Danielle Daniel

Danielle Daniel is an artist and writer living in Ontario, Canada.  She is a teacher, a seeker and a truth-spiller.  She believes when we share our stories we share our hearts.   Her artwork is inspired by unwritten stories; those sitting on the page and those that are waiting to be excavated, layer by layer, word by word and one painting at a time.

1) What does living from the heart mean to you?
For me living from the heart means living in the present.  It means paying attention to the beauty of our daily lives including the broken bits.  It means embracing vulnerability while moving forward even in fear.  It means remaining open and attentive to the possibilities while practicing courage to make your wildest dreams come true.

2) Please share one of your morning activities or rituals that set you up for the day ahead?
I enjoy drinking my hot cup of coffee in the morning while I write in my journal.  It is here that I clear my head with pen in hand.  I read Julia Cameron’s The Artists’s Way many years ago which teaches the importance of writing morning pages to help clear the clutter and focus on the creative work ahead with intention and purpose.

“Raven Girl”

3) What will be your area of focus for your posts on “your heART makes a difference?”
I will be focusing of the importance of sharing our stories.   More specifically on the truth and how important it is to shine a light on our personal truths.

4) What is it about this subject area that can make a difference?
I wholeheartedly believe that we all have a story to tell.  And most of us actually have several.  It is only by sharing these truths that we can move forward and into our light.  By sharing our stories we become united in our pain, our fear, our joy and our triumphs.  It is by peeling back these layers that we can connect on a heart level.

“Nora”

5) What or who inspires you?
I’m inspired by all the women before me who dared to live boldly and follow their hearts; those who practiced courage in the face of fear.  Women like Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Jane Goodall, Emily Carr, Charlotte Bronte, Virginia Woolf and countless others that have made it possible for me to live a creative, artful and meaningful life.

Thank you Danielle. Please join me in welcoming Danielle as one of our heART contributors

Connect with Danielle here: Website | Blog | Shop