Australian muralist Danielle Weber, joins Radim to explore the invisible layers behind a creative life — from a teenage detour that almost derailed her entirely, to the streets where brilliant and bruising human encounters shape every project. ~

Danielle shares how curiosity has been both her compass and her chaos, why she'd choose fifteen years of slow growth over a single moment of overnight success, and how building a community became an act of creative necessity. 

This is a conversation about learning to trust your intuition, protecting your energy, and finding genuine beauty in the chapters that don't always look like progress.

Key Takeaways

• Exploring many styles and approaches isn't wasted time — it's how you discover what truly belongs to you
• Curiosity that isn't channelled creatively will find other, often self-destructive, outlets
• Authentic presence online means sharing the day-to-day reality, not just the polished result
• Mural work is a full-body, full-mind endurance test — managing your energy matters as much as managing your craft
• Saying no to the wrong people and projects takes years of practice and builds through every single conversation you have
• Slow growth is sustainable growth; overnight success is a dangerous and fragile place to land
• You don't need to be at 100% to mentor others — honesty about your own struggles is exactly what makes you credible
• There is no expiration date on creativity; embracing the fact that you have time changes everything

Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

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Danielle: [00:00:00] I don't wanna burn out in two years time and not ever be able to do this again. So I think the patience that. I've had to get to where I am now is what I carry through in the day-to-day encounters. So yeah, patience is a really big one. And just not getting too attached to every encounter or the things that we, hope happen.

I used to be like, oh, I hope this job comes through now. I treat the things that I can't control as much, a bit more transactionally. And it's not taking, it doesn't mean I don't care, but it's just, yeah, it's whatever's meant to happen will happen. Let's not get attached to every little conversation and encounter that you have.

Speaker: And just trust that whatever's supposed to land will. [00:01:00] Welcome to the Daring Creativity Podcast, a show about daring to forever explore creativity that isn't about chasing shiny perfection. It's about showing up with all your doubts and imperfections and making them count. It's about becoming more of who you already are. My name is Radim Malinic I'm a designer, author, and eternally curious human being.

 I am talking to a broad range of guests who share their stories of small actions that sparked lifetime discoveries, taking one step towards the thing that made them feel most alive. 

 Let me begin this episode with a question. Are you ready to discover what happens when you dare to create? 

Speaker 3: My guest today has spent 15 years painting her way into the world, starting with watercolors at Young Age, working her way up [00:02:00] to large scale, hyper-realistic murals across the streets of Australia. Danielle Weber is a muralist, creative entrepreneur and founder of the D Collective, a community she built because no one built it for her.

In this conversation, we go well beyond the beautiful walls. We talk about what it really costs to create in public. The physical and emotional endurance. The strangers who will leave you alone while you work and why Danielle believes slow growth is the only kind worth having.

This is a rare and honest look at what it means today to create is my pleasure, the shape of you. My conversation with Daniel Weber, I.

Radim: Hey Danielle, it's great to have you here. How are you doing?

Danielle: I'm great. we're great.

Radim: You are here because of the shouter by our mutual friend James Martin. He got me aware of who you are, what you do, and I have seen what you put out there in the world, what you create. And I thought if that's not the [00:03:00] definition of daring creativity, then I dunno what it's for. Those who may have not had a view or seen James' shout out.

 Who are you, how would you introduce yourself? What'd you do?

Danielle: We were just gonna say big shout out to James and Thank you, and we love you, and I'm sending big hugs from Australia. I appreciate him and I appreciate any creative that supports supports one another. Who I am, I have been an artist for 15 years now. I started in the studio a bit more traditionally.

And then my work evolved to murals through that process and figuring out that there's not much help out there, there's not much support and there's a lack of community. I then built and founded a community called the D Collective. And now I balance art and creating still, and also just helping other artists and building, and supporting creatives on their journey.

'cause I didn't have that that's where I'm at the moment.

Radim: That's [00:04:00] an interesting place in your life when you realize that the information that you wanted to find that was not available, you realize that you need to actually start something to change the status quo and realize that maybe you can be the change in the world that you want to see. So when you said you started 15 years ago in a studio.

What sort of work were you doing and how did it take you outside into who you are now, which is muralist with huge portfolio.

Danielle: That's a good question. started painting portraits 15 years ago, but if we take it, strip it right back I started painting when I was Eight or nine years old. And that was quite simple. It was landscapes and, watercolors pretty much anything that I'd gathered inspiration from, which I spent a lot of time outside and in the garden.

And then a lot of my work initially was just exploration. I didn't know what I was doing, still don't. And was commissioned to do big selection of work. So it was from just abstracts to portraits, to anime. And I [00:05:00] guess this was a really good way to explore what I do, like what I don't like as much, and just develop my skills more.

So I feel like I still haven't found a style, but I very much enjoy the versatility in my work that I do now through murals. And I think I find the joy in working with closely with clients and making people happy through my work, not so much me really tapping into the style side of it.

Radim: This is really interesting what you just said because I would get a feeling that waking up on that sort of eighth birthday and with the pain brush in hand going, this is what I'm gonna do for the rest of my We're gonna make for a very linear life that's contained within the certain walls, but.

You've blown those walls out and say okay I'm gonna explore everything because I think it's in the music when they say it, if you're batting music producer they, tell you like, make songs in a hundred different styles to find out what is the style that you really like. And I think it's one of the things that we don't potentially talk about enough for the novices in the industry that kissing many frogs is a good thing.

[00:06:00] Like going and trying and failing is actually something that shows you where you need to be. Because in your case it sounds like that was the resilience, that was the dis discoveries and explorations of actually giving you an 

idea of what you, who you wanna be and how you wanna do it.

Danielle: Definitely. And I think you said that perfectly as well. And sometimes people get so fixated on trying to find that one thing. They end up not doing any of the things. And yeah, I feel like it's not time wasted, but it's just if you're just going out and creating you, you very quickly figure out, do like this, don't like that.

There's gonna be some things that you carry through all of your work and there's gonna be some things that you leave in the past. So yeah, I say kiss as many frogs as possible because it's, a really good way to find out and enjoy the process along the way. And if you don't enjoy it, then you know that's something you probably won't revisit.

Radim: How was the encouragement at the age of eight or nine. From your parents. where did it come from? Where did a love for painting come from? sounds like the Garden was a good place to start, but what you create obviously, is so refined, which was to show the [00:07:00] years of how much you've been working and the, elegance, the speed, the quality.

But obviously when you're very new to it, did you need encouragement or was it 

Danielle: Yeah. So I'm very fortunate. Obviously, technology wasn't as prevalent back then, so I wasn't distracted by s screen screens. But in saying that my parents were really supportive and obviously they knew that I was different. They knew that I couldn't really focus on your typical school tasks or anything like that.

So they tapped into that. And mum would just set me up on the table and just say here's this. Just create this or whatever. If I wanted watercolors, she'd just get them for me, but not so much do any structured play. It was like, just play and figure out what you, loved.

Then when I started asking the questions of, I wanted to learn how to do X, y, Z she had the VCR and she'd put. I don't think it was YouTube back in the day, but [00:08:00] there was videos of people teaching how to paint and how to use watercolors. And I'd sit there at eight and watch them and copy. And that's how I started to learn.

And I think, that support and that encouragement, but not too structured. It was you can figure out your, ways but we'll give you the tools and the resources to be able to do that. And that's essentially how it started. There was a big period in my teenage years where I lost my way and I didn't create, and I was very rebellious.

And then getting back into it. When I was in my later teens, you could tell that art needed to play a role in my life. I guess it grounded me and essentially saved me from a path of drugs and alcohol. So I just loaded that straight on you.

But I guess it was relevant because if it wasn't for my parents encouraging me I wouldn't have had that outlet

Radim: I really appreciate the honesty because before I talk about time of your life, I need to find out how many Bob Ross videos did you watch? 

Danielle: it could have [00:09:00] been Bob Ross and I don't even, I wouldn't have even known, I would've been like, this is the best thing ever. And I didn't even know it was the Bob Ross. 

Radim: And I think a lot of people didn't know how great and how ahead of the times people like Bob Ross were back then. It's, insane.

 Absolutely genius, but there's something meditative about work because as you said, if you lost your way. The work brought you back because you, my on record, you're my third muralist. The previous two were called Stephanie. They're both based in Canada. And my previous theme of this podcast was around my book title, mindful Creative, because I just really wanted to know what goes in the mind of, the creative, especially in a space where you pretty much on your own, it's you and the elements, it's you and the artwork, obviously you the timed and the endurance and all of that stuff together.

 So how was the comeback from the teenage years? what was it like to reconnect painting and actually know, in a way be saved by the work from 

[00:10:00] devices.

Danielle: Yeah. This is something that's taken a long time to process and actually understand. And I think when you understand it, you'll notice more people who are maybe not tapping into their creative side hence losing their way. For me, when I, came out of it, it wasn't a conscious thing, nor did I understand the meaning of what my art was doing for me.

But I guess it does come down to curiosity and I think the curiosity and in creatives if they're not exploring it and creatively comes out in other ways. Yeah, coming out the other side of it, it was, I think mentally, like I, I still was so lost and inconsistent in how I showed up as a creative and troubled, you could say because of my lack of understanding.

And then now looking back you can see how I evolved [00:11:00] as a person. Essentially it took time. It wasn't like a, I'm coming out of it and I'm saved and I'm good. It was like, I've been on this rollercoaster for the last 10 years and now it's probably gonna take another 10 to find that clarity and that consistency and just be really comfortable going through those waves without sending yourself on a rollercoaster.

Radim: What's interesting you said, I was inconsistent how I show up. 

Is that a reflection or was that a realization at the time?

Danielle: A reflection for sure. there's, various factors involved in that, but, I think, I'm sure a lot of creatives listening would be able to resonate with the fact that there's so many highs and lows. You're creating good work, shit work, great work, average work.

You're losing yourself in your work. Being rejected. There's fear, there's so many moving parts. So I think I didn't understand the gravity of that and how that affected how I created [00:12:00] until the last few years. So it was the 10 year mark that maybe I started to really understand that. And it has been the last five years that I've been really been working at, okay, how do I focus on my mindset so I can show up more consistently as a, creative 'cause?

I think that's ultimately one of the most important things.

Radim: I'm gonna relate to something to what I heard from my favorite philosopher, Aland Baton. And he said that he feels that when we, get born, we got this, picture of ourselves as scattered around the place. And we are slowly putting it together and making sense of who we are 

because through, the book, about this, topic, daring creativity and, book title Daring Forever. I'm trying to understand where is the element of now versus how we have that inkling of I'm gonna go and do this thing because I've got pieces of information, influence, and inspiration together, and then I'm gonna work out how to do it.

Because if, in my opinion, 'cause if you knew how to do all of it, and if you knew the full [00:13:00] picture of what's gonna happen, would you bother? Because it's like, when you just mentioned rejection you know, the, the confusion the, lack of focus. It's just oh, this is far too much.

So we need, I think, the naivety to get into this going, I'll find myself in this. And it 

might take time because ultimately when you said it was a reflection, it's good to know what you could have done better because you're 

working on yourself rather than people going it just happened

Danielle: exactly. That's an interesting point, and I think. It ties into what we started with is like a lot of people, instead of just figuring it out and finding out 'cause of the curiosity and the urge to do those things, oh, but what if I can get to there rather than just doing the things and evolving along the way.

Radim: Yeah, your use of curiosity was interesting because you said if people are not exploring their curiosity creatively, then other things happen. 

So would you say that your curiosity took a detour not to be explored creatively and then you have to come back to it?

Danielle: Oh, yes, definitely. When I'm not [00:14:00] challenging myself creatively, I notice that I seek other risk taking behavior or just the obnoxiousness in me flares up. Which is so interesting and, I think at 15, 14, 15, 16, when I wasn't creating. And that curiosity was then being explored in other ways.

 Drinking at a young age, doing drugs, hanging around with the wrong people getting in cars with random guys at a young age. Just all the risk taking behavior that I maybe if I was exploring that and getting that fixed creatively in other ways, I maybe wasn't or wouldn't have been partaking in that behavior wouldn't change a thing.

I think it's also relevant in the journey. But it is very interesting and I see a lot of brilliant minds and a lot of brilliant creatives around me that are not using or tapping into their creativity and are on paths that are maybe not ultimately for them. And they battle with drug use and mental [00:15:00] health and there's so many other things that arise.

That's a whole nother ball game, but I think. It's so evident.

Radim: So curiosity, I will let you in on, on the concept of the book that I'm writing because I feel there's are four steps to us. That we've been given this vessel, this vehicle, our bodies hardwired, pre-programmed they're ready to go. and then we step in as a driver, as the soul the mind, and then.

The next step is, the journey, which is the curiosity, which is interesting because I can relate to what you're talking about. But the next step I identified is either destination or gratitude. So you've got curiosity and gratitude, and I feel like in the place where you are now, like you exploring the curiosity with the gratitude, just realizing, oh my God I have driven this thing from first to second, to third to fifth gear.

 Then accident. To put it into reverse, realizing don't go there and then going, you know what I'm good because I think, where, what I'm getting from, what you do and mostly how you talk about how you show up consistently now online and your work. I feel like [00:16:00] there's a sense of gratitude realizing, you know what, this is amazing what I can do.

This is what I'm, this is where I see myself. And then going how, can I be benefit over people? Because we've got your. stage when we 15, four foot and 1516. That's the eye stage. That's the like, what can I do for myself? But then you realize, what can I do for us? And then oh, it's, this is we, what can I do for no, for the rest of us?

 So you've put together is, it's a magical mixture of, things that are here not just for yourself, but as you said, for others by, being mentor and, providing information for others. What I wanna talk about is the fact that you are very honest about how your business, and pretty much happens on almost daily basis because you show up online.

You, I think one of the busiest people I see on my Instagram right now. And I think honesty and you being able to do it and having the energy and actually having the willingness and the care and the gratitude for what you do [00:17:00] are fixed. Important. So how did you find the whole. social media and all sort of these tools, because you recently talked about a fact like, no let me, let me de influence you.

Let me show you that what is not exactly what's happening. So how 

important is honesty in showing up consistently?

Danielle: That's a big one. Firstly, before I go into this, I just wanna say, I can't wait to read your book. 'cause everything that you said just then, I was like, yes I love, this, so I can't wait. But yeah, honesty in how you show up The rawness very interesting because for a long period of time.

how did I find social media? I started on Facebook probably about 15 years ago, and then Instagram was maybe two, three years after that. So it was back in the, days, but it was a long time ago. And it's definitely changed. I used to think that people, [00:18:00] similar to what I've been speaking about, people only cared about the finished result, the finished piece of artwork, the polished me.

And I used to show up in a way that I thought I had to, or I thought was professional. It wasn't until I encountered some like extreme highs and lows and then started having people stopping me when I was out and having these conversations, which I'm extremely grateful for because I think there's messaging and there's meaning in every single encounter you have in your life on the day-to-day basis.

I noticed that the narrative of those conversations were, oh you've got everything figured out and you're sitting up here. And I was like, hang on, there's something really wrong. There's a few pieces missing between like maybe what I'm putting out and what people are perceiving versus what I'm actually going through on a day-to-day basis.

So that's when I had an aha moment and I was like, [00:19:00] actually it's not the finished thing product. It's not the the polished me when I look great 1% of the time. It's really is the day-to-day shit that we enjoy as creatives and what goes on in our head that makes us who we are. It's been a really hard process trying to figure out actually how to communicate that.

While still spreading positivity, because I would never wanna be complaining or being like, this sucks or this sucks because I think there's still so much beauty in the lows as well. So another whole other art form, trying to actually communicate that in a way that's still impactful and not making me sound like I'm not grateful for everything.

But yeah, that's why I think it is really important because perception is everything. And I don't want, and I'm working through this at the moment with a coach I, don't want there to be a huge gap between me and people like, because it's not how it is. We all do the same things. We battle [00:20:00] the same issues sometimes on different scale, but it's all relevant and 

that's really important. 

Radim: What did it, feel like to actually open up and show what's the real behind the scenes happens? Because you talk about struggling being on your own, like took you long time to DBV yourself. So did you feel exposed or did you feel liberated when you can actually say how things are?

Danielle: liberated. I would say. I think there's a difference between sharing things when you're going through it at that exact moment, and then a difference between sharing things upon reflection. And I'd say a lot of the time I'm sharing upon reflection. And it's a bit easier to do that. And it is liberating sometimes when you do share when things are in real time, it, there's a bit more anxiety I guess, attached to it because of the feelings that you are feeling.

that's a choice, that's a power of choice. Like whether or not you wanna do that in real time or, wait and process those emotions I think that's [00:21:00] great too. But yeah, I'd say definitely li liberating for sure.

Radim: how did you deal with mostly, once you start opening up, you get a lot more traffic, a lot more engagement with your posts, and people obviously share their stuff. How did it feel for you? Did it feel heavy that obviously people open up and did you get, obviously the more you put out there, the more people you see it, the more attention there is, and obviously that takes more energy.

 So how did you deal with that? Because all of a sudden you're not dealing just with yourself, but with the whole big crowd.

Danielle: because I've been on social media for so many years and there has been a lot of, I've endured like a lot of bullying online from such a young age. I feel like my nervous system has expanded slowly and it has been like quite a slow process. So it's not like all of this energy has been coming at me all of a sudden.

I think that's great way a natural way to grow on social media. People who go viral from one day to the next. It's a dangerous place to be. So I'd say it gives me energy [00:22:00] now. I'm not affected by any negativity if that does arise. if anything, carry a lot of empathy for humans.

So I think that's a way that I can protect myself from that energy. we have the choice as humans too. If I'm not feeling great, I'm aware that maybe I won't spend as much time on social media and I won't read the things. But I think it's all a balancing act and I think, yeah, sometimes it does get heavy 'cause people share a lot, which I think is it a privilege to, that people feel comfortable enough and, I always say if you're changing like one person's life in that, then that's like greater than maybe feeling a bit depleted after a huge day on the socials.

So yeah, I think it's just a big balancing act. When I'm on projects that I don't have capacity for anything else. I'll just protect my energy and not spend as much time there.

Radim: Because I was gonna say, your project not only, like your work not only takes you on socials, but also takes you into real world with no runner, amongst real people. And [00:23:00] there's obviously two parts of this because I wanna know like, how is your emotional and creative endurance in this, because I'm, I would guess your pieces take from some days to potentially longer span of time and.

Having spoken to people like Jim O'Brien having spoken to others, how do you do this? Which part of this, because sometimes for creatives that I've spoken and I know from conversations, they're like, okay, this is the easiest part. I've got it all sketched out. It's for me tough to enjoy it.

Whereas some, sometimes people say look, my body's aching. I am done. I literally, I would just want this to finish. 

 And then you've got you versus you in your, mind. Then you've got, obviously the past in public. You've got all, everything, all, all together.

how do you digest it? How do you metabolize it? How do you plan for this? how do we go from just pixels and type on the screen to real world and real work?

Danielle: Yeah, I think you just perfectly explained all of that because there are so many [00:24:00] layers to it. For me, I'd say I'm still working on this and the balance of energy and how I manage the outside world. I'm actually like working with coach at the moment, like how do I put these boundaries in place because when I am working on the streets, I want to talk to people and I want to give that energy and then I get really upset with myself at the end of the day.

'cause I'm like, I've got nothing. I've got nothing in the tank. Over the years I've learned that like organization and being as structured and as meticulous about my setups. As possible and focusing on the things that I can control is the highest priority. I used to think, no, I'm not gonna go to the gym.

I just need to get this mural done. I need to work 12 hour days. Let's just survive and, get it done and, see how I feel on the other side. And we all know how that would've gone now. Yeah, so I prioritize the control, control the controllables. And then [00:25:00] obviously just focus on the things that help me create and sustain a project of three weeks.

And that's going to the gym. Eating well is probably like high up there as well. Limiting contact with my circles. So that's friends, family partner knows as well. Open dialogue about me not being as present. And, then just. Listening to my mind and my body throughout that process. I was just finished a project last week and I had a quite rough day on the streets.

There was just a lot going on and I was, I just gave way too much energy and I just felt completely depleted. So I took a mental He Health Day off, which I would never do that. I would never be like, I'm gonna stop mid-project. But the following day I was like, I'm not going into work today.

Radim: Could I ask, what goes into a rough day on the street? Is it just too much passing traffic, too much everything? How would you describe it?

Danielle: sometimes it's not perceived as like a, as a job. So people don't understand [00:26:00] that me working on the street isn't a place for you to come chat and hang out all day and at me. I need to concentrate, I need to get a job done. I need energy to actually put that energy into the wall and into the art.

So I had acquaintances turning up and talking for hours day after day family which is hard. And I was working around housing commissions, so I had someone up the road that needed help moving a couch. So I did that this is me trying to be really diplomatic in explaining this.

So this is the polished version. Someone else who's been battling other things, who has. Wanted to show me videos and talk every day. And, I carry a lot of empathy, and I was like, this is actually really important. It could change this person's life. So we did that every day. there was also someone else who was maybe a bit disabled being like, oh, it's really essential watching you paint and touching my arm and saying would you [00:27:00] do that?

That was, that's also a very PG version of what, happened. So yeah, that's just a little snippet of, the days that can happen and mostly do happen on the streets. So then if you put your headphones in, people will tell you that you're rude and that you need to give them time and that you should talk to them and, 

Radim: I'm grateful for your answer 

and 

I'm happy that I asked because that is a true mirror and not a true window into what happens on the street into your world, into your life. So, I mean, That really makes so much sense because creative lives or creative careers can seem so poetic.

You've just drawn this beautiful mural that sounds so fantastic, only to literally you know when, when, they pan with the camera like, look this is the, organized shot and this is the shit behind the scenes. And it feels like that's what you're going through.

Because I was thinking when you were describing well, what's been happening? I'm like, you need to take leaf out of Banksys book when it just erects like a scaffolding or like a screens and you just hide behind it. 

And even [00:28:00] though you might have had positive impact on someone's lives it's, sounds like it's draining , then 

you've got the work to do it.

Danielle: And, I'm still so conscious. I'm like, I wanna be. So gracious. My community asked me, they were like, oh what, What's it actually like? And I told 'em that the other day, and then I said, but it is such a privilege. It is the utmost privilege to be creating and trusted to create like that, but also to have those conversations and those encounters, because not everyone has that colorful diversity in the beauty of art and then the rawness of the streets, the comfortability of how people share.

Because you are standing there painting. It's like you're just like, I'm a creative and I'm open to this and I'm gonna share. So it's just, it's the utmost privilege, but also the most difficult thing because it is something that you love and you try to protect it with everything, but you [00:29:00] also just sometimes can't.

That's the choice that you make as a mural artist. I'm very honest about that. When I speak to people who are like, I wanna be a mural artist, I'm like, it is brutal. It is not sunshine and rainbows. It is the most rewarding thing, but it'll test you in all ways that you would never have even imagined.

Radim: I'm, just thinking about those two polarizing worlds, or maybe they're not even polarizing, but you've got a studio work that's you're on your own and you struggle with loneliness and being on your own. Then you take it out when you take it to the streets and you're still on your own 

plus strangers thinking, I didn't wanna be on my own, but you doing?

Danielle: It's so funny because what you just said is what I battled with for so many years because I'd be on back to back murals and I'm like, I can't wait to get in the studio. And then I'd go in the studio, I'd be like, ah, I'm lonely. But I needed that time. But that was the contrast that I was dealing with. So I'm like.

Can't wait, And then I'd get there, I'm like, this is [00:30:00] horrible. I'm lonely, this is sad. I'd go into a depressive state. And now I'm just like, okay, we need to approach carefully and tread carefully so I'm not riding these insane highs and lows. And joining the circus that the streets are 

Radim: it was a beautifully explained. explained. I we are half an hour right now. I haven't really asked you about the work and the expression of your soul and how you put it all together. But I'm glad that we painted the picture of what happens before you actually paint the picture.

 do you get to. Find with, we know the process of, with the landscapes creating, having a break coming back to it. But your work It's hyper realistic. It's quite detailed it's full of fantastic definition.

How long does it take from being eight or nine, dropping landscapes and actually being able just to do this so well and being confident that you can entertain all the strangers on the street and still produce the best quality work.

Danielle: if I'm gonna be completely honest, [00:31:00] I would say that I still feel like a complete infant in my craft. And that as much as I'm very proud of my work, I still look at it and think, I'm not there. I'm not where I wanna be. I'm just getting started.

So I think the obsession that I had with getting better made me more of a polished craftsman rather than an artist. So I know that whatever brief I'm given, I can do very, well. But in terms of the creative aspect of being an artist, I feel like I haven't tapped into that. and I, think I'm confident in myself and the product that I deliver and the experience that I can give people and the feelings that are attached with it.

But I'm probably not, I wouldn't say probably not. I'm not confident in my work, the creativity and my body of [00:32:00] work yet

probably threw you off guard there.

Radim: don't wanna sit here with a fo therapist had, but if you, potentially, in your case, if you felt that the work is right, that everything's every way exactly going to be, that would've completed the chapter. I think that would be the element because you're still exploring the curiosity, like the curiosity still there and still searching for what's next 

and how can we better, and how can we do stuff.

I think maybe that's just a true energy of a, of an artist on a eternal mission of actually discovering who they can be and what they 

can achieve. I believe there are chapters in our lives let's say with every decade you've picked up all of the conversations on the street or the knowledge you've picked up from everyone else.

Like I can find out about yourself and then realizing, okay, I have done things that I'm gonna take into the next decade and I'm gonna keep somebody's in the past decade because I don't need to redo 'em. 'cause that's that. I have a different view of your work.

 I, think if, I was to be able to, do what you do, I would be thinking about differently by myself.

 [00:33:00] That doesn't necessarily mean that you are harsh on yourself. It's just it's that journey. Because some people might be thinking exactly the same as I'm just talking but you doing this. But I know that you are grateful. I know that what you're doing is to still can I ask them that 1% extra?

Can I just do a 

little bit better? Can I just do this? Because that's just a constant journey because 

when you say, this is great, I'm done. Then maybe that's the end of that chapter and that something completely new starts.

Danielle: Yeah. Yep. And I think as you said, like there's, chapters and for me, like chapters or seasons, but I'd say in this season, I said to my mum the other day the thought of studio work at the moment isn't exciting me. Which is so interesting because usually I'd love to just sit and paint in my studio.

but I'm not really being drawn to it at the moment. Maybe this season is more about community and giving back I've let go of the fact that you need to be doing all the things all the, time and more so realizing that I'm like, okay [00:34:00] this chapter, this season serves a purpose as well.

And I think once you let go of that, you keep moving forward rather being, getting stuck in this little ham still wheel. So I guess, yeah, it's a really beautiful place to be, but it took me a while 'cause I was like, if I'm not working on canvases or working on the next collection, then I'm less of an artist or I'm not moving forward on actual pieces, then maybe I'm not doing enough.

But I think there's other things that you could be doing to, move forward as well. 

Radim: also, you're a person who actually introduced himself as, I'm a full-time artist, That already is a, statement of intent, like I'm a full-time artist.

What I wanna know, with the work that you create for the clients that you create, obviously there's, lots of portraiture, there's large scale pieces.

 how much of a balance between client briefs, your creative input creative expression is there because having spoken to some murals before it changes from one person 

to [00:35:00] another. Everyone's got a different style. But as in yours, it's that sort of hyper realistic style there is fluidity, there's 

different subjects, but how do you sell it?

How do you get approached? Like how do you get from that sort of initial in inquiry into the final piece on, the wall?

Danielle: So I think what you said about mural is saying it's, different all the time is very true because it depends on the client, it depends on the the purpose. And I think at this stage in this chapter, my priority is working with good people and then the work and the freedom and whatever comes with it is a bonus if there is more creative freedom.

Most people I am working with at the moment will say this is what I'm wanting, or I don't know what I'm wanting, can we workshop that? So I'd say that there is a, happy medium between like me working with the client and having the creative freedom [00:36:00] as well. I do some guidance. I know some artists don't.

But I like some guidance because it sparks my thoughts and means that I can. Create the best outcome for them. But in saying that, when people are coming to me with a reference or I want a portrait of X, Y, Z, there's not often a lot of creative freedom in that brief process if it's just one person or, a portrait freestanding on a wall.

 And that's where I will tap into the storytelling of who I'm painting. And I will look at ways on how to level up like my portraiture and how I communicate emotion how I story tell online how I build out the content. So I think if there's perhaps not creative freedom in the brief, I will channel that in other ways.

And I think that's why I can, and I enjoy versatile work because I'm always enjoying the creative aspects in different [00:37:00] ways and not just more so in The actual mural itself. 

Radim: how long did it take you to work out who are good people?

Danielle: Intuition is something I probably didn't pay enough respect to earlier on. And because you don't have that confidence and you haven't, put those stripes you haven't built, up those stripes, you maybe doubt your confidence in intuition. It has taken 15 years, I'd say.

I've now finally gotten to a, stage where I can identify the red flags and I can confidently say no to work, even if it means turning down a big job monetary wise as well. I can con confidently protect my peace without being disappointed in not saying no I don't know who says this, but disappoint others before you disappoint yourself. Yeah, I think if you've been in business for this long and you've had that many communications, and I say this to my, community and who I mentor, say, every conversation you have is not a waste of time. [00:38:00] Every bit of communication a purpose in how you can then identify what you do and don't want and who you wanna work with.

So putting the time and the energy into building relationships and having those conversations has allowed me to then figure out exactly what I do and don't want. 

I'm still surprised though, every now and then there's some people who surprise you.

Radim: Yeah, and I think it's, very valuable to actually see what happens behind the scenes, because again, seeing something from your first point of view lens from your view, going like, okay, well I'm x, y, z. this is my clients, this is what I do. Oh, my clients surprise me.

They're not kind people. Maybe other people's clients are fine. Maybe we always tell ourselves that somewhere, someone might believe in the life that we're after. Like, Okay, maybe their clients are good. Maybe , their, clients pay on time. Maybe it is because you're beautifully said, it's seasoned.

 the seasons change because I think, from personal experience, I used to do whatever I wanted to do, and the pay wasn't good, but the pay was fast. now I don't really care what I do in a way, [00:39:00] but the pay is amazing. But the pay is really slow. you can never put the ducks in a row

 And I think 

 it's part of business. You need to look after yourself, you need to look after the others, you to look after energy. You've got your bank balance. How do you do it? You know, As you said, it in your case, taken 15 years to get to, that position and learn about people because it comes from place of curiosity, empathy, 

 and also looking after yourself and to protect yourself.

Danielle: I think I spoke about the, social media and like people going from here to here really quickly. It's similar in, what we do as creatives. If you, I wouldn't want overnight success. I wouldn't want anything to go quickly. I would do this 15 years over and over and over again because it's given me that time to be able to learn and explore and and I think time equals like sustainability as well.

'cause I don't wanna burn out in two years time and not ever be able to do this again. So I think the patience that. I've had to get to where I am [00:40:00] now is what I carry through in the day-to-day encounters. So yeah, patience is a really big one. And just not getting too attached to every encounter or the things that we, hope happen.

I used to be like, oh, I hope this job comes through now. I treat the things that I can't control as much, a bit more transactionally. And it's not taking, it doesn't mean I don't care, but it's just, yeah, it's whatever's meant to happen will happen. Let's not get attached to every little conversation and encounter that you have.

And just trust that whatever's supposed to land will. But yeah, the seasons are difficult and as you said, like it does change. I've had I think, you need to be. Real in saying that there's some jobs that might have a bigger impact, a bigger outcome, and they might not pay quickly because of the nature of that job.

And then there's some jobs that might mean something different to you, but as you said, they're like, they'll pay quickly and it's a more seamless process. [00:41:00] So I think if you are a creative, you know that there's gonna be inconsistencies in, what you do. It's just about how you manage it, that matters.

Radim: I really enjoy when you said I would happily do the last 15 years over, over the space of 15 years again, 

because we live in a very impatient times where people are looking for naively without knowing what it takes or what it entails. They're looking for that overnight success. They would hoping that this is what happens, 

 but, it's a dangerous place when you say, 

and you beautifully explain it.

And what I want to know now, in your seasons that one followed another when you started your D Collective where did that come from? When did you realize that there is value in mentoring, coaching other people and just telling them might, what they might expect in the next first 15 years?

Where did that come from?

Danielle: I think having conversations with artists over the years and obviously opening that dialogue with them naturally [00:42:00] younger artists, whether it be they'd just be starting or they'd been doing it for a while, they'd always come to me and ask me questions. And I love helping. I'd always respond.

I'd always help. And it had gotten to the point, this was five years ago, just before COVID, that wild time that we had hit and I'd gotten to the point where I was doing a lot of talks and trying to go to networking events and trying to help artists. And I was like how do I make a bigger impact? Not like quicker, but like, how do I have everyone in one spot and, help more people? 'cause can't respond to people one-on-one anymore. It's not possible. It's not feasible and I'm not making an impact. And that's where I I didn't have anyone to go to when I first started.

And so when I first looked into the D Collective, it looked very different to what it did. Now it was, I need to teach people how to paint. So I put out surveys and I spoke to hundreds and thousands of art. Other, I just spoke to every artist that I could. And I very quickly realized that [00:43:00] people don't need to learn how to paint.

They don't need that. I don't even know how to teach people how to paint. I don't know how to paint, so don't come to me learning how to paint. It was how do you. Turn your passion into a business. How do you communicate? How do you focus on the things that actually matter? Murals, how do you do murals because they're a whole nother ball game you don't even even know how to paint.

You just know how to endure on murals. And I very quickly realized that, yeah, it was the business side of things. So that's how the de Collective started. It was something that I didn't have. As I started to build it, I actually realized that community meant more than what I've just mentioned. And that's why it has turned into more of a community and a support network and the safe space.

and obviously the learning is there, but there is a huge focus on mindset and endurance of, a creative yeah, that's the D collective.

Radim: you. Project more energy. You spend more energy on this time on other people's stories, obviously helping [00:44:00] others. That's a lot of energy being spent all the time. How did you find it with, having a community and having almost other people's stories that can feel light and heavy?

Let's go for both sides

How did you metabolize it? cause I know it comes from a place of care, but did you ever sort of felt that I might need to really don't know how you structure your day, and that might be potentially my question. Like how do 

you structure your energy over this course of a week when you can look after yourself, look after your work, look after the clients, look after the business, look after three Instagram accounts and the collective and all of that.

So it gets quite a bit right.

Danielle: It's a lot. It's a lot. I think first and foremost again, and this is probably a big realization, this conversation that we've had is doing things slowly. It might look like I move at a fast pace, which I do, but I've built the D Collective over five years. There was a lot of conversations, there was a lot of expansion in a sense that the conversations I had with artists, they frustrated the shit out of me because there was a lot of artists being like, [00:45:00] I want this, and give me this, without graciously approaching being like, Hey Danielle, how are you?

Can you help me with X, Y, Z? Which is how I approach things. But people would be like, tell me how you did this. Tell me how you do that. Can you introduce me to this person? And I was like This is not how the world works. This is not how you would approach anyone else. So I think there was a lot of frustration that I went through over the last five years and I've had to unpack and.

Sift through and really be careful with who I let into the, bubble. So there's a lot of people who came to me along the way being like, let's do this and let's ramp it up and you can make lots of money. And I'm like, that's not what we're here for. Sustainability over quick escalation. It is a lot.

I'm still managing it. I take two online sessions a week. I do Everything myself. I lost my operations manager last week, so I do all my content, all of my murals [00:46:00] all of my admin. I do everything myself. I work a lot, but I also prioritize my mental health, how I eat and how I train. And they're probably like the biggest three things.

And If something doesn't feel like I want to do it, I just don't I'm not, but I feel bad, it's a no. So I think just boundaries and listening to how I'm feeling and not letting people into the safety bubble that I feel are not right to be in my world.

Radim: Beautifully said because when you think about a book by James Clear Atomic Habits, 

and he talks about the fact that people fail because of the lack of system, not because of lack of willingness, but lack of systems and. 

 the people you're describing they're the ones that wanted something really quickly and too 

much of it. Too sudden 

 there was 

no curiosity or gratitude. Again, we, going 

back to those four points, there was no 

curiosity, gratitude, because shortcut. Never gets you to the right place and, the way that you need to get there. 

 So [00:47:00] community what is the sort of main intake at the moment or main sort of, main point of conversation when people, when talk about the mindset, I'm sure the, dreaded AI has crept up into conversations like, how do you keep your people calm and go, you know what, it is the gradual, kind compounding effect to a successful career.

Danielle: I think, yeah I, think communicating that it is the, long game and being very honest about where I'm at as well. Someone asked me, they're like, oh, if you are struggling or you're, going through something or you're, battling in business or you're having a day do you not feel like an imposter mentoring other people like, how do you feel?

Do you feel like you're fit to mentor other people? I said it doesn't, affect me because I'm very honest. If I'm having a day, I'll tell them and I'm very real and honest about how tough it is and The fact that a lot of the time we are doing things with no thank you, no grad.

There's no pat [00:48:00] on the back. Like you're just doing it for yourself. So I think, yeah, being honest about that with them and finding the beauty and the journey rather than more so being you need to do this, is to get to there. Obviously like give them those pushes and the thing is everyone's very different too.

Hence why I can't have a cut and paste approach with everyone that I mentor. So I don't take on too many people because I want to be able to give them the energy that they deserve and be able to mirror and help people. 'cause everyone has different needs. And yes, there's the coursework in there, but everyone's on a different path in a different chapter.

And, I've generally been in all of those chapters, so I need to dig deep and then be like, okay where was I at that point in my journey? And what did I need at that point in my journey as well?

Radim: It's interesting. How can someone ask Hey, if you don't feel a hundred percent you're not your best, can you feel like an imposter? 

I wouldn't have never thought of that. But [00:49:00] sometimes it's not what it is. It's how people see it and they don't always see it. Because again, it takes a place of empathy and understanding, you mentioned earlier that you still, that you got your own coach, right?

You're still working. we learn stuff almost for our clients in a way. Obviously you, need to learn what you need to do 

and then pass it on because speaking of not feeling yourself, every counselor, every therapist has got their own therapist to 

actually go through their own stuff, whereas how can we. Living in a sort of society where still expect, but expect almost demigods to just not have a bad day and just be there. Because 

ultimately what you describe is the humanity. When you tell people 

like, Hey, this is how I am today. This is the truth. And actually being 

honest because that, that, that's where the value really comes from.

Right. it's just all about humanity. You know, It was just like, just be 

who we are and be honest, because ultimately this is how we move on 

as a creative industry, as a society.

And like just being honest about how we feel, because from a place of anxiety when you feel. Not. Okay. You 

think the, [00:50:00] only person that feels 

that 

way, it feels like I am the only one. And then you're gonna hate everyone on the train or a bus going, like, why are you all okay?

Why are you all fine? 

Danielle: Yeah. Yeah. You're looking at everyone like, oh my gosh, am I living in like this? It's weird moment when everything's moving faster and you're like, oh this is odd.

Radim: exactly. Exactly. And you 

feel like, so I think what you're doing is so valuable because you, share enough with the people who need it the most, and they come into you at the right time, in the right place. absolutely admire what you do. I don't hardly ever ask people a question about future, but I'm guessing there'll be some more sort of personal finessing about the style and more personal acceptance about what you created.

But is there something that you're working towards? Is it something that you see in your immediate future maybe not so distant future that you want to achieve and create and keep yourself busy with?

Danielle: It's funny because like I obviously drew my goals at the start of the year, and I'm very there's a lot going on in my mind and one of the subheadings is like [00:51:00] art and like, obviously there's business and there's art, and then there's creativity and spiritual. All those things come really easily.

And then when it comes to the actual art side of things, it never comes as easy as what you would think. So I wanna do a silo and there's some murals that I wanna tick off. But in terms of how I envision my work where that's heading towards, I'm not actually sure.

So I think for me, just ensuring that I'm always challenging, like my creativity in some way, shape or form. And also. Still doing things that I don't necessarily want to do. So I just mentioned before, I'm like, I don't really feel like going in the studio at the moment. At some point in the next few months I'm gonna force myself to go and sit in the studio and paint because I know how that feels on the other side.

But yeah, from a creative standpoint, I think I find more growth in, when I'm focusing on becoming a better human and my [00:52:00] mindset and moving forward. in that respect I have a lot of financial goals too because I know that means more impact and I know where I wanna take the community. I'm hoping it goes global eventually something I'm working towards slowly.

I wanna do retreats and a lot of more, a lot more collaboration. I think that, that's where a lot of impact lies as well. But in terms of my work itself, I think I'm just super patient and again, I feel like a baby. Someone said to me, I was speaking to a friend who collects art, and he said he was speaking to a gallery owner and, they said, oh he's, quite young, da And they were talking about an artist that was in their, early forties. and that stuck with me and I held onto that and I was like, I'm so young in this world. The beauty of it there's no expiration date. And I think a lot of people probably don't start things because they're worried about that.

It's too late. I just I'm just embracing the fact that I have time.

Radim: [00:53:00] I don't think there's a better way to summarize the whole conversation. 

Thank you so much. Thanks for being here today and thanks for sharing with me everything that's happens behind the scenes and how how you operate, how you think your goals, and even though you are still at the very beginning of your journey, so to speak I loved how much you've already thought about it and what you've known, what you've created in the last 15 years.

Because the people in the D collective are lucky to have you your clients are lucky to have you because you bring in something different to the world than just a box of paint and, a paint brushes. I'm a big fan of what you do and I'm really looking forward to have you tick off all your goals and where you going next.

So

yeah, thank you 

Danielle: so much. Thank you for providing this space for creatives. And I've done a lot of podcasts and I think these are the conversations that really matter as creatives and just you'd hope that anyone who listens to this as oh, I feel seen, like I'm doing okay, like I'm moving forward.

So I think everything that you asked and this space that you provide for creatives is so beautiful. [00:54:00] And I just wanna say thank you.

Radim: Thank you very much.