Unraveling personas: Festa’s paintings explore intersection of clothing and identity

Clothes may make the woman — but make her what? Danielle Festa has an interest in clothing and fabric, both as canvas for her art and as a canvas where people project identities, conceptions and stereotypes. It’s why she’s working on a new series called “Paper Dolls” that debuts Friday, Sept. 5 at The Beebe Estate Gallery in Melrose, where the 23-year-old will be the youngest artist so far to have an exhibition at the gallery.