We talk extensively about supporting local businesses and #buyingsmall, but when do we ever thank them for their patronage? This series of posts is meant to honor the unsung hero's who recognize the hard work, passion and dedication we put into our craft and shine the light back onto them. For without them we couldn't continue to do the work that we love and for that I am so grateful.
Meet Danielle and her gorgeous kiddos Karis & Alex!
Tell us about yourself and what you're passionate about?
I lived in New York City for 16 years before moving to the Barton Hills area in Austin last year (2021). I am an architect and my husband, Chris, is in finance. I absolutely love to travel and experience new places! I am a beach girl and feel immense joy when swimming in the ocean. I hold a deep appreciation for art as I trained in fine art until my 2nd year of college and then eventually switched over to architecture. As an architect, my background in art does influence my work indirectly. My art knowledge and experiences in the field have allowed me to look at things from different angles and to understand what it means to fully experience a given space.
How did you discover Julie Ahmad Contemporary Art?
I met Julie through our kids which led me to become familiar with her art. Our home in Barton Hills is the first place my husband and I have owned. We had rented all of our adult lives prior, so we knew that the things we purchased for our home should have meaning and be things that we would want to keep for a long time. "Texas Snow Day" is the first original art piece that I have ever purchased. I had seen this piece in Julie’s home while it was still for sale and at first sight, I knew this piece was to be ours. I mentioned to Julie a few weeks later that I was interested and I ended up buying it that same night!
What does it mean to you to support a local artist?
"Buying locally brings a sense of connection and identity between the buyer and the city in which the art was created; it's also just cool to own local art and help support local business. Not only was this the first original piece of art we had purchased, but it was the first art piece we purchased in our new Texas home! This painting certainly established a sense of connection to Austin - it has grounded us here in our home." ~ Danielle
What drew you to this original piece of art? Why this piece?
I remember whispering to my husband that this was the exact piece we needed for our home. Besides the richness and layers of colors and texture (I'm a huge fan of monochrome, but blue is a color that both my husband and I are drawn to), we later found out the name and meaning behind the piece. The 2021 Texas snowstorm happened 2 weeks after we moved to Austin from New York; it was a wildly bizarre reality for many, and for us, it was a surreal and sobering introduction to Texas. We were unprepared, but we got through it! I was incredibly drawn to the way that natural lighting hit the piece; I love that this is not a static piece as there is a lot of vibrancy and movement within it. We wanted art with significance and we definitely got just that.
What does this piece of art bring to your home/intimate space?
I like that this painting adds subtle color and vibrancy to our otherwise neutral space, without being jarring. As a fan of monochrome, I usually lean towards neutral tones. So this piece adds color to our space!
Above are two hand embellished prints from my, "It's all gone to the dogs" series
that each hang in their bedrooms.
Questions for Karis & Alex : What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you think of Julie’s art? What is your favorite part about this painting?
Karis : ‘I want to be a chef! I think that the piece is good and I like the blue and the pink colors.’
Alex : ‘I want to be a chef, too! I really want to cook hamburgers. I like the blue colors in the painting.’
Julie : 'I just love that there actually is no blue in either of the paintings. ;) But we all see things from our own perspective and that's what make art so cool- it's personal and yours to interpret how you want too.
