Danielle Super (Reclaiming Life Art)

Danielle Super is the founder of Reclaiming Life Art, having developed an art portfolio that consists of acrylics, textiles, and free-association pieces.

A native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Super grew up on an acre of land in a Victorian-era farmhouse.

There, she exhibited a personality that differed from many of her peers.

“I wasn’t into the typical teenage scene,” Super says.

“I didn’t party and I wasn’t into relationships. I was more focused on things like my friend group and my hobbies. I was also a perfectionist, so a lot of my attention was devoted to school.”

That commitment to her education allowed Super to earn college credits while still in high school, and by the time she walked across the graduation stage, she had already amassed enough credits to quality for a two-year degree.

“And all those credits I earned were free, courtesy of PSEO [post-secondary enrollment options],” she explains, but instead of transitioning to a university campus, immediately after high school Super went to New Zealand as part of a faith-based leadership experience.

“It was a life changing experience and I lived with eight different people who were all from different countries,” Super remarks of that yearlong sojourn.  

When she later returned from New Zealand, Super then enrolled at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, which is located about 40 minutes west of the Twin Cities.

She eventually earned a degree from Crown College, double majoring in communications and biblical studies, and after dabbling in several different jobs, Super opted to focus her efforts on becoming a flight attendant.

“But to become a flight attendant, I had to go through interviews and physical tests. It was very intimidating, but I got accepted and was later offered a job by American Airlines,” she says, and soon she was enduring a rigorous boot camp for aspiring flight attendants. 

Nine weeks later, she was deemed ready for flight, and American Airlines based her out of La Guardia Airport in Queens, New York, even though she still lived in Minnesota.

“I ended up moving to New York City because I did not want to have to commute back and forth from there and Minnesota,” Super says.

After working as a flight attendant for American Airlines while living in New York City for a few years, Super decided to move back home in 2014 to be near family, friends, and the unique cultural diversity that the Twin Cities offered.

The daughter of an artist who specializes in oils and pastels, Super had always possessed an innate talent for imitating life through textiles and acrylics.

“But my primary medium was in graphic pencil drawing,” Super mentions.

“As a kid, I drew every day and loved it, so that’s been ingrained in my background.”

Therefore, when being a flight attendant no longer appealed to Super, she shifted her focus to refining and commercializing her artwork.

That’s what led to the inception of her small art business, Reclaiming Life Art, which emphasizes the potential art has to be therapeutic, for both creatives and consumers.

“There is a mental health component to my art because I’ve experienced firsthand how cathartic creating art is, and I want to share that joy I’ve experienced with others,” Super mentions.

Since founding Reclaiming Life Art in 2015, Super has established a vast customer base.

Every day, people visit her website and purchase the work she has created, but what’s more exciting for Super is that her clients aren’t limited to art aficionados or classically trained acrylics painters.

Instead, individuals from an array of backgrounds support her creative endeavors.

“The people who buy my art come from all demographics,” Super notes.

“I think it’s cool that my art appeals to so many different types of people, and not one specific niche.”

Beyond making her work available online, Super regularly attends and has art on exhibit at galleries and events, where she forms connections that have led to her art being featured in several stores throughout the Twin Cities.

Super says her most popular items aren’t her paintings, but rather handcrafted owls that she designs using a litany of materials and fabrics.

But unlike other artists, what makes Super’s handcrafted owls unique is that she never creates the same design twice, so once a particular owl has been commissioned or sold, she never taps back into the same creative forces that originally enabled her to craft that owl.

“Not only do the owls make for fantastic gifts, but I don’t do any repeats of any of my designs,” Super shares.

“Even if someone asks me to recreate something that I already have done, I won’t do it.”

It should be noted that by doing this, Super isn’t seeking to manufacture exclusivity with her art.

“Some people wonder why I don’t make duplicates or scale out certain designs, but the reality is I never run out of ideas, and I feel restricted if I have to repeat designs,” she says.

Another critical element to this approach is that by following this structure, Super can create original designs of the handmade owls for each client, and she does this in a way that caters to her client base and gives them a service as well as a tangible product. 

“I want each owl that I produce to represent each client as a person,” Super says.

“Before I even begin any work, I will talk with a client and try to gauge their personality, interests, and some of their favorite colors. That information is enough for me to create something unique and individualized.”

To this point, Super has achieved an impressive amount of success through consistency, perseverance, and creating exceptional art for her customers.

Moving forward, Super would like to grow Reclaiming Life Art into a more recognizable brand, but doing so also presents certain challenges.

“So much of being an artist has to do with marketing and investment, and how much an artist is willing to put into that,” Super says.

“Art is subjective though, and so while it is important that I create quality work that captivates people, it’s also equally important that I’m actively networking and putting myself in front of the right people who could assist me with becoming more commercially successful.”

For Super, accomplishing this will require even more focus, consistency, and patience than she has already displayed.

At the same time, she knew how difficult this journey would be when she put herself out there with her artistic endeavors and exhibitions, which is why today, when other artists ask her how she has survived for eight years in the unpredictable art world, she emphasizes grit and determination as key factors for her sustainability.

“As an artist, you can’t be sensitive to other people’s opinions. You also can’t take rejection personally because it is inevitable, and it should therefore be expected and taken with a grain of salt,” Super explains.

“Plus, while strategic marketing and making a personal investment in your brand is crucial, so too is humility. I think a lot of artists could benefit from acknowledging their imperfections and being open to constructive criticism, because the truth is sometimes you’re only a piece of information away from really breaking through, and if you’re unwilling to receive feedback from others, you may miss out on career altering advice.” QS

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