Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Deery.
Hi Danielle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always been passionate about visual art and its ability to heal, educate, inspire and connect communities. When I think back to my childhood, I remember the joy I found in making art and painting trees at my easel. That early connection to creativity and nature has continued to influence my work throughout my career.
In high school I was fortunate to have one of my ceramic sculptures selected for the San Diego Museum of Art’s Young Art exhibition. That experience was life-changing. Seeing my artwork in a museum opened my eyes to the possibilities of a career in the arts and sparked my desire to study art, art history, museums studies and exhibition design. I ultimately earned my MFA in Art from California State University, Fullerton.
My career has given me the opportunity to work across many sectors of the arts, from commercial galleries and nonprofit museums to civic arts and community programming. I began as an Art Consultant at a commercial gallery in La Jolla, where I learned the business side of art and gained an understanding of working with artists, collectors, and clients. I later taught Art History as an adjunct professor at Fullerton College and Irvine Valley College, where I discovered how much I enjoyed sharing my passion for art history and helping students develop their own understanding of visual culture.
After graduate school, I joined the Oceanside Museum of Art as Assistant Director. I wore many hats in that role and had the opportunity to develop programs such as Art After Dark and Free Family Art Day. I eventually became Director of Exhibitions, Marketing, and Collections, where I curated more than 30 exhibitions and gained extensive experience in exhibition development, programming, marketing, collections, and community engagement.
In 2014, I began working independently as a curator and have since organized exhibitions at museums and cultural institutions throughout San Diego County, including Oceanside Museum of Art, the Museum of History and Culture La Jolla, and the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. My most recent exhibition, “Matrix Multipled: Hybrid Approaches to Printmaking (2026)” at OMA, featured 18 artists who challenged traditional ideas about printmaking and introduced visitors to the possibilities of the medium.
Teaching has also become an important part of my professional and creative identity. Over the past eight years, I have taught art to both children and adults. After moving to North County, I opened Rainbow Art Studio Encinitas, which began as a community art studio where I invited children and friends to make art together. I loved seeing the joy and pride people experienced when they create art. I consider myself a process-oriented teacher. I encourage experimentation and exploration with different materials and techniques rather than focusing solely on the finished product. Teaching has also expanded my own artistic practice by allowing me to see art-making from many different perspectives.
In 2024, I joined Pacific View Arts Center in Encinitas as an Arts Coordinator, where I teach a wide range of classes including screen printing, monoprinting, linocut, cyanotype, watercolor, art history, mixed media, kids sculpture techniques, and art exploration. I have also developed creative team-building workshops for the City of Encinitas and arts programming for community events including Art Night Encinitas, and the Encinitas Street Fair.
I also teach with the Institute of Contemporary Art San Diego, North during their summer art camp. And, through the Valise program, I bring art experiences into local schools, introduce students to art history, and guide them through hands-on projects. Four of my recent monoprints, inspired by my family’s garden, are currently included in ICA North’s teaching artist exhibition, Cultivate.
Giving back to the arts community is also important to me. I serve on the boards of the San Diego Museum Council and the Museum of History and Culture La Jolla. I previously served as President of the San Diego Museum Council and have been involved with the organization since 2008. I am a strong advocate for arts and culture and write stories for Museum Fun with My Kids, a blog where I share adventures with my children at local museums that encourages families to engage with art and visual culture.
Ultimately, my career has brought together the things I care about most: art, curating engaging exhibitions, education, creativity, community, and meaningful experiences. I am constantly looking for ways to make art more accessible and to help people understand the value of visual literacy and creative expression.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have certainly been challenges throughout my journey as an independent curator and arts professional. I have pitched many exhibition ideas that didn’t come to fruition, and although that can be disappointing, those experiences taught me resilience and helped me become more thoughtful and intentional about the projects I pursue.
I have also learned that successful creative work is rarely accomplished alone. Early in my career, I often worked independently, but over time I have come to deeply appreciate the value of collaboration. Connecting with artists, colleagues, designers, educators, and community partners often makes an idea stronger, and I genuinely love collaborating with other creatives.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work at the intersection of art curation, visual storytelling, education, and community engagement. My work includes curating exhibitions, art consulting, developing creative programs, teaching art, and designing team-building art experiences.
For nearly 20 years, I have curated exhibitions for museums, galleries, schools, civic spaces, and private settings. I have developed expertise in contemporary San Diego art and art history and have had the privilege of working with many recognized artists, including Tony DeLap, Charles Arnoldi, James Hubbell, Gail Roberts, Courtney Mattison, and many others.
One of my strongest areas of focus is environmental and socially engaged curating. I am interested in exhibitions that connect art with climate change, sustainability, ecology, community, and social issues. I believe exhibitions can do more than display artwork, they can create conversations, educate audiences, and inspire people to see the world differently.
One exhibition I am particularly proud of is “Endangered: Exploring California’s Changing Ecosystem,” which featured 21 artists exploring both the beauty and human impact on California’s natural habitats. The exhibition was presented at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, in 2019–2020 and was used by schools as an educational resource.
I also loved curating “Order/Disorder: Belonging in Nature” at the Museum of History and Culture La Jolla in 2024. The exhibition explored local history, changing coastal habitats, and ocean sustainability, and included new installations created specifically for the exhibition by artists including Britton Neubacher and Kline Swonger.
In 2021, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Rerip, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping surf gear out of landfills while promoting sustainability. I co-curated “Peaceful Planet” with Rerip founder Megan Dambacher. We gave 14 surfboards to artists and invited them to create new works inspired by their relationships to nature, the ocean, and intersectional environmentalism. The resulting exhibition was an exciting example of how art can bring environmental issues into a community conversation.
I am also very proud of “Legacy: 25 Years of Art and Community,” which I curated at Oceanside Museum of Art in 2022. It was my largest exhibition to date, featuring more than 100 artists and 100 works across two galleries. I used the exhibition to tell the story of OMA’s role in the history of contemporary art in our region and highlighted artists and exhibitions from the museum’s 25-year history.
What sets me apart is my interpretive and educational approach to exhibition design. I don’t think of an exhibition as simply a collection of artwork in a room. I think about the entire visitor experience, how people enter the space, what story they encounter, what they learn, how they interact with the artwork, and what they take away with them.
I enjoy incorporating storytelling, interactive elements, graphics, hands-on experiences, and community programming into exhibitions. Community collaboration and art activations are also important to my practice. I love developing creative projects that extend beyond the gallery and bring people together to make, explore, and learn.
Teaching is another important part of my work. At Pacific View Arts Center, I teach a diverse range of classes from printmaking and watercolor to art history and mixed media. I especially enjoy helping students develop confidence through experimentation and discover that there is no single “right” way to make art.
I have also become more interested in creative team-building workshops for businesses and organizations. I recently led a workshop for the City of Encinitas, using art as a way to encourage creativity, reduce stress, strengthen communication and collaboration, and build workplace connections.
At the heart of all of my work is the same goal: using creativity to connect people. Whether I am curating an exhibition, teaching a class, developing a community program, or leading a team-building workshop, I want people to leave with a greater sense of curiosity, connection and inspiration.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love collaborating with artists, organizations, and communities to develop meaningful exhibitions, creative programs, and team-building art experiences. If you have an idea for a project, exhibition, workshop, or collaboration, I would love to hear from you, please feel free to reach out by email.
I’m also excited to be teaching a variety of art classes at Pacific View Arts Center this fall, from printmaking and watercolor to Inspired by Art History and Kids Sculpture techniques. I’d love for you to join me for a class and explore your own creativity!
And one of the best ways to support the arts in our community is simply to participate. Visit your local museums, attend exhibitions, bring your family to an arts program, and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities offered through the San Diego Museum Council, including Kids Free in October and Museum Month in February.
Contact Info:
- Email: danielledeeryart@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielledeeryart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanielleDeeryCuratorAndArtsProfessional/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielledeery/
- Other: https://www.encinitasca.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation-cultural-arts/cultural-arts/pacific-view
