Hello, I'm Danielle.
I am an artist and designer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently, I'm located in New York City.
In my creative practice, I’m a generalist who is drawn to the process of solving all sorts of challenges.
When I design, I enjoy being hands-on during the entire process to find the best solution, whether it's communicating with the client, researching, ideating and composing concepts, refining the product to perfection, or delivering a captivating presentation.
For me, this is an exercise of empathy, curiosity, fine-tuning, and commitment to meet an end goal, which spills into my work across art, design, and mentorship.
For as long as I can remember, drawing and creating have been a part of my identity. I was that kid who drew on the bleachers during recess.
I took my first love of illustration to new heights when I studied fine art at UC Berkeley. I learned how to conceptualize ideas into rich visual narratives, execute with technical skill and innovation, and catalyze meaning to create a connection between the piece and the heart of the viewer.
I applied these valuable tools to the University’s Center for Teaching and Learning as a Communications Designer, and then as a Web and Print Designer for the Center for New Media. All the while, I never stopped creating art as I joined the Firehouse Art Collective in Oakland. Subsequently, I worked for Minted as a Design Associate in Downtown Oakland.
After a strong desire for change, I moved to Spain to teach English for three years. As a teacher, I found reward in empathizing with a student’s needs, tailoring a plan for their learning style, and teaching them with effective engagement and encouragement.
Saying adiós to Spain, I took a year off around Southeast Asia, from Thailand to the Philippines. Apart from creating art and design projects, I took this time to learn HTML/CSS to refine this portfolio website. If I wasn't working, I was feeding the local animals, riding my bike, trying new allergen-free recipes, watching dance routines or wrestling matches (the real, MMA-type), and exploring the depths of the jungles.
Today, you can find me in Brooklyn, New York, pursuing a career in design and fine art.
On this website, you’ll find a reflection of me as a person: an oscillation between playfulness, introspection, and embarrassingly moody guilelessness.
contact
email: daniellealojado@gmail.com
follow me on IG: @des_alojado
artist statement
My thoughts are ruled by the attempts to alleviate confusion in specific situations through analyzing, categorizing, and putting it away in its box. While it's a form of an attempt to control such situations, the gray area is where my art seeks to find resolve.
In my current work, I explore themes of the self-identity and its role in interpersonal relationships. Beginning as an exploration of psycho-philosophical ideas of attachment and human belonging, my process becomes an exercise to sit in neutrality. For that reason, my goal is to confront these concepts with openness through narrative, while attempting to fully understand the manner in which I operate within the confines of inadvertent scrutiny.
exhibitions
2024
“Howard Art Show”, 16 Howard Gallery, New York, New York
2018
“No Vacancy” solo show, Lottie Rose Art Gallery, Oakland, California
2018-2015
Group Participant, Lottie Rose Art Gallery, Oakland, California
2014
"Post-Glitter: the Fall 2014 Honor’s Studio Exhibition", Worth Ryder Gallery, Berkeley, California
"Voices in the Shadow", Silo’s, Napa, California
"Senior Class Exhibition", Berkeley, California
"Para-Site: critical adaptations and contingent relations", Worth Ryder Gallery, Berkeley, California
2013
"Senti-mental", 17 Jewels, Oakland, California