Professor Dantonio-Fryer has worked with the US Army and US Space and
Missile Defense Command, helping soldiers and their families respond to the
events of trauma, most notably since Operation Desert Storm, post
September 11 (9/11) and the Iraqi war.   Marietta has led numerous art therapy and healing arts projects throughout Delaware and Pennsylvania as part of her community outreach work. She has led efforts
to help the blind, elderly, troubled youth, at-risk inner city children, incarcerated
youth and adults as well as those suffering from HIV AIDS. Professor Dantonio-Fryer
has written several curriculums and operations manuals for both the public and private
sector organizations who work with disadvantaged youth in an effort to bring
healing arts and art therapy art programs to as many people as she can.    As a tenured professor of art at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, she is the Chairperson of the largest department on campus with almost 30 faculty members teaching 9 major degree programs. Professor Dantonio-Fryer was able to bring to the university none other than Harriet Fullbright of the J. Wiiliam & Harriet Fullbright Center, a major source of student scholarship funding in the United States. Mrs. Fullbright spoke to the faculty and students at the university and was given an honorary PhD from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania during the event.      Both as an artist and in conjunction with the non-profit she founded and leads,
Totem Rhythms, Inc., Prfessor Marietta Dantonio-Fryer has had numerous art
exhibits including a solo art exhibit at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The Totem Rhythms organization has carved totem poles in the United Nations
Exhibition Hall where approximately 350,000 people per month visit while
touring the United Nations building in Manhatten.
 

 

Professor Dantonio-Fryer's Professional Qualifications And Achievements include:

- over 30 years of professional experience as an artist, art educator and art Therapist.

- recipient of the Kutztown University Alumni Outstanding and Distinguished Service Citation Award 2007, the highest award given to Kutztown alumni.

- featured on the TV show "White House Chronicles" for her Native American watercolor painting entitled "Prayer Circle" at which time they called her the leading art therapist in the United States.

- recipient of The Christian R. & Mary F. Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award given by Cheyney University of Pennsylvania for 2004-2005.

- recipient of the "Heroes Award in 2000 from the United States Craft industry.

- Nominated for the Governors award for excellence in education in the state of Delaware for 2000.

- nominee for "The Coming Up Taller" award from the Presidents committee on the arts in 1999

- Delaware Art Educator of the year in 1998

- holder of a United States patent for her invention of the Brenmar Stretcher which greatly improved the way artists paint on silk fabrics.

- recipient of the Smithsonian award for technology and Art as healing tools.

- Professor Dantonio-Fryer has also received commendations from the following:

President and Mrs. George Bush, Sr.
Congressman Thomas Carper of Delaware
Senator Joseph Biden, DE
Governor Michael Castle, DE
Mayor Sills, Wimington, DE
Congressman Curt Weldon, Pennsylvania read into the Congressional Record; volume 137, no. 99 in June 1991 his appreciation of Professor Dantonio-Fryer's work on her project with the U.S. military - "Operation Healing Art".
Mayor DeBapriste, Chester County, PA
Commanding General Joseph Cosumano, U.S. Army Space and Missle Defense Command, 2002, 2003
Secretary of the Army, Thomas E. White, 2002

Some of Professor Marietta Dantonio-Fryer's involvement include:

Marietta is the outreach coordinator for Survivors Art Foundation International

Founder and President of Totem Rhythms Inc, a global organization promoting healing for Indigenous Peoples by re-telling, re-storing and re-creating traditional Native American stories through the building of totem poles.

Marietta developed Healing Arts programs for At Risk Youth, incarcerated Youth and adults, those with HIV AIDS, special needs, survivors of abuse and rape, war refugees, deaf and blind individuals, the elderly, Native Americans, Army Arts and Crafts directors world-wide, the United Nations, children and adults with cerebral palsy and most recently the Main Street Counseling Center in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

She is an advocate of peace for all of humanity. Art is a universal language that transcends fear, fostering communication and love to reach all cultures and to embrace the limitless possibilities that art offers. Marietta is Lenape and a member of the Eastern Delaware Nations. She is a Wolf Clan mother.

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