Today we’d like to introduce you to Danae Klingspor.
Hi Danae, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am an artist. I have always been an artist growing up. I didn’t allow myself to dive into art entirely, mainly out of fear. Instead, I attended the University of Texas at Austin for Interior Design. After graduation, I enrolled at Savannah College of Art and Design for Graphic Design. After enrolling in Grad school, I quickly learned part of the reason I didn’t trust “art” as a field was because I didn’t trust myself. I didn’t trust my ability to draw, create, or put myself into the art realm for fear of failure. Now, I am pursuing both Art and Design. I’m hoping to one day find a cohesive way those two intersect. I have passions for both, deeply rooted in what I do. In the meantime, I will do Interior Design projects while promoting and trying to sell my art. I hope my firm will merge these two, and I’ll get the opportunity to redesign a space to include my drawings in the finishes and decor within a space.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This road has been all sorts of bumpy. The hardest part has been finding my voice and my confidence to be entrepreneurial. I first had to believe that I had the skillset that would be marketable as an artist and a designer. Next, I had to tell myself I could create things people wanted to buy or hire me to create for them. Once I allowed myself to believe that things started going easier. I was able to be more creative and dive deeper into my passions. Of course, the income would be more steady with a traditional 9-5. My autonomy with being an entrepreneur is worth that instability. It allows me to stay at home with my kid. Those are years I will never get back. This way, I can show my child how to work hard and what it looks like to pursue a passion (or two).
Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
I am an artist of many mediums. I picked up paint carving during the pandemic, which has become my favorite medium, even though it’s time-consuming. I also do digital drawings and patterns on various household products. The work I am most proud of is the community mural project I did for the city of Pflugerville last summer. It was beautiful to see people from the community come out to paint a portion of the outline I created for the mural on the backside of the Suite 500 building. That’s what sets me apart. It’s my love for the community. I love working with people to help them get something they want. I love to provide people with work that resonates with them. I love bringing people together; seeing them come together over art is even better.
What was you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always doing what I’m doing now. I was always tinkering with my room and changing out the interior details the best I could. I was always doing something artistic, whether drawing, painting, or creating. And I loved to work out. I have collected many sports, including gymnastics, cross country, rock climbing, and bodybuilding. Which one did I love the most? I couldn’t tell you. Looking back at my youth, I’m not that different now. I help others change their interiors. I still draw, paint, and create. And I love to bring my 3-year-old son to the gym, and he watches me work out from the window of the kid’s center. I am a recovered perfectionist. I used to fear making the wrong mark on a page growing up. Now I embrace what Bob Ross would call “happy little accidents.” If you’re on the road to overcoming perfectionism, know it is possible!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Danaeklingsporstudio
- Instagram: @danaekstudio
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danae-klingspor-111a90168/
- Other: www.instagram.com/danaeklingspor
Image Credits
Image credits for in action shots: Jeremiah Flynn Photography
