media. By the end of the year Danielle had a significant number of artworks that she produced and her family called this period of her artistic development, “Danielle O’Keefe’s Year of Watercolor”.

2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event of Danielle O’Keefe

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Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event for National Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week

2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event - Landmark Gallery and Framing, Wallingford, Connecticut
Landmark Gallery & Framing,
Wallingford, Connecticut

In November, 2008, Danielle O’Keefe approached a Frame Shop named Landmark Gallery and Framing in Wallingford, Connecticut that is owned by Gillian Zimmerman and asked if she could display some of her artwork and a small display in support of National Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week. Happily, Gillian agreed to host the exhibit and display that they called, “2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event” of Danielle O’Keefe”.

Danielle O’Keefe suffers from a genetic disorder known as Epidermolysis Bullosa. Epidermolysis Bullosa (commonly referred to as EB by sufferers of the disorder) affects the skin and surface areas of the body, which includes the eyes, mouth, teeth and all internal surfaces too. As a result, tears, blisters, bleeding sores and pain are a common part of everyday life for those that suffer with it. Because it is very rare, Danielle has a deep interest in spreading awareness of this disorder and her “2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event” at Landmark Gallery was her way to get the word out.

2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event - Danielle O'Keefe and Gillian Zimmerman (Gallery Owner)
Danielle O’Keefe and Gillian Zimmerman (Gallery Owner)

In support of the event, Danielle also had a front page article written about her in a local newspaper. The article provides a touching summary of Danielle’s life struggles with EB, and how her family has rallied around her.

With the exposure from the exhibition and the printed article, Danielle was able to raise donations that she donated to an EB charity. Increasing awareness of EB is important for generating donations and the financial support needed to do research into a cure. Here is a letter, written in Danielle’s own words, that accompanied her artwork at Landmark Gallery.

2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event - Danielle's personal letter displayed at the exhibition
Danielle’s personal letter displayed at the exhibition.

Art Exhibit of Danielle O’Keefe

2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event - Artwork, Parrot
“Parrot”
11×14, Oil on Board,
Danielle O’Keefe,
Spring 2008 (12 years old)
2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event - Artwork, Butterfly
“Butterfly”
4×6, Oil on Board,
Danielle O’Keefe,
Summer 2007 (11 years old)

(Butterflies, with their delicate wings, have come to symbolize the fragility of the skin of EB patients.)

2008 Art Exhibit and Fund Raising Event - Artwork, Landscape
“Landscape”
8×12, Acrylic on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
2002 (6 years old)

(During a hospitalization for a skin infection, Danielle created the painting named, “Landscape”.)

Newspaper Articles about Danielle’s Early Life

In addition to the successful exhibition to spread awareness of EB locally, below are two articles about Danielle, her daily struggle with EB, and its effect on her entire family. The first article about Danielle was published in 1998 and the second article was published in 2008. Both articles were written by journalist Jeffery Kurz for ‘The Record Journal’ located in Meriden, Connecticut. The files are large in size and may take a few moments to download. (Articles By: Jeffery Kurz, Photography: Chris Angileri)

Everything is Complicated, The Record Journal, Nov 3, 2008
“Everything is Complicated”
The Record Journal
(Nov 3, 2008)
Danielle's Burden, The Record Journal, Nov 1, 1998
“Danielle’s Burden”
The Record Journal
(Nov 1,1998)

Epidermolysis Bullosa Information

Overall, Danielle’s experience with 2008 National EB Awareness Week was a success. To further promote EB awareness, below are links to organizations that are helping families and the medical community in the search for a cure for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

The Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America
The Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America
Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation
Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation