Artist Spotlight: Stephanie Daniels from Brushes and Boots
CFSA is thrilled to introduce the artist behind one of the beautiful new logos designed to brand and promote our new strategic plan, BLOOM. Originally from Illinois, Stephanie Daniels moved to Tucson six years ago to be closer to her family, who also relocated to the desert.
“When I first moved out here, I honestly didn’t understand just how beautiful the desert was. It took me getting out, exploring, hiking, and backpacking to see what Tucson and the Sonoran desert have to offer. I found so much life and color while I was exploring, and I just found myself taking so many pictures of the flowers I saw on my hikes, and then I wanted to come back and learn more about the flowers I had seen. I really believe that getting out and seeing what the desert has to offer is going to show you how special of a place Tucson is!”
More Q & A with Stephanie Daniels
Tell us about your favorite medium and why it is your favorite.
My favorite medium is watercolor because you can do a lot with it with just a small pack. When I go out on my hikes, I always take a small pack of watercolors with me. Watercolors are really transportable, and it is easy to carry them in your backpack or when you’re traveling. You can also do a lot with it in terms of how you can manipulate the water and the paint. You can do really vibrant colors, but you can also do something a little bit more mild, depending on your style or how you are feeling. Watercolor just offers so much variety of what you can do that it’s a great first medium if you’ve never painted before.
How do you usually start your pieces?
I usually start my pieces by referencing a photo I took or looking through anatomy textbooks about native plants or wildflowers to make sure I can get the details as accurate as possible. It also depends on if the piece I’m working on is more realistic, or if it’s not, I can be a little more playful. I really enjoy looking at the small details of a plant, slowing down and looking at the way the shape of a leaf connects to the stem, or really looking at the color of the flower. Slowing down and noticing these details really makes a difference and adds a really nice layer to my artwork.
What motivates you to create art?
I love taking the time to stop and get the ideas from my head out onto paper. I think nowadays we are so busy going from work to home that slowing down and giving myself an opportunity to be creative allows me to come back to myself and being creative makes me really happy.
What was the experience of working on the BLOOM logo like?
It was exciting because I really wanted to collaborate with CFSA and make sure that I was coming up with an idea that fit with what they were trying to bring with this new initiative. It was really fun working with other people and getting everyone’s feedback, and I think the final product really shows the collaboration that CFSA is trying to achieve.