North Shore Meet an Artist: Danny Frownfelter

This month’s featured North Shore artist is Danny Frownfelter. Both a visual artist and musician, Danny is a prolific art maker and a member of the North Shore Studio band Van Go Go. Learn more about Danny in the exclusive interview below as he describes his art practice and many roles at the North Shore studio. Also keep an eye out for Danny as Pickles in the Big Breakfast Bonanza variety show at this month’s Sketchbook Swap Exhibition on Friday, September 27th. 

Meet North Shore artist Danny Frownfelter
What materials do you like to work with?
I paint. I use markers and pencils. I work on paper and canvas. I like to do paintings of movies. Drawings of Doctor Who. Tom Baker and Matt Smith. Me, my dad, and my sister are big fans of Doctor Who. Tom Baker is older than my father.
How long have you been an artist?
Six weeks. Actually a couple years. Kristin, my sister, told me about The Arts of Life. She teaches art in Evanston. I didn’t make art before I came here.

What inspires you to create art?
I make pictures of people. My role models. My sister Lauren is my role model. She is kind and she is going to take me to see Lady Ga Ga in concert. 
Describe the projects you are currently working on.
I’m working on [a painting of] ABBA, The Dancing Queen. One guy is playing the guitar. It’s me. And there is Lauren, Kristen and Adam. My mom likes ABBA too.
I’m working on a piece by Josh too. He’s my sketchbook buddy from Chicago. It’s a painting of a guy, Boy George. Boy George is in a music video. Like ABBA. There’s a peace sign. The peace sign means your cool, I love you. There is a happy face too. I need to add more details again. 
I did a picture of Kiss, Gene Simmons. Black and red for his cape. His face is white and grey. He has a Kiss tongue. Oh, and teeth. I like them because they are just too cool. My sister Kristen is going to take me to Kiss in concert in Chicago. 
Jack Black will be my next picture and then the Muppets. 

Are there other roles at the studio you fill besides being an art maker?
Tuesdays I do music so I don’t paint. I sing in the band. We are a rock and roll band. We sing “Monster Man” and “Bad Girls.” My favorite song that we sing is “Get the Dinosaurs on the Phone.” We do a variety show and I’m the fairy godmother, The Blue Fairy, and Pickles. Sometimes we play at the church and Chris (the volunteer) is there. When we are at the church we hang out and rehearse. We played at a park too.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at the studio?
I travel to Wisconsin to see my sister Lauren who teaches music classes. I like to go to restaurants like Red Robin. And see movies. I go to work at Perk and sometimes on Thursday I go to the Covenant church to play volleyball.
I went to a concert in the park in Glenview. It was Mama Mia, dancing queen music and ABBA. It was good. I went with my mom, dad, and me. It was fun because we get to eat there. I went to Cats, the musical too.
I have a different job now [besides The Arts of Life]. I work at Starbucks in Glenview making coffee and cappuccino. I work on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. It’s really close. I walk to work. 

If you could not be an artist, what other job would you chose to do?
I would want to teach music with Lauren in Wisconsin and be a music teacher. Like music from Shrek. I would teach people how to sing and dance. And maybe be a drama teacher. My name would be Mr. Frownfelter.
What’s your favorite thing about The Arts of Life?
My friends. I really like talking to people. I talk about my drawings and paintings with my friends. Like Amanda. She is a nice person. John is my favorite too. And Hilary is nice.