It's not often you hear of someone make the transition from interior design to art. Then again not everyone lives the peripatetic life of someone who is married to a professional sports player. It is a life that has seen Danielle Cross move from Sydney to Perth for four years with a young family then back to Sydney and off to Perpignan in southern France for six months before returning to Sydney again. It was during her time overseas that she started to focus on creating art. Even though she has been working on a few interior design jobs, the lure is always towards the canvas. Since her return to Sydney Danielle has exhibited at The Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick and held a few pop-up art shows. A selection of her works are available through The Design Hunter and Greenhouse Interiors.
Which five words best describe you? Blended, visual, determined, interested, bold.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? Coming from a creative family my early years always included some form of art and design. Through visual arts in secondary school to studying interior design at Design Centre Enmore, the need to create was always at the foreground. This also gave my a great knowledge and grounding in design elements and colour psychology. While travelling and living abroad my art became “serious” then I started to receive painting commissions and exposure. When I relocated back to Sydney I held numerous pop-up art shows which were a great success, and it has been a natural progression from there.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? I can't go past the saying, "Luck is a skill". We work hard to put ourselves in a position to be lucky.
What’s your proudest career achievement? I have a strong belief in giving back and being chosen to exhibit my artwork in The Sydney Children's Hospital is probably my proudest moment to date. With all the sadness and hardship that goes with treating and caring for the kids, I really felt a great sense of gratitude to be able to, even in the smallest way, change the thoughts and emotions of the children and their families. I saw first-hand their faces turn from their hospital reality to a smiling conversation about which artworks they liked the best.
What’s been your best decision? It has to be believing in myself. Belief in my ability to create and belief in my ability to listen to my instincts. This has helped me creatively and on a personal and an everyday level.
Who inspires you? My daughters, Marley & Evy Jude. I never knew love and I never knew crazy and amazing humour until these two arrived!
What are you passionate about? Empowering kids with the belief that really anything is possible. I am passionate about listening to and learning about people's stories. Everyone has an amazing and interesting story.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Picasso - to ask him at what point did he know when his artwork was complete.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Too many. I wake up with new ones each day... six months’ painting and eating in Italy... maybe an MCA exhibition.
What are you reading? Thrive by Arianna Huffington.
images courtesy of danielle cross
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