Bio
Ariel Dannielle (b. 1991) is an African-American painter born and raised in Atlanta, GA. She graduated from University of West Georgia, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Drawing directly from her life, Ariel creates large-scale paintings that depict the daily experiences of young Black women through her personal and playful lens.
She believes in the importance of her artwork to provide a look into Black girlhood/womanhood that can be represented and understood.
This acrylic archive has enabled her to explore aspects of the mundane, human vulnerability and sexuality. Influenced by Kerry James Marshall and Mickalene Thomas
, Dannielle focuses on developing personal narratives within her portraits that challenge gender and racial stereotypes. By placing herself in the paintings, Dannielle welcomes the viewers to also participate in a process of introspection.
Ariel’s work has been showcased at the Venice Biennale, California African American Museum, Monique Meloche Gallery, Soco Gallery, UTA Atlanta, Harvey B. Gantt Museum, Mint ATL, The Goat Farm, ZuCot Gallery, Dalton Gallery, Trio Contemporary Art Gallery, Sheetcake Gallery, and Perez Museum Miami. She was an Artadia 2024 winner, MOCA GA Working Artist Fellow of 2019-20. She also showcased her first mural with Living Walls x Adult Swim in Atlanta, Georgia in 2022.
Statement
In the act of painting, I find a sacred reflection of the world that surrounds me. I paint not to document just what is seen, but to capture what is felt—what is lived. The quiet, often invisible rhythms of Black womanhood that pulse through our daily routines are my canvas. These are not the grand moments of public life or the bold statements of history, but the smaller, quieter gestures—the brushstrokes of the mundane—that are the true heartbeat of who we are.
Each painting begins with an everyday moment. It could be the way a woman fluffs her hair under the bathroom lights, the rhythm of her hand as she stirs a pot of grits on a Sunday morning, or the peace in her gaze as she waters her plants before bed. These simple acts are brimming with life, yet they often escape the eye of those who look too quickly, who only see the dramatic, tragic or the exceptional. But for me, these moments are full of grace and tenderness. Through color and form, I attempt to make visible what is often unseen: the beauty in resilience, the magic in repetition, and the deep-rooted love for self and community that permeates the everyday. I capture her in vibrant hues—bold pinks, soft browns, and glitter.
I paint the quiet and loud moments of self-care, because they are revolutionary. A Black woman, taking the time to nourish herself in the midst of a world that demands her to constantly give, is an act of defiance. To sit and read a book, go dancing, or to get dinner and drinks with friends —that simplicity is powerful. It is in these spaces that we find our power and our joy. And it is in these spaces that I find the most potent inspiration for my work.
In each piece, I use the mundane to tell a larger story—the story of survival, of joy, of love. A woman taking a selfie ; the intimacy of a group of friends gathered together, sharing a meal and stories, the laughter filling the air like music. These moments are sacred, and I want my paintings to honor that. By celebrating the beauty in the everyday, I am acknowledging the vastness of our lives, the complexity of Black womanhood, and the countless ways we find beauty in a world that often underestimates us. The ordinary becomes extraordinary under the right gaze.
In the end, it is not just about creating a representation of Black womanhood—it’s about shifting how we see it. To focus not just on the trauma and triumphs, but on the everyday victories. The resilience embedded in the simple acts of living, of being. There is no grand narrative in these paintings, no loud statements, no dramatic gestures. Only the quiet beauty of a life fully lived, in all its small, mundane, yet utterly extraordinary forms.
And that, I believe, is the truest form of celebration.