Danielle Renata (1999) was born in Wellington, New Zealand, she is one of four children to Kelly and Hansa Renata. Her father is Maaori, and her mother is Indian.

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After attending Catholic primary and secondary school, Dani sought to explore her identity and culture as it was not readily available in the urban world she was raised in.

In her final years of high school, Dani learnt her ancestral history through various pathways and while unearthing her culture, began to find a love for Maori art; and decided to further pursue this by attending Toihoukura in Gisborne.

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Starting her Bachelor's Degree in Maori Visual Art and Design in 2017, Danielle completed her study at Toihoukura in 2021, leaving with her Masters Degree.

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Danielle finds majority of her inspiration from aspects related to Te Ao Wairua, a space where faith and belief are valued and encouraged. With these influences, she attempts to portray her story through different artistic mediums ranging from paintings and drawings, to mirrors and constructed relief pieces.

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It is her goal to inspire and support rangatahi who feel lost within their identity, to reclaim this part of themselves and discover their greatest purpose; through whatever avenue they feel motivated by.
 

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