Danielle Zirkelbach was born in New Haven,
Connecticut and traveled with her father and older brother across the East
Coast of the US until they made Florida home. She spent most of her life in
Flagler Beach, and St. Augustine Beach where she discovered a deep,
unexplainable love for the ocean.
When Danielle found this love, it changed her
life and she always knew that one day, her world would revolve entirely around
the ocean. Danielle was the lieutenant of the Flagler Beach Lifeguards for four
years and worked with several rescue jobs for the city, including teaching
children CPR, beach clean up awareness, and ocean development skills. Even
before college, Danielle’s dream was to one day call Hawaii home. In 2000
Danielle attended Florida Southern College on a full scholarship to play soccer
as well as winning a unique Scholarship from University of Women. She majored
in Science for the first year of attendance, then in her second year, she
followed a higher interest in the intensive Art/Graphis Design Program at FSC,
home of Frank Lloyd Wright, which is one of the best art schools in the state.
Danielle finished her Science Degree and Fine Art Degree. In 2004 she graduated
with honors as a Bachelor of Science and Minor of Fine Arts. In addition to her
scholastic honors, Danielle set several athletic honors and records in FSC
Soccer History that still stand in her name. After college she was given
opportunity to further her Soccer career, however, Danielle’s love for the
ocean left her eager to get back to it. Even as most of her fellow colleagues
urged her not to give up on her Soccer Career, Danielle knew that living with
out the ocean was hurting her and ignoring the biggest part of her being.
Taking a huge risk, following her passion regardless of negative opinions,
Danielle picked up her paint brush, bought a surf board and started in on her
journey to make her big dreams, of living on a beach in Hawaii, being a full
time artist, and surfing everyday come true.
After college, Danielle worked for several
design companies such as Addison Fitzgerald Studios, Eastern Surf Magazine, and
freelance Designer for several surf cultured companies. Working with Eastern
Surf Magazine, Danielle became obsessed with surfing and the thought of being
completely immersed in surf culture was a must. She then was in pursuit of
finding waves at any cost. It was no longer a hobby. Danielle knew that no
matter how crazy it seemed, she would go after surfing and art with every fiber
or her. With several year of professional design experience, Danielle’s love of
painting surpassed her love to do graphic design. This led her to explore more
of her art career while doing all her own marketing and taking it to another
level. Danielle was working two jobs and waiting tables, just to have enough
money to buy the cheapest paint/brushes, used canvases from garage sales, old
surfboards, and paying bills as a bridge to her dreams. She realized quickly
how dependent on surfing she became for her vision in art. The two became a
marriage creating what Danielle describes as her “Simple Abundance”. They are
the combination of working with that
little she had, to make something bigger with strong determination and love of
the talent she was given. Taking the given gift and developing, nourishing, and
caring for the dreams ahead.
Danielle is also a competitive surfer. In her first years of surfing she quickly won
most of the Eastern Surfing Association contests in St. Augustine Beach and
established fifth over all at the Easterns. She has also finished in the top
three on pro/am contests around the east coast. Danielle lives to paint, surf,
and dream. She currently, lives on the Big Island of Hawaii as an artist and
enjoying some of the world most beautiful waves. She surrounds herself with everything about
the ocean, positive living, and hard work. Everything she makes, is
“Made With Love”.