We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danica Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Danica, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I opened my art business for about 5 years now and my main struggle has been finding a niche that suited my goals and passions. I have been a cyclist for most of my life, being a cross country mountain bike racer since middle school and being in the industry professionally for a little over a year now. While my job in a shop is relatively lucrative, it has helped me to recognize a huge gap in a niche market. Bicycle painting. I frequently get asked if we “have this bike in a different color” or that customers want a ride that “suits them”, and I realized this was something I could offer. Over the last six months that I’ve shifted my business to cater to this niche, I have met and had the privilege of sharing my art with amazing people. From painting a brain bike for someone with an inner ear tumor to creating my first line of bike frame protectant stickers, not only is this something I’m incredibly passionate about, but also something that is so fun to do. I love to problem solving of the unique canvas of a bicycle, every one is different. I love going sending those first mockups and having people get excited about their bike. But most of all, I love that I have the ability to make someone excited to ride their bike, being physical and having fun outdoors. I am so grateful to offer this unique service to my community and I have big plans for where it’s going to go.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Danica, a 19 year old artist, business owner, full time college student, cyclist, and so much more. I began my business in 2020 in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. I was searching for a way to share my creative ideas and passions with people to spread a little joy in such a dark time. I starting with making little trinkets like stickers and jewelry. I experimented with all kinds of mediums. First starting out of Etsy, I gained some traction with my cutest, child-like designs. I treated it as a side hobby in the beginning, just having fun making things. And while I still have so much fun doing what I do, it is definitely no longer a side hobby. In recent years I have fine tuned my niche, sticking mainly to cycling-focused merchandise. My favorite work to create is custom pieces. I love to make fun, colorful, art that brings the vision of others to fruition. You are never burnt out and dried up of ideas if you are constantly bringing in new ideas and perspectives. While I specialize in painting, I enjoy creative problem solving when using new techniques. Every frame I paint is a new puzzle and I love taking on unique and out-of-the-box projects. Ultimately, my main goal with my art is people and bringing them together. I love going to events and interacting with as many people as possible. Art shouldn’t just collect dust, I believe art is a tool to spark joy and a vessel for humans to connect through.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I don’t think we currently have a world that has a supportive platform for art to survive. Art is seen as a luxury. Historically, creative culture thrives when the economy is at an incline, but art is a necessity. Humans understand each other through art. We connect through it, empathize through it, alter the world through it. Many things occurring in society right now make me angry, in my opinion, art might be able to solve it. If we view art as a tool rather than a decoration for your wall, it would make the world a better place.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The idea that you have to do everything yourself to be worthy of success is a lie. Asking for help is not weakness or failure, it’s strength. In my business, I lean on those close to me to help with orders, event setup, bike assembly, and other tasks made easy with a village. This has allowed me to focus my energy on the things that matter most, creating art and connecting with people through it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.detailsbydanica.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detailsbydanica?igsh=NW54Yndza21zajYw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DetailsByDanica/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danica-lee-31373b35a
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/details-by-danica-atlanta
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@details_by_danica?_t=ZP-8xM1aJXHtVP&_r=1