CREATING SOMETHING FIERCE
By Jen Forsyth
Pittsburgh artist J . G . Boccella uses a variety of materials to create the faces of his masterpieces — a little bit of permanent marker , a shade or two of pencil , and then he brings out the acrylic paint , all put on a gallery-wrapped canvas .
His style ? Sometimes it ’ s loose and free ; sometimes he sticks to traditional strokes as he combines drawing and painting . He uses bright colors and pastels . Boccella has also customized a theme of “ gesture lines ” along the heads and shoulders of his portrait subjects . It ’ s his personal style , his signature .
The average portrait can take anywhere from 4 or 5 hours to more than 30 hours , and that ’ s in various sessions over the course of about a month . Boccella has several paintings on his docket , and he puts extreme care into each , whether impressionistic or traditional . One rule for all paintings however : they must be fierce ! Founder of the Fierce Women Project , Boccella demands his paintings be as colorful as his subjects . The Fierce Women Project , according to their website , “ uses
Artist J . G . Boccella contemporary portrait art to create a platform — online and off — for young women and girls to discover and connect with accomplished women leaders from diverse fields .”
The qualifications to be included in the project are straightforward . Boccella ’ s standards are clear : A “ Fierce Woman ” must be accomplished in her field . He looks for diverse backgrounds , which includes racial and socioeconomic .
The girls he is looking to reach need to see women who come from all places . The women he chooses also must demonstrate Boccella ’ s core values of the project : leadership development , mentoring , and having men as allies . Those selected for the project must also be committed to mentoring and giving back to the next generation by sharing their stories to inspire and empower young girls . Those fierce enough to be selected for the project have their portraits commissioned by Boccella . Either they pay for it themselves or they are sponsored . Proceeds go to education and mentoring . Boccella has held successful mentoring events between his fierce women and middle and high school girls at The Pittsburgh Technology Institute , Carnegie Mellon University , and Brown University . He is also looking to expand to other cities such as Chicago , Providence , and San Diego . Future plans include working with Boys & Girls Clubs on a book and written mentoring program that can be distributed nationwide .
While the subjects he chooses are quite fierce , no one has a fiercer heart and vision than the man with the acrylic paints and permanent marker , J . G . Boccella himself !
70 INSPIRING LIVES SUMMER 2016