Egg tempera and oil paint on handcrafted birch panel.
18” x 22”
2023
“Danielle's art is a mesmerizing journey into the hidden world of fungi. With her pieces Mycelia, Myco Wisdom, and Forager, she creates a magical experience that takes us deep into the heart of nature's most enigmatic kingdom. She captures what I dream of always being able to see in a forest.” Giuliana Furci, Field Mycologist, author and Foundress of the Fungi Foundation
Introducing “Mycelia”, goddess of fungi, embodiment of the Queendom of fungi and Mother of the forest ecosystem. She births the mycelial roots through the soil, connecting the life web. She emanates spores, covering the forest floor with future generations of life. Mycelia is a homage to fungi, a celebration of this vast and mysterious realm of nature.
Since 2013, Danielle has been avidly studying the world of fungi. These studies have manifested into artworks and educational workshops imbued with this passion, helping to bring audiences into their world.
Studio Photo by Roi Jones
Acrylic painting on handcrafted birch panel
18x22”
2020
The Forager roams the forest collecting medicines and curio, to preserve their wisdom. He is joined by the fairy guides on these nocturnal adventures.
Tonight he has at last discovered the elusive glowing mushroom, mycena chlorophos, which will light the way to future treasures.
May they light the way and carry their earthly wisdom to you.
Gouache Paint and Photo Collage
35"x9"
2016
Without fungi, we would not exist.
In this fantastic web of life, fungi work diligently behind the scenes to support all life. Fungi take many forms; from the unicellular yeast fermenting beer, to microscopic creatures living inside trees to the button mushroom in your salad. Typically linked to death and decay, many people turn their nose up at the thought of lowly mushrooms. However, these organisms are nothing short of a miracle! They are hardly acknowledged as worthy of study and largely misunderstood, but we’re gradually starting to see just how vast their talents are. Among a great many more feats, here are a few of the superpowers of fungi!
· Most healthy plants rely on bonds with fungi.
· In the evolutionary chain fungi were crucial to help plants evolve from water to land, which paved the way for land dwelling mammals.
· Fungi make up a large mass of our living soil.
· Like the synapses of a brain, they connect forest ecosystems below the surface.
· Many mushrooms carry potent nutrients and medicines.
· Fungi are prime decomposers and are capable of breaking down seemingly anything into their basic building blocks! This is essential, not only to assure future access to nutrients, but also to clear toxins in the environment.
Danielle is enthralled by fungi. As an apprenticing herbalist, she is well versed in their medicinal benefits. As a self-lead student she has equally immersed herself in their biology, natural history and innovative potentials. After years of studies, she was called to express this fascination in a painting. Thus was born Myco Wisdom with its companion book to guide viewers into this rich world.
“Art can offer a gateway to education and a fresh lens to the world in which we live.
Previews of Danielle’s current series in the works; Cosmologia. Stay tuned for updates in the coming months.
Graphite and Digital Colour
30” x 11”2017
The tree is perhaps our mightiest ancestor, a supreme role model of wisdom, compassion and patience. They are cornerstones to the ecosystem, tending to the soil, climate, oxygen and waters. They host and support a vast pageantry of organisms, and eventually give themselves back to the soil. Even as decaying logs, they are one of the richest ecosystems. Through their seasonal transformations, they teach the dance of the elements and laws of nature. But we need to be quiet enough to appreciate this.
Our ancestors worldwide recognized the divinity in trees. They lived among them, witnessing their ways. They worshipped them, as our indigenous peoples still do.We see this in their role as protagonists of myth and folklore. Egypt hailed the tree of life. The Kabbalah has its Tree of Life. The Nordics have the Yggdrasil. The Bible tells of the burning bush and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Symbolically, the tree can represent the human spine. It also shares the form and functions of our lungs; trees carry out the other half of our breath cycle. The tree can also be seen as the world axis, a bridge between two worlds with branches sprawling to the heavens and roots burrowing into the underworld.In this depiction, the Tree of Life carries the chakras or 7 major energy centres. Each one contains a portal to elements of the soul’s journey. Throughout the image are depictions of the cycles of life, birth, death, evolution and continuation. I leave it to you to explore the symbols and reflect on their personal significance.
Ink and Digital Colour
28" x 11"
2016
Consider this painting a roadmap into yourself.
The chakras are an ancient system that illustrate the subtle functions of your human vessel. The seven primary chakras represent major junction points of energy in the body. These symbols are meant to reflect on and help us gain insight on ourselves. They teach us how we grow and evolve as human beings and to access our highest potential.
Through reflection on these centres, you may gain access to personal insights, and learn how to transcend obstacles. Most of our greatest sources of frustration, disappointment and discomfort have roots within the self. We inherit much of these programs in the womb and early life, but as adults we are in the driver’s seat. It’s up to us to claim responsibility for our thoughts and actions; and what we are creating as a result. By learning where the patterns come from and understanding our own psychology start on the path to realize our greatest potentials.
Day Bringer
Collage, tempera grassa and oil paint on primed cotton paper
9”x12”
2021
The mother goddess cares for all her nature children. Those of the earth, the water, the air and even her incinerating fire children. She often dwells in the soils, building roots from which all life thrives. From these roots come the plants whose job it is to transmute solar energy to sustain all beings. Today she carries this sun up above the horizon to greet the dawn of the new day, the new age, inviting with it a new cycle of life.
This painting is an homage to mother nature, renaissance painting and golden age illustration, with special reference to Aubrey Beardsley’s illustrative work.
Framed.
The work in progress.
11x14” Ink on Paper
2016
The Antipodes Project is a collaborative art project started by Ben Tolman in 2006. It was an ongoing, evolving project dedicated to exploring the antipodes of our collective mind. This particular drawing, THE MYTH, was coordinated and completed in 2019 by Danielle Caners.
Contributing Artists
Ben Tolman (USA), Danielle Caners (Canada), Joe MacGown (USA), Maura Holden (USA), Kris Kuksi (USA), Jon Beinart (Australia), Kuba Ambrose (Australia), Gill Perry (USA), Rodney Gee (South Africa), Jeen Yainderidoo (The Netherlands), Ryan Thornburg (USA), Chloe Marsters (New Zealand), Durga (Indonesia), Marnie Pitts (UK), Sal Hunter (UK), Rens Ink (USA), Marcel Bakker (Netherlands), Zachary Nolin (USA), Pizo Meyer (USA), Richard A. Kirk (Canada), Janelle McKain (USA), Chayung Saigon, Hector Pineda (Mexico), Matthew Sergison-main (UK), Otto Rapp (Austria), Sunita Fisic (Bosnia), Phil Rubinov (UK), Alexander Bostic (USA), Andreas Litwas (Germany), and Paulo Cunha (Canada)
Oil Paint and Egg Tempera of Primed Paper
20" x 16"
2017
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to find all the barriers within yourself that you built against it.” Rumi
Process and planning
Union sketch
Close-up
Danielle’s augmented reality art in collaboration with Eyejack app.
”Forest Spirit”
Pencil, marker and ink on paper
Animation and augmented reality programming
2017
Featured in the "Prosthetic Reality" Augmented Reality art book.
”Seven Luminaries”
Pencil and digital colour
Animation and augmented reality programming
2018
Commissioned for Thought Bubble festival in the UK for their “Comics are Alive” project. This artwork was installed at the Leeds museum for public showing.
Commissioned by Thought Bubble Festival for their “Comics are Alive” project. The augmented reality is created in collaboration with Eyejack app. “Seven Luminaries” was installed for public viewing at the Leeds museum.
Pencil, paint and marker on rag paper
2015
Oil painting on birch panel
10x10 inches
2016
Oil painting on primed paper
16x19”
2016
Artwork from 2015 and earlier
Coloured pencil, watercolor, acrylic, marker and lipstick on paper
14" x 11"
2013
Acrylic and oil on wood panel
24" X 11" x 1"
2015
Pencil and ballpoint pen in a medium Moleskine sketchbook
2014
Acrylic on canvas
2' x 4'
2014
Ink, marker, pencil
17" x 13"
2016
Copper Plate Etching
6" x 4"
2014
Acrylic, pencil, panpastel and pen on paper
17"x22"
2013
Coloured Pencil, marker and watercolour on paper
11" x 8.5"
2011
Marker, acrylic, coloured pencil and pen on paper
8.5" x 11"
2011
