A LITTLE ABOUT ME BELOW
ARTIST STATEMENT
ARTIST BIO
ARTIST CV
COMMISSIONS
ARTIST STATEMENT
My western still life paintings depict historic tooled saddlery, vintage western artifacts, all with details of handcraft, patina, use & wear, which often are overlooked. Regarding my saddle paintings, the historic cowboy is routinely presented via wonderful landscape on a horse, their powerful presence seated in another’s handiwork, fusing cowboy & horse within landscapes our eyes are asked to examine. But the cowboy's view is his saddle, unique & significant to his cowboy life story as well as vintage items that have possibly crossed his various paths. My paintings are representational & close up have a more, painterly quality. In my landscapes & southwest still life paintings, I hope to evoke the mood of a time gone. The Early California history, Spanish, Mexican, Native American, Southwestern, Western, & New Mexican history remains a fascinating area of interest that I am continuing to explore & include in my latest paintings.
My saddle paintings expose to the viewer details of the cowboy's saddle in an intimate view usually reserved for the rider. I show, in almost abstractions, the tremendous craft put into these utilitarian objects. I hope the viewer experiences the beauty, wear, labor & pride in these objects that are synonymous with "Cowboy" & the South West as well as a possible traveled story.
ARTIST BIO
Born and raised in Los Feliz village, Los Angeles, a neighborhood of Native American, Spanish & Mexican culture, was Danuta’s childhood backdrop. Being first generation Polish-American, she long ago connected with the similarities between Southwestern/Mexican craftwork and Polish art and handcraft. Danuta’s family home had two southwest paintings of Taos Pueblo and a 1940's Mexican marketplace, she still owns both. Danuta’s parents were artistic and encouraged creativity. Her first art class was at Barnsdall Park, in Hollywood, in a Frank Lloyd Wright designed building mere blocks from her home. She was 5 years old. As a teen, Danuta was honored to have a watercolor hang in the annual (at that time) Barnsdall Park Art Show gallery.
After attending Immaculate Heart High School & Otis Art Institute in fashion design, Danuta worked in the garment industry for ten years creating clothing, textile & graphic designs, including fashion magazine publishing. Later, she pursued painting murals, interior paintings, portraits, home and retail interior design, and theater set designs. Then, in 2009, Danuta gravitated toward painting southwestern imagery at her second studio in the wine country of Temecula, California, an area steeped in the Early California esthetic.
ARTIST CV
Born in Los Angeles, California
Lives and works in both Los Angeles and Temecula, California
Immaculate Heart High School Los Angeles, California 1978
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California 1979
Pasadena City College Pasadena, California 1980
Otis Art Institute Los Angeles, California 1980-1983
Memberships
CAC California Art Club
AWA American Women Artists
OPA Oil Painters of America
CGA Cowgirl Artists of America-Founding
WAOW Women Artists of the West
Exhibitions, Press, Work, Awards*
2026 May:Phippen Museum Art Show and Sale May 2026 Juried Show Prescott, Arizona Memorial Day weekend 2026
Western Spirit Juried Art Show & Sale at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne, WY from March-April 2026.
Utah Tech University and the Sears Art Museum 39th annual Invitational Art Show & Sale in St. George, Utah, February 13, 2026 -March 28, 2026.
Tucson Desert Art Museum-juried show: FEBRUARY 18-APRIL 19, 2026“Petals and Prickles: Botanical Art from the Desert Southwest", A Curated Exhibition at the Four Corners Gallery in the Tucson Museum
2025—Woodward Contemporary Gallery San Diego. CA -“No Hard Edges” Juried Art show October 11-November 11, 2025
-WESTERN ART & ARCHITECTURE magazine JUNE/JULY 2025 Featured in a Two page article artist highlight in a
-AWA American Women Artists Annual Online Juried Show from April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026 https://showsubmit.com/gallery/awa-2025-annual-online-juried-show
-Phippen Museum Art Show May 2025 Juried Show Prescott, Arizona Memorial Day weekend 2025
-Cowgirl Gathering Art show Fort Worth, TX and online juried into show for May 2025
2024 —OPA Oil Painters of America host for October 2024 paint out in Temecula, CA wine country
-Artist Collaboration with Double D Ranch Clothing Yoakum, TX Fall 2024 collection including 2 Paintings featured on to women’s clothing items.
-Camelback Gallery month-long solo show for August 2024, juried 1 of 12 artists juried for solo shows (one year of September 2023-August 2024)
-Phippen Museum Art Show May 2024 Juried Art Show Prescott, Arizona
-Western Art Collector Magazine featured in “Best of Western Still Life Artists” article January 2024 issue
2023—December 2023 The subject of Dr. Mark Sublette’s Art Dealer Diaries podcast no. 273! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/art-dealer-diaries-podcast/id1384036101?i=1000637652902https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/art-dealer-diaries-podcast/id1384036101?i=1000637652902
-Mountain Oyster Club juried Art Show in Tucson, AZ November 2023
-OPA Oil Painters of America 2023 Western Regional Juried Show at Brushworks Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT 10/2023
-Western Gallery New Western Talent Show July-August 2023 Jurors: Rose Fredrick, Caroline Frost-The Commerce Gallery Lockhart, TX, Michael Clawson- Executive Editor of International Artist Publishing:Western Art Collector, Native American Art, American Art Collector. **Awarded BEST IN SHOW
-Phippen Museum Art Show May 2023 -Juried Show in Prescott, Arizona
-Cowgirl Artists of America Wildflower Juried Show with Western Gallery February 2023 Jurors: Lisa Staudohar of Art of the West Magazine, Dr. Mark Sublette of Medicine Man Gallery Tucson, AZ, and Dr. Diana Vela of National Cowgirl Museum **Awarded Members’ Choice Award
2022—Camelback Gallery Scottsdale International Juried Realism Painting Competition December 2022 **Awarded Bronze Medal
-Camelback Gallery Scottsdale International Juried Still Life Painting Competition September 2022 **Awarded Bronze Medal
-Phippen Museum Art Show May 2022-Juried Show Prescott, Arizona
2021—Camelback Gallery Scottsdale International Juried Painting Competition 11/2021. **Awarded Bronze Medal
-Phippen Museum Art Show May 2021 -Juried Show Prescott, Arizona
2020—Phippen Museum Art Show May 2020 (online only) -Juried Show Prescott, Arizona
2014—Mesquite Fine Arts Center Mesquite, Nevada 2014 Juried show
1993-2010 —Interior designer including paintings & murals for private clients & businesses. Set designer for many theater productions in the southern California area.
1983-1993—Worked as a designer in the LA garment industry as clothing & fabric designer for a few women’s clothing companies. Associate Publisher of industry fashion magazine-1990-1992.
1978—*Bank of America Achievement Award in the Field of Art 1978 Distinguished Performance
1977—Barnsdall Park Art Gallery Show 1977 featured watercolor hung in the interior gallery.
COMMISSIONS
Horse people love my saddle “portraits” and feel so close to their own personal saddles, (or a family heirlooms), so of course, I have been and would be honored to also paint your personal saddle still life portrait with all the details that are important to you or yours. Capturing the age and wear and the craftsmanship of the special item is capturing a time and place and history forever.
If you're interested in working with me, complete the form with a few details about your project. I'll review your message and get back to you with details. Have we met before at an event? If so, where? I look forward to honoring your treasure!