An occasional look at the surprising creative outlets of members of the Hollywood community.
The exhibition runs through September 14.
It is just something that bubbles up and comes out of her.
Denise Di NoviGemma Totten
They soon began making plans to spend the rest of their lives together.
He was really from another world from me.
It was incredible to meet someone at that point and have such an amazing relationship.
Denise Di NoviGemma Totten
Four years into their marriage, Scott was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
He died a year later.
People were dying from Covid in droves, and the world was stricken with fear.
Luckily, her adult son Mac had come back from England to say goodbye to Scott.
He was unable to return home, and huddled with Di Novi.
Otherwise, she was all alone.
It was complete isolation, she said.
Everyone was so afraid to see anybody.
So I was completely alone.
I had an online grief support group, but that was disrupted a lot because everybody was getting Covid.
It was definitely a rough time.
It was all I had really to keep my head above water.
I saw, wow, this really is working for me.
This is really powerful.
And so even in the worst of times, it was helpful.
I really learned that lesson and it made me kind of really appreciate and treasure it.
It has become a continuing source of healing for me in every way as my life moves on.
It was the only time in my career I had no work.
I was not seeing anyone.
And it was the only time that I felt like my brain would not explode.
When I was painting, it was the only time I felt okay.
I just got some paints and canvas, she said.
Id been meditating most of my life.
I would meditate and then I would start painting.
I just would go into the zone and paint for hours and hours.
And I just did so many paintings.
A few people started to see them and say like, wow, these are great.
They got a real reaction.
Long story short, a very prominent gallery in Laguna Beach wanted to do a show.
Theres no question of that in my mind.
I think people in our business, were all creative, to do what we do, she said.
Sometimes I think we pigeonhole ourselves.
Im an actor, Im a writer, Im a producer.
And some of us are more creative in our style than others, but were all creative people.
It was not collaborative.
It was my direct expression of art and creativity.
And its only enhanced my work as a producer, and a director.
It made me appreciate the creative process and opened my mind in more creative ways.
And there is a synergy between the two things.
But I can see a lot of emotion in Di Novis work.
She has sold a bunch of paintings, though she declined to say for how much.
I never took a lesson, she said.
Id never even drawn a circle on a piece of paper.
I didnt know the difference between acrylic or oil paints.
I think thats part of the reason that my paintings are unique.
I use a lot of paint.
I do layer after layer, and then I scrape it.
I use molding clay, and shape it.
I write words on the paintings.
Its very intuitive, and Im very free with it and not attached to any outcome.
Im not trying to make it look like anything.
Im a new artist and the paintings are not expensive at all, she said.
Who knows, maybe someday.
But Im still a producer.
The stay busy thing is really the most common advice.
I dont judge that.
If that works for you, it works for you.
I think sometimes things are so big that we actually dont have words for them.
I finally find the love of my life, and he dies five years later.
I think part of it is just surrendering to the mystery we dont know.
Why do these things happen?
We will understand, maybe on the other side.
Some people write poetry, some people journal and words do help, she said.
I did that too, but sometimes its beyond words.
But you want to get it out, you want to express it.
Thats what I was trying to do.
I was trying to say, Im drowning, or Im surviving, or I see another place.
She became one of my first encouraging people, and said, God, they all look different.
I didnt think they looked different.
She said, I feel like youre trying to go to the other side.
Youre trying to see where your husband went.
And as soon as she saw that, I thought, thats exactly right.
Im trying to see the other side.
