Creation is often the only true way we can verify our own existence. For visual artist Daniel, bringing something that has not ever existed before into the world is crucial for maintaining his sense of self in the physical world we live in. Many of his works are a combination of visual storylines that set a dream-like ambiance, combined with 3D models found from the internet. Daniel does not limit his creative energies to just positive feelings and vibrations, as at times those feelings are not the most powerful. Instead, he utilizes uncomfortably and unpleasantness into a relatable medium for the human experience.

Who is Daniel? What makes up your self-identity in this world?
I've always seen identity as tied up with recurring activity. I am not what I think, I am what I do, and the more I do something, the more I am that thing. I see myself as having two main modes: consumption and production. While my media consumption represents "me" to the extent that my habits of consumption are tailored by my tastes, production will always be my more important dimension because it is more active. I am able to bring things into the world that weren't there before. What better way to prove that I exist than that?

How would you describe the type of visual art you create to those who have never seen it?
I usually describe what I do as staging free 3D models downloaded from the internet to create scenes and visual narratives that instill a dream-like mood. Occasionally, I will do something similar with transparent png files instead of (or in combination with) 3D models. I've never been able to draw or paint, so working with preexisting materials is a necessity, but I also like the impersonal feeling that can come from placing virtual objects (made by different people and for different purposes) next to each other and making them interact.

What does your utopia look like? Do you have an idealized world you choose to create in?
I spend plenty of time trying to imagine what an ideal society would look like but the idea of creating from within a hypothetical world doesn't make much sense to me. I have no choice but to create in the real world. I am lucky enough to have what I would wish for everyone as the bare minimum: a job that affords me enough free time and resources to pursue my creative interests outside of work hours. A true utopia would be a world in which all labor is unalienated labor, but in the real world, it's a luxury to get any unalienated labor at all.

What inspires you most in life? Is it usually people or places or objects?
I will occasionally have very emotionally powerful dreams. While I have sometimes been able to draw inspiration directly from this type of dream, they are unfortunately few and far between so I am always on the lookout for interesting feelings that I can try to recreate or amplify through art. People, places, and objects are all fair game, but I probably try to recreate vibes I feel in locations most frequently. I am fascinated by locations that are mass-produced and impersonal. Feelings that inspire art don't have to be good, they just have to be powerful in some way. My recent self-published novel (The New and Used Ford/Mercury King of Defiance) sprung from an exploration of the intense discomfort I feel being in car dealerships and watching car commercials. If I weren't able to draw inspiration from unpleasant feelings like alienation and disgust, I imagine my output would be very limited.

Have you always viewed yourself as a creative? Would there be another path in life that you could see yourself in?
For whatever reason, being able to create things that weren't there before is very important to my sense of self, even if the things I create are purely digital and constructed out of preexisting parts. While the urge to create can take many different forms, following a path in life that doesn't involve some attempt to create is unthinkable.