Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Perry. She shared with us her story below:
The lure of the islands and blue horizons…
Art and the sea have always been Danielle Perry’s passions. She started her creative journey while living on her childhood farm in Canada. Much of her free time was spent drawing and horseback riding exploring the Laurentian Mountains and rivers. Later in her twenties… camping on the coastal shores of the St. Lawrence River and exploring the Maritimes became her preferred escapades.
Danielle studied graphic design at Dawson College in Montreal, Canada. She worked for 8 years as a designer, illustrator, and creative director for Trudeau, a Canadian manufacturer and distributor of tableware. She was considered a hallmark of the company and her tableware designs were acclaimed and sold worldwide.
In 1998, the Quebec City native followed her lifelong dream of living in the tropics and she relocated to South Florida to pursue a tropical lifestyle. Living in the yacht capital of the world “Fort Lauderdale” eventually landed her in the yacht industry. She quickly worked her way up the nautical ladder to a chef position. A cross-Atlantic voyage on a 150” expedition yacht from Florida to Italy and working on a beautiful 103’ Wally sailboat in Greece for the Rothschilds are some of the highlights of her yachting career.
She applied her creative skills as a freelance yacht chef for the rich and famous for almost 20 years. Working on yachts has allowed her to explore the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida Keys, and New England several times onboard the most beautiful yachts ranging between 80′ – 150′. While Danielle enjoys travel and the creativity associated with cooking in luxurious galleys at sea or private island estates, it’s a painting that floats her boat.
In 2008, she started fine art painting with focus and determination between occasional freelance chef contracts. Her extensive portfolio draws its inspiration mostly from countless travels to the Florida Keys and The Bahamas especially the Abaco islands and the wild and the secluded islands of the Exumas. Her scuba diving and snorkel adventures have also been a great source of inspiration for her marine life paintings.
Her tropical and ocean surroundings inform her canvases with lush inviting beach paths, serene blues, watery reflections, pink sand beaches, bountiful reef views, nautical landmarks, and graceful breezy palms. Her self-taught painting style is realistic and representational with an incredible eye for detail, notably, her mesmerizing water reflections and nautical themes.
She can convey a sense of truly being in the painting. Her preferred mediums are oil and acrylic. She also hand paints serving trays, lazy susans as well as marine life and seabirds on lobster trap wood that she sources from Islamorada. Danielle is an entrepreneur and works out of her studio in Tarpon River. Fort Lauderdale.
Danielle Perry is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists. Her paintings have been featured on the cover of the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show magazine, the Hobe Sound, Jupiter, and Tequesta magazines as well as having been published in Dockwalk and Tempus magazines. She has been participating in fine art shows and festivals since 2010. Her art sale proceeds have helped raise funds for several coastal and reef conservation nonprofit organizations.
“Nature is beautiful and life is short. I want to capture and immortalize as much of it on canvas as I possibly can. While I paint, I think of the places I’ve been, the memories of secluded limitless horizons, colorful and bountiful reefs, and of course my love of everything nautical and coastal. Painting to me is therapeutic, liberating, and relaxing. It fills me with a sense of self-worth and confidence.
When I finish a successful painting, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I am honored that my numerous art fans and art collectors support my quest to perfect my skill and do what I love. My utmost respect for nature transpires through my paintings and I hope that my art might help make a difference in this world through conservation and fundraising efforts for causes that touch my heart.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, it’s been a rewarding creative venture with a direct correlation between my travel at sea and painted themes. I have found a niche among sea lovers, sports fishing enthusiasts, coastal lifestyle, and The Bahamas and a long-lasting meaningful friendship with several art collectors.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I consider myself a marine artist specializing in oil and acrylic fine art with a commercial edge. My work has been published on several magazine covers notably the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show magazine.
I am proud of my ability to focus and work hard, network, create fundraising opportunities with new paintings, be professional, remain consistently inspired, find my creative path, and be very productive. My background as a graphic designer in advertising agencies and as a creative director has given me the tools and ability to both create and market my work successfully.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I would define success as the ability to create a positive influential impact and make the world a better place.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.danielleperryfineart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleperryfineart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaniellePerryArt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleperryfineart/
