Daniela Fortian, an artist, is 92 years young. She recently recorded her life story as a gift to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She recognized the importance of sharing the stories of her parents and grandparents, who came from Italy after the second world war to create a better life in New York City.
Daniela reminisced about her grandmother making wine, using grapevines that she had carefully carried over on the boat from Italy. She spoke about meeting her husband, and shared the wisdom of someone married over fifty years. She laughed about tearing up her marriage license a few times! She told tales of her adventures in Italy, when she went back to visit her family’s homeland. And she reflected on her life since losing her husband, and how this recent chapter in her life has allowed her a freedom to pursue her art.
This project is such a gift to her family, a beautiful legacy of a life well-lived, perhaps her greatest work of art.
Please enjoy a few short excerpts from her book:
FONTnotes: Daniela’s stories are set in Agmena Book, described as “a perfectly designed, poetic book typeface.” Titles are set in Valentina, designed as a tribute to the type designer’s grandmother, with roots in Italian typography. The book has a series of frames that echo Daniela’s work as a painter and printmaker.