Biography
Cheryl Daniells started formal art training with electives at University of Waterloo. Her studio courses focused on drawing, painting, and sculpture. After graduating with a B.A., she went on to study Architecture and Construction Engineering at Conestoga College and progressed to a design career in the construction industry. She has now re-focused her career on visual arts and has been practicing consistently since 2017. Cheryl has continued to develop her skills, attending courses at Toronto School of Art, Barrie Art Club, Mastrius, Mural Routes, and various workshops throughout Ontario. She currently resides in Barrie, Ontario, Canada . Her work has been exhibited at galleries in Brampton, Barrie, Toronto, North Bay, Orillia, Kirkland Lake, and Terrace BC. She is consistently engaged in the arts community, and is involved in public art projects in her region.
Cheryl has volunteered at Barrie Art Club, Simcoe County Museum, Kempenfest, and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo.
Artist Statement
I am inspired by life. I portray figures and landscapes in paintings, drawings, and mixed media pieces. I frequently use bright colours, black and white, or a combination of both to create contrast. I enjoy using negative space as an element to my work to create balance with positive space, and to tell a story with regards to what areas I leave alone. My work frequently has emotional, social, or political references in it.
My current work is exploring expression in portraiture in an abstract way. I work through cultural identity themes and ideas, and constantly explore new techniques and different ways to express my thoughts. As a woman with Austrian/Estonian/Mennonite/Irish heritage, and a second generation Canadian, I try to observe and respond to issues that are meaningful to me. Human rights and social justice issues are always of interest to me.
I have enjoyed getting to work in public art for several community projects and am looking to continue that work, especially in regard to social issues. I am currently painting and drawing on large canvases, and solid surfaces outdoors. I would like the opportunity to increase the scale of my work, be more involved in public and commercial galleries, learn new techniques for outdoor work, and be involved in more community public art projects.