The Journey Of An Artist - Danny Minnick

The journey of an artist takes up different forms but for Danny Minnick, it took an unexpected turn, and now he revels in it.

- Joseph Low and Bryan Goh

The path towards becoming an artist varies from one individual to another. For the majority, it starts from an early age. Most would have had their first taste of making art through formal education such as art classes and that becomes the starting point for many. For Seattle-born artist Danny Minnick, drawing is second nature and he could easily sketch out his favourite cartoon characters when he was only in third grade.

However, an unfortunate event with a teacher in his younger days left Minnick feeling despaired and wronged. He was told to draw an image of his hand freestyle and because his artwork was perfectly drawn, his teacher asserted that he cheated. Minnick did not and the incident made him feel guilty, resulting in him drawing less over time. After the incident, he would still doodle but that passion he once had was no longer there.

Another of Minnick’s most fond experiences is skateboarding. With his natural aptitude for the sport, he competed professionally and enjoyed a successful career from it. On top of that, he was also acting as a stunt double. In 2010, he tore his Achilles tendon and the incident altered the course of his life. The injury meant Minnick could no longer partake in competitions and he shifted his focus to recovering.

Two years after his injury, fellow professional skateboarder Chad Muska introduced Minnick to his studio space and the concept of making art. Muska was already dabbling in contemporary art, similar to other skater-turned-artists such as Mark Gonzales, Ed Templeton, and others. Minnick spent most of his time at Muska’s art studio and that was when he renewed his fervour for painting.