19 October 2025.

I was recently interviewed by Jen Davis, writer and psychoanalyst, through her ongoing series The Questions. I met Jen recently on one of her frequent visits to Kauai and we have become good friends and she is currently helping me in my studio practice with her creative coaching program as well. Here are The Questions and my answers. I hope this can offer a different access to my work and my process.

Mahalo.

Name:

Darcy Bartoletti

Location:

Hawaii.

Where were you raised?

Long Beach.

Has the landscape of that place influenced your work in any way?

It definitely gave me a rigorous work ethic. My thinking was that if I worked hard at it one day art would take me far away from there. I don’t mean to denigrate it but the area I grew up in during the 80’s was violent and terrifying. So as a kid I dreamt of getting away.

At the same time it had amazing qualities. North Long Beach also was saturated with character and had a vibrant multi cultural community. For perspective, I recently read that that part of Long Beach has a cultural diversity similar to that of Queens, NY. It was very integrated. We lived in the same blocks and all hung out at each others homes and with each others families. We lived, played and skateboarded together. We walked to school together. Even with constant threats and trauma all around us there was still somehow this beautiful, wholesome and thriving community.

What book are you reading?

Sapiens by Yuval Harari. Its so good! I love when academics can redefine an entire perspective. For example Harari suggests that the actual species that benefitted the most from the Agricultural Revolution was wheat, not humans because wheat was living its best life whiles ours was becoming ruled by anxiety over weather patterns and long, back breaking works days. Our quality of life went way down. I guess I love the idea of grass outsmarting us.

What was the last thing you fell in love with?

Punkie, my 3 year old daughter.

How do you re-charge your creative battery?

For me the creative battery has become totally intertwined with my physical and mental self. They are all dependent on each other. If Im feeling depleted, exhausted, bored, sore, I have to stop working and focus on taking care of myself. When I do that I feel rejuvenated and my creative battery is recharged. Also if I go without expressing my creative self I began to feel irritable and discontent.

A list of things I use to help: prayer/meditation, swimming, hiking/walks, cooking, writing, naps, sauna, weight lifting, dinner with my family, visits to big cities, coffee or lunch with a friend, gardening, pedicures, massages, clothes shopping.

What do you love most about yourself?

My drawing talent and my curiosity.

When and where were you happiest?

Now; An artist raising a family, living and working on the island of Kauai.

We have 24 hours in your city… what should we do?

Get a coffee at Java Kai, my brother-in-law’s cafe, before anything. I know it’s family but I promise their coffee is one of my favorites in the world! Kauai is a small island so I feel like this city question applies to the island of Kauai. The Northshore is a spiritually stunning landscape like nothing I’ve ever experienced. East side, hike in to this waterfall and jump in. Then grab plate lunch from Pono Market and post up at the beach all day. There isn’t much to do here. You either hike mountain or go beach. Its a special place that forces you to be quiet within yourself. So enjoy it.

What do you most dislike?

Fear, failure and death.

What do you do for yourself when you’re having a hard day?

I always try to quickly call someone from a small list of like minded friends and talk about it. This almost always helps me talk myself out of my own predicament. Because most of the time the issue is completely fabricated in my mind. I have created a false story and I am believing in it.

Gratitude lists. They always work.

Before I die I want to….

Live a long, healthy and joyful life with my wife and daughter, Morgan and Punkie.