The twists and turns of making Art | Brooke Reimer, Melissa Butler, and Stefania Del Papa
There’s something special about sitting down with artists and hearing the story behind the work—the why, the how, the moments that made them pause or push forward. In this article, we bring three conversations with women who create in entirely different ways but share something in common: they make space for meaning through art.
Brooke Reimer, Melissa Butler, and Stefania Del Papa each opened up about their creative process, the parts of life that feed into what they do, and how they’ve learned to make art not just as a practice, but as part of their daily rhythm. From experimenting with salt and paint on canvas, to capturing raw emotion through analogue photography, to painting bold, movement-filled scenes shaped by a life of travel, these women shared more than just their mediums. They spoke about family, memory, emotion, and the unexpected moments that pulled them closer to the work they were meant to be doing.
Through their stories, we’re invited to see what drives them forward, how they make space for creativity amid life’s chaos, and why it matters—not just for them, but for those who connect with what they’ve made.
For Brooke Reimer, Art Happens Between Diaper Changes and Milan Exhibits
Based in California, Brooke Reimer is a painter who works with salt, layers, and loads of texture. Her canvases aren’t just to look at—they’re meant to be experienced up close, even touched. While her work has been shown at Milan Art & Fashion Week and is represented by a gallery in New York, Brooke’s daily life also includes navigating the chaos of raising four kids.
Her art is driven by movement, emotion, and that hard-to-put-your-finger-on feeling when you see something beautiful. Brooke says she was influenced by ancient civilisations, which used natural materials to create everyday items. That connection to earth, material, and time plays into how she builds her paintings—layered, slow, and rich in process.
Brooke’s work isn’t about having a perfect plan. She starts with a feeling or memory, adds colour and texture, and lets the materials take her somewhere new. She says, “I don’t want my work to be immediately clear.” She wants it to grow on you.
Many of my paintings are inspired by a certain emotion or a memory of how it felt to be looking at some naturally beautiful thing.
To learn more about Brooke, click on the links below.
Melissa Butler Turns Regret, Fear, and Memory Into Something You Can See
If Brooke’s work feels like a quiet conversation with nature, Melissa Butler’s photographs feel like the thoughts you keep to yourself. Based in the U.S., Melissa is a photographer who uses a 4×5 analogue camera to create cinematic images that feel like they’re pulled from a dream—or a memory you weren’t ready to revisit.
She doesn’t shy away from the heavy stuff: depression, fear, isolation, and regret are all part of her creative world. Her photo series “Slow Wave” captures those quiet, emotional moments you can’t explain, only feel. That honesty comes from a place of healing, too. Photography, for her, is therapeutic. It helps her make sense of things she hasn’t fully processed—and sometimes it helps others feel seen too.
She’s also the Director of Photography and a founding member of From the Garage Productions, where she works with her husband on projects that blend narrative film with immersive visuals like cassette tapes and VHS art pieces. Her work is slow, intentional, and emotionally charged, but always grounded in human connection.
Exploring the themes in my work and shaping the narratives and concepts is therapeutic, and it has helped me deal with many of my past traumas and present fears and insecurities.
To learn more about Melissa, visit the links below.
Stefania Del Papa Paints With Colour, Curiosity, and a Love for Movement
Stefania Del Papa grew up between Rome, New York, and Washington, D.C. She paints like someone who has seen a lot—and still wants to see more. Her mixed-media work is packed with energy, inspired by nature, travel, and the people around her. Stefania creates by feel, not formulas. She mixes planning with spontaneity, letting her mood and instincts shape the final image.
What stands out about Stefania is how her art and her life have evolved together. After years of teaching and living in different countries, she eventually turned her love for drawing and painting into something more full-time. She studied with mentors, took online courses, and participated in exhibitions and book publications.
Her goal? To create something that makes people feel a little more alive. She hopes her paintings stick with people, not because they’re perfect, but because they make you feel something good.
I am a lifelong learner and I believe in knowledge as a means to freedom, indeed my artistic journey has helped me break free of many binding chains. I consider creating art an act of freedom.
To learn more about Stefania, click on the links below.
Across all three conversations, one theme keeps popping up: art isn’t a straight line. It’s full of messy drafts, doubts, breakthroughs, and late nights. These women didn’t get where they are through shortcuts. They had to carve out time, space, and courage to keep going.
Brooke talked about the quiet in-between moments when inspiration hits in the middle of a hectic household. Melissa shared how art has helped her overcome past hurt and keep telling stories that matter. Stefania showed how travel, change, and curiosity can keep your creativity alive regardless of age or stage.
They each found a way to turn a messy, beautiful, complex, joyful life into something worth sharing. Ultimately, these artists remind us that art isn’t just about what ends up on the wall. It’s about the process—the long walks, the hard days, the risk of trying again when no one’s watching. It’s about listening to yourself and showing up even when unsure how things will turn out.
Whether you’re a parent squeezing in time to paint, a photographer chasing meaning through a lens, or someone figuring out how to follow your creative instincts, it all counts.
There’s no perfect formula: just the ups, the downs, and the surprising turns along the way.
Stay tuned to the Women in Arts Network for more stories amplifying diverse, powerful contemporary art voices. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram.
