We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Danielle Marie Thomas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Danielle Marie below.

Danielle Marie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Honestly, mostly through my schooling and actually wanting to create many different things growing up. I was lucky to have wonderful art teachers in middle school right through to college that taught me to experiment and keep pushing my boundaries.

Knowing what I know now, I would’ve gotten my master’s in art right after finishing my undergrad. Art is all about connections and that’s what grad school gets you. You also learn to host your own shows and speak about your art.

I would say the most essential skills are blocking out everyone else and listening to your own voice, working daily on your creations and ideas, learning how to price your work, and saying No is definitely a skill and helpful tool for time management.

Obstacles that stood in my way dealt with money, time and exposure. Nowadays you need a full time job to support any outside endeavor to create. Art fairs and shows are expensive and time consuming. You need to get in front of a lot of people to be able to gain a following no matter how good you are. Balancing a full time job, home life and loved ones is something I struggle with every day.

Danielle Marie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m an Orange County based painter that’s originally from Salt Lake City, Utah. I have an art business that provides original paintings, drawings, commissioned works and custom art merchandise.

Since I was very young, I was always drawn to the magic of creation. My interest in creating colorful art is fueled by a passion for nature and my connection to it.

Over the years I’ve honed my art skills in my schooling & travels, including 6 months in Costa Rica to study abroad. My work has been shown independently and professionally in Utah & Southern California, including Saatchi’s The Other Art Fair. I also recently placed First and Second in the Acrylic category at the SFS Art Fest. I have collectors all over the United States and have happily fulfilled several commissioned requests along the way.

Each painting is a recreation of the memory and feeling that is tied to a photograph I have taken or perhaps a vivid dream I had to recapture. I paint those moments that I get lost in. The moments where you can’t help but stop and smile. Combining realism, abstraction, and impressionism, I want to send the message to remember to slow down, let nature inspire you and always look up!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Inspiring people is definitely my most treasured aspect in being an artist. Whether I’ve inspired them with my work or to connect more with nature, to stop and look at the sky, or to appreciate art in a new way, it’s truly an honor to connect with people in that way. Art can really enrich your life and those around you. It’s truly a wonder.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

It doesn’t matter how good you are or how many years you’ve poured in money, time and effort, it really is an industry that’s connection based and success is based on luck and timing. Being an artist is a lonely endeavor but there’s a reason we all keep doing it. If you don’t let your creative side out, it consumes you. So we create and that’s the only guarantee we have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dmariepaintings.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmariepaintings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmariepaintings
• Other: https://www.saatchiart.com/dmariepaintings