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When Danielle Flicek was growing up in Harmony, Minnesota, she was always into doing crafty things. When she was in high school at Fillmore Central, she really enjoyed her art classes and learning more about the different things she could do with her artistic talents.

Flicek experimented with different types of media, but once she got into college at Rochester Community and Technical College, she began painting with oil paint, and discovered she really loved it.

“I didn’t like it at first,” shared Flicek, who was used to painting with acrylic paints. “But I got used to it. Even today I am still learning different techniques, different thinners, oils and brushes to use.”

Since graduating from Fillmore Central in 2007, Flicek has done a couple of art shows in college, as well as some shows with other artists in Decorah, Iowa. She has also done two shows at Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery. She now lives in Rochester with her husband John and their son, Marshall.

On October 18-19, Flicek will be hosting her own art show in Rochester. She is very excited for this new opportunity to showcase her work.

“It’s good for exposure,” she said. “I’m interested in doing all different kinds of festivals and shows.”

Flicek is just getting back into the swing of things since becoming a mom, and she has been grateful for this time she has had to work on her paintings. She also works part-time at Artistic Framers, where she does custom framework for people.

“It’s really cool because I’ve been exposed to different art work,” said Flicek. “I also get ideas about what people like.”

The paintings that Flicek likes to do are homey and comfortable. She usually uses a photograph she or someone else takes and reproduces it with her oil paints. Her husband works as a chef at Zzest in Rochester, and he sometimes takes pictures of food for her to paint. She also does portraits of all kinds.

“I also do commission work,” shared Flicek. She will do portraits for people, or even customized artwork and murals. She will soon be painting a mural at Synergy in Rochester, for which she is volunteering her work. Flicek explained there are seven different wellness businesses in the one building, and she is painting an entire room. She is still planning out her ideas for that, but is thinking about doing a nature scene.

Flicek gets most of her supplies at either Hobby Lobby or Michaels in Rochester. She has recently learned the art of stretching her own canvas, which has saved her a lot of money. She also said the canvas takes the paint better than the store-bought ones, and she feels like she has more control.

Flicek can paint quickly, finishing a painting in anywhere from four to eight hours. She uses the time that her son is sleeping to get her work done, and she likes to listen to music while she paints. Although it can sometimes feel like work and stress her out, looking at the finished product always makes it worth the effort, knowing that she has created something.

As for the future, Flicek would like to make painting her career, and branch out in other directions as well.

“I feel like I’m still learning a lot, and growing,” she said. “This is just the beginning for me, I feel.”

Flicek’s art show will be held at the same time as Rochester’s downtown Art Walk on October 18 and 19 from 5-8 p.m. at Studio 324, the Sagan Studios Building.