Meet Danielle Cowdrey

We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Cowdrey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Lately, I’ve been exploring patterns—playing with rhythm, repetition and movement—and figuring out how to bring them into my creative process. It’s been such a fun and freeing way to experiment and evolve as an artist.
While I still love painting with bright, bold colors (that’s never going away!), I’m excited to branch out and see how this new direction develops. It feels like a natural extension of my work—another way to express energy and joy through art.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Resilience and a fighting spirit
Resilience has been one of the most important qualities in my journey as an artist. The creative path is full of highs and lows—shows you don’t get into, paintings that don’t come together the way you imagined, and moments of self-doubt. A fighting spirit helps you push through those challenges and keep showing up for your art, even when things feel uncertain. My advice to anyone early in their journey is to embrace those setbacks as part of the process. Each obstacle teaches you something valuable about yourself and your work. The more you persist, the stronger your creative voice becomes.

Openness and sincere curiosity
Being genuinely curious about other artists and their work has shaped my growth more than I ever expected. I’ve learned so much by asking questions, listening to others’ stories, and sharing experiences about technique, inspiration, and the realities of being an artist. Community and connection are vital—you never know what insight or encouragement will resonate with you at just the right moment. For emerging artists, I’d say: don’t be afraid to reach out. Attend local shows, comment on other artists’ work, or start a conversation online. Art can be such a solitary pursuit, but when you open yourself up to others, you expand your world in beautiful ways.

An open mind and willingness to question the process
Art-making is all about evolution. Keeping an open mind and being willing to question the process helps your work stay alive and authentic. Sometimes that means breaking your own rules or stepping away from what feels comfortable. For me, growth often comes when I take a risk—trying a new medium, exploring a different subject, or rethinking how I approach color and form. My advice is to stay curious and flexible. Don’t be afraid to start over, scrap an idea, or take a creative detour. Those experiments often lead to your most exciting breakthroughs.

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