Artists have known the perks and pain points of working from home long before the rest of the world caught on. Many of Dallas’ visual creatives, both up-and-coming and established, prefer the comfort and inspiration that comes from creating in a familiar place. But how that environment informs their work—and how their aesthetic, in turn, influences their living spaces—is wholly individual. We went inside the homes of six local artists, whose means of self-expression on and off the canvas give a revealing peek into their distinct personalities and points of view.
Artist Carolyn Joe Daniel and her husband, Troy, used to admire the houses they’d pass on walks around Lakewood, writing letters to their favorites, asking the owners to keep them in mind if they ever wanted to sell. Five-and-a-half years ago, Daniel got a letter back—and with it, her family’s now home, located just a few blocks from their previous residence.
A handful of renovations later, including lightening the floors and adding a pool, the abode became a bright and playful oasis (“I love things that lift the mood and bring a little cheerfulness,” Daniel says) that brings more joy and comfort to days spent at home. Daniel’s passion for color in her own paintings inspired a space that fosters the same sense of love and whimsy: “It’s a place where we make messes daily, and that’s OK to embrace. It’s really part of life together.”
