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 contemporary 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 wield simplicity, yet resonate with striking emotional depth. Using oil on wooden panels, she paints alla prima to capture an emotional energy and intuitive expression—creating painterly pieces that invite quiet introspection.

An award-winning Artist, Author, and Illustrator, 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, a vessel through which she explores the layered terrain of our interior worlds. Rooted in themes of emotion, identity and the enduring presence of the inner child, her work reveals what often goes unseen—translating feeling into form, and honouring the intricate inner worlds we often keep hidden.