Artist Bio (informal)

Danielle Daniel was 35 when she finally began to write and paint. Creativity had always been part of her, but it wasn’t until her husband’s life-altering accident in the Canadian Armed Forces that it became a lifeline. While Steve channeled his loss and grief into sport—ultimately competing in the 2008 Paralympics—she turned inward, finding healing and meaning through storytelling and painting.

What began as a means of survival—simply making marks on a page—slowly became a daily practice, and ultimately, a profound personal transformation. That journey has led to the creation of thousands of painted stories and the publication of ten books, with more still unfolding.

Through art and story, she’s transformed her pain into something meaningful—something that nourishes her heart and soul every day, and now connects her to other beating hearts.

Her artwork continues to evolve and similar to her writing, she simplifies concepts with an economy of detail and line, though colour is always at the heart of all her artwork.

She lives on beautiful Mnidoo Mnis, (Manitoulin Island) the largest freshwater island in the world, without a single traffic light, and among a large family of cedars, a husk of hares and a fifty-year-old Blanding’s turtle who visits quite regularly.

Artist Statement

Danielle Daniel (b. 1974) is an artist and storyteller whose work delves into the exploration of childhood, particularly the transformative middle years. Through her paintings, she examines the enduring presence of the inner child and its connection to both the natural world and the world beyond. Her figurative works are deceptively simple and yet profoundly stirring. Using acrylic and oil on wooden gallery panels, she creates pieces that invite introspection and a deep sense of connection.

An award-winning Artist, Author, and Illustrator, Danielle Daniel is a 2024 Governor General's Awards Finalist for Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books. Her paintings have been acquired by public and private collections across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Daniel holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, as well as a B.Ed. Laurentian University and a BA in Arts at Ottawa University. A self-taught painter and the author-illustrator of ten acclaimed books across multiple genres, she combines her passion for storytelling and visual art to create works that resonate across diverse audiences.

While her artistic practice occasionally extends to landscapes and still life, her primary focus remains on representative portraiture, where she continues to explore themes of identity, emotion, and the enduring presence of the inner child.