Texas Lutheran University recently added a new piece of art to the Seguin Community. Danielle Villarreal is a local native born in Brownsville Texas. Danielle graduated from the University of Incarnate Word with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and received Most Outstanding Student as a junior during her third year at UIW. Since then, Danielle has made a big move and now calls Austin Texas her home.

Personal interest plays a primary role in our day-to-day life. For example, if you’re a student-athlete, dancer, or writer, you are amongst the vast majority of students who take part in pursuing a hobby outside of academic engagement. As for Danielle, her hobby and personal interest focused primarily on art and creating handmade designs that she states feels like magic.

“There is something special about creating with your hands, I had already established my Etsy store while I was in school, and some of the comments that people would tell me, sharing my products and buying them, was just magic in itself. So, I continued to use my hands and that is the method and median I prefer.”

Danielle Villarreal

After graduating from the University of Incarnate Word, Villarreal, unfortunately, experienced a misfortunate opportunity within her work life, which she then states helped catapult her into painting and brought her to where she is now.

“I did have that horrible job experience that is what kind of what catapulted me into painting. After losing that job, it sent me into a depression because I had spent so many years working my way up to be a really good graphic designer, only to feel like I failed out of the industry”

Danielle Villarreal

After being in that situation, Villarreal states that painting completely changed her life.

“Ever since then, it’s been painting. It has consumed my life, I paint for fun, I paint for work. There will be times when I’m working on something for a client and I’ll be done but then and go and do something for me now and go right back into painting.”

Danielle Villarreal

As Villarreal continues her love for painting, she has created networks and connections within the community surrounding her. Villarreal states that art tends to connect and allow things to flow in ways that one would not think. Back in 2016, Villarreal met Texas Lutheran University’s Mexican American Studies professor, Dr. César Silva’s partner at a housewarming party where she then met a group of people and began networking and exchanging socials.

“It’s funny because I don’t know why I was at that party…I met a group of people and told them ‘Hey I make art’… I never saw them again, I never spoke to them again, and sure enough, earlier this year, they needed a muralist and his partner remembered that I still make art”

Danielle Villarreal

With situations falling into place for Villarreal, she states that although she does not have any business cards to promote her work, she feels as if things continue to line up perfectly for her.

“It’s big things like that, that find some sort of alignment within the universe that just works out”

Danielle Villarreal

Villarreal works with great clients all around Texas, for example, Veracruz Tacos and Terrys Black Barbecue in Austin are some of her high-traffic clients that bring in business that she feels helps not only herself as an artist grow, but the company itself.

With some of her work being presented in Austin, Villarreal was asked to come and create something beautiful on a small college campus. Recently, on April 26th, 2024, TLU unveiled the first Mexican American Mural on the Yolanda Scheuch Fine Arts Memorial building, and we couldn’t be happier.

“When you get to a point where you are comfortable and confident in the message you want to put out into the world- and I think that’s what’s important about murals. When you finally do that, the community responds and they respond so beautifully.

Danielle Villarreal

As the unveiling was a very surreal moment for Villarreal, the moment and experience is something that she will never forget. This moment was very rewarding for her as she feels proud to be a Latina who could bring that representation to the Texas Lutheran University campus and the small diverse city within and around it. In reference to some of the other murals around Seguin, Villarreal states that she is proud of herself for creating this change within our community.

“To be the one that says ‘No. were here and we belong, and were loud and were proud’ was special, I never thought that’s something that I would be doing I’m very happy this was an experience we all had together. I painted it, but I feel like it brings us all together as one”

Danielle Villarreal

Overall, with Danielle bringing creativity and life to the social areas around us, here at Texas Lutheran University, we create memories and will continue to build relationships with the individuals around us in ways that will benefit our community on and off campus. A huge thank you to Danielle for bringing to life a piece of art that the Mexican American community has been striving for here in Seguin.