“I was initially interested in working in government and politics while growing up,” explains artist Danielle Draik. She turned to art when she realized it was a more ideologically pure form. She finds great satisfaction in the act of creation – building something out of nothing. “It’s amazing to have met people who have seen my work, approached me, and told me that they’ve connected to it, deeply.” Her chosen medium is painting; she typically makes work in acrylics on mirrors and glass. Occasionally working in sculpture, Danielle has been known to cast and edition smaller pieces in resin, but would like to explore metals. Her work is about human identity and establishing a visual language that forms a narrative about beingness. Making large work from her low ceilinged basement studio near Ridgewood makes SPACE(!) one of her biggest artistic challenges. Currently, she’s molding and casting a few of her smaller pieces and is working towards a new series of paintings about the struggle with feelings of alienation and rejection. This year she plans to execute more public pieces and apply to graduate school.