Artist Statement
Daniela Werneck is a realistic watercolor painter, based in Houston - TX, whose work combines what is the most traditional in watercolor methods with a contemporary look.
Born in 1974 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dani Graduated in 1999 from the Fine Arts School of Rio de Janeiro, where she majored in Interior Designer, the area she worked in until she moved to Australia in 2008.
A self-taught watercolorist, Daniela became a full-time artist in 2015, focusing on realistic figurative watercolor; since that, she has been exhibiting nationally and received several awards in regional and national competitions. Her work has been published in books and magazines, such as Splash 19 and 21, American Art Collectors, Southwest Art Magazine, the Watercolor Artist Magazine, and others.
My name is Daniela Werneck, I am an artist with a bachelor's degree in Interior Design. I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, surrounded by Portuguese relatives. After married my handsome husband, we moved to Australia and lived there for 3 years, just before we landed in Texas in 2011, a place that our two sons call home, and where they do not want to leave anytime soon.
As an artist, I am a romantic, and an art lover since my childhood. Although, as a teenager, I attended private drawing lessons, where does all my artistic base come from, I consider myself a self-taught watercolorist. I painted commissioned portraits in watercolor for many years, which helped me a lot to improve my skills.
Influenced by my personal background My paintings are a mixture of the classic and the romantic, with a contemporary look. The hard life of my Portuguese ancestors, or my childhood in a poor and tropical country, our immigration, or caring for children in the foster care system, have made me into a more sensitive and humbler person. This tendency impacts what I expect from my paintings and their emotional narrative. My art is innocent, romantic, and pure, but often with a social focus that brings knowledge with a sense of freedom and hope to the public. Like fairy tales with all the rebellion that they can provoke, my paintings usually speak to the public, tell stories, create an emotional narrative, revealing feelings and thoughts.
Affiliations
National Watercolor Society
Watercolor Art Society of Houston (Signature)
PoetsArtists
American Women Artist (Signature)
The Portrait Society of America
SELECTION OF AWARDS AND EXHIBITS
2023 Solo Show at RJD Gallery "Metamorphosis"
2023 'International Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "The Blue Butterfly" - Herbert Family Award
2023 "Pushing Foward Reaching Back" at Brookgreen Gardens (museum) by American Women Artists "The Blue Butterfly" - Best Figurative/ Portraiture Award
2023 Bold Brush competition month of January In Full Bloom" - Best in show
2023 'Splash - The Best of Watercolor" at Artists Network "In Full Bloom" - Second Place Award
2022 19 Watermedia Showcase at Artists Network "She Holds The Future" - Honorable Mention
2022 'More Than..." at Tucson Museum of Art "Serene Mother" - Invited
2022 Members Only Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "The Eclosion of A Butterfly" - First Place award.
2022 International Exhibition at National Watercolor Society "Bursting Into Bloom" - Third Place award.
2022 ARC Salon "She Holds the Future" - Finalists
2022 Spring Online Exhibition at American Women Artists “Keepsake” - Merit award for figurative
2022 Breaking Through, The Rise of American Women Artists at Customs House Museum & Cultural Center - "Spring Solace"
2021 Members Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston “Amo De Mia Vivo” - 2nd Place award
2021 Spring Online Exhibition at American Women Artists “The Retreat” - Grand Prize Award
2021 Lifting The Sky at American Women Artists “The Great Kiskadee” - Finalist
2021 International Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston “The Black Letter and A White Canvas” - Award of Merit
2020 ARC Salon “The Great Kiskadee” and "Serene Mother" - Semi-Finalists
2020 Members Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston “The Retreat” - 1st Place award
2020 1st International Women In Watercolor contest “The Retreat” - 1st Place award
2020 Splash 22 international watercolor competition- "The Swallow" - Honorable Mention
2020 “Shades of Light” is our 10th annual juried art show to benefit The Retreat at RJD gallery “Dreams of Hope” - Finalist
2020 Spring Online Juried Show at American Women Artists “The Swallow” - Finalist
2020 International Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "More Than I am Today”
2020 February exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston " Gone With The Wind" - 3rd Place Award
2020 Signature Members exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "Left On The Shelf"
2019 December Small Paintings exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston " Innocence" - 3rd Place Award
2019 Members Competition at Portrait Society of America “The Swallow' - Finalist
2019 “Inside Out/Outside In” at RJD gallery by Poets and Artist "The Swallow".
2019 “Paint The Figure Now” at ZHOU B Art Center by Poets and Artists "Crown and Crows".
2019 - “Tri-States Portrait Exhibition” at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum by The Portrait Society of America "Tired of The Way Things Have Been".
2019 - "50th Members Exhibition" at Watercolor Society Houston "Spring Solace". - Second Place Award
2019 “Go Wild” at Gormley’s Fine Art Gallery (Ireland) by Poets and Artists. "Hide & Sick"
2019 “5x5 Project” at Abend Gallery by Poets and Artists.
2019 Annual Online Exhibition at American Women Artists "Lost in Doubts" - Finalist
2019 Splash 21 international watercolor competition- "Left on The Shelf"
2019 International Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "Picking at Crumbs"
2019 "I Observe" at Rehs Contemporary Gallery "Dreamer" and "Lost in Doubts"
2018 Members Competition at Portrait Society of America “Dreamer"- Finalist
2018 Members-only exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "Dreamer" - Honorable Mention Award
2018 International Exhibition at Louisiana Watercolor Society “Left on The Shelf” - Second Place Award
2018 National Exhibition at Texas Watercolor Society “Thoughts Lost Me” - Cheap Joe’s Award
2018 National Exhibition at Georgia Watercolor Society “The Girl with Popcorn Dress”
2018 International Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston "When You Live in an Upside Down World" - Honorable Mention Award
2017 Members Competition at Portrait Society of America “Tired of the Way Things Have Been” – Fifth Place Award
2017 48th Member-Only Annual Exhibition of Houston Watercolor Society "After Church"
2017 Watercolor Art Magazine Competition “The Girl with Popcorn Dress” – Honorable Mention, featured in the May/June issue.
2017 NWS Members Exhibition at National Watercolor Society "The Girl with Popcorn Dress" – Past President Award
2017 National Exhibition at Texas Watercolor Society “Left on the Shelf” – Holbein award
2016 November exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston “It Must Be Love” - Honorable Mention
2016 Members Annual Exhibition at Watercolor Society of Houston “The Girl with Popcorn Dress” - Second Place Award
2016 Annual International Show at Louisiana Watercolor Society “Smile to the Picture”
2016 National Exhibition at Texas Watercolor Society “Wildflower”
2016 Annual International Exhibition at Watercolor Art Society of Houston “The Imaginary Rainbow Rain”- Merit Award
2016 Texas Top Ten Portrait Artist by Portrait Society of America “Who Cares” – Top Ten.
2015 46th Annual Members Exhibition at Watercolor Society of Houston "By Your Side”- Holbein Award
2015 66th National Exhibition at Texas Watercolor Society "Love of My Life”- Jack Richeson & Co. Award