Meet Danielle Flicek, artist, chef and restaurant owner, mother, and Brazilian Jiu Jitus competitor! Dani has been a great friend and customer since she moved to Red Wing in 2014 and opened her restaurant, Staghead. We have been thrilled to work with her and her art in both our digital and framing departments, and are excited to share her artwork and story here.
Artist and chef Danielle Flicek with her oil painting of colorful mushrooms.
Artist and chef Danielle Flicek shows off some fine art prints of her oils.
What is your background in art? Where did you start and how did it grow?
I always remember creating art since I was a young child using simple crayons and watercolors, and eventually getting my hands on more media in school. I enjoyed every project we did in school but I really fell in love with painting around 9th grade. I would call myself the teacher’s pet in the art room. I would even have my lunch in the art room sometimes!
One of my most memorable projects in high school was a Toulouse-Lautrec mural. That led to a lot more mural work. I also began doing commission paintings when I was in high school and have kept this up consistently. My first oil painting experience was in an Intro to Painting class with Simon Hueslbeck at RCTC when I was in the Post Secondary program in my high school. This ended up being the only time I was ever formally taught how to oil paint. It was exciting and I fell in love with it! My teacher thought I was bizarre though because I prefer to paint on the floor instead of an easel!
After high school, I was accepted into the San Francisco Academy of Art but I decided to stay home to be near my siblings who were still small and growing up. So, I moved to Rochester, MN and managed an Alsatian restaurant, which was right next to… a frame shop! The frame shop owner was a regular at the bistro. This was my connection and introduction to custom framing, and I ended up working there too. I really enjoyed this work and was inspired by many projects. It was great to learn the techniques and hard work that goes into framing, like pairing colors, textures, styles, and so on. At this time I was stretching and prepping my own canvas, then making my own frames too. It was a good learning experience.
My family and I moved to Red Wing in October 2014 to open Staghead, which took a lot of my time. This halted my paintings for a few years. I picked it back up again once the restaurant was on its feet.
What media and styles do you work in now?
Yum! Artist and chef Danielle Flicek cooks and paints delicousness!
I only oil paint now and am backed up with commission portrait pieces! I paint a lot of wedding/engagement portraits and images of loved ones who have passed away.
I really enjoy painting food…fruits and vegetables are my favorite subjects! I love the organic shapes and textures and how colorful they are. I enjoy painting high contrast and repetition, like a pile of cherries or morels. On my easel currently is a new blackberry piece! I am working on a collection for a food exhibit this fall at The Anderson Center.
Who/what inspires you?
I think hyperrealism is incredible. Artists like Diego Fazio or Tjalf Sparnaay inspire me. I also like to keep an eye on Daria Callie for her portraiture. I try not to look too much at other artists’ paintings while I am working on my own because I have my own style and sometimes find myself trying to mimic others. But I am definitely inspired and in awe of so many painters! If I ever have painter’s block, a museum trip or a scroll through Instagram accounts is a great motivator.
What are your biggest barriers to making art, and who is your support system?
I have tons of barriers and challenges when it comes to painting. It has taken me years to find the time again to even pick up a brush since opening Staghead. The first Covid shutdown allowed me to spend time getting it back on track and create some great pieces and portraits. I realized I needed and wanted to be painting.
Working with a life coach helped me find direction, and gave me the confidence to take my painting beyond hobby and start putting myself out there more. I was able to communicate with my husband and restaurant staff about how it is important to me and I would like to adventure more into making this a career. I can’t give them enough thanks for seeing my vision and understanding. I am so blessed to have a big team that supports my art adventure!
My husband and two sons are very supportive. My kids love to watch my process and even work on their own while I do mine. I also have to give a shout out to the staff at Staghead for stepping up and working hard so I can spend time on my art. I am also dedicated to training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and am grateful to the support from my peers at RioJitsu in Apple Valley, MN. I have found that BJJ has increased my creativity and patience with painting, and with life overall. It is Yin and Yang!
“Being able to paint allows me to live and see more creatively in other parts of my life, like at the restaurant or martial arts or even parenting. Not to be cliché but it’s a good reminder that everyday, like every new project, is a blank canvas and I am the painter.”
Wedding portrait commission by Artist Danielle Flicek.
Ok, where can we see more of you and your art!?
I am currently working on pieces for the art show this fall at The Anderson Center in Red Wing. They can be viewed for the first time there or you can see other originals on the walls of Staghead, my own personal gallery!
I love to do commissions, and find them incredibly rewarding. It is important to me to be emotionally involved and to know the story behind the subject. For commission pieces or original and prints inquiries, you can find me on Instagram @daniflicek or email danielleflicek@gmail.com.