In the quiet corners of domesticity, Danielle McKinney's ladies find their peace. These women, painted in moments of repose, solitude, and quiet introspection, have become the hallmark of an artist whose work captures the essence of rest and the beauty of being alone with oneself. McKinney's ladies lounge on couches, sleep in beds, play with butterflies, or simply exist in their own private worlds. They are intimate portraits of solitude, painted with a tenderness that invites viewers into their quiet lives. For McKinney, these women are more than just subjects; they are extensions of her own curiosity and desire to explore the human experience in its most unguarded moments.

At 43, McKinney has spent her life painting these women, their ages mirroring her own growth and evolution as an artist. She refers to them collectively as her "lady," a term that encapsulates the intimacy and connection she feels with each portrait. These moody, introspective paintings reflect moments of solitude and repose, capturing the quiet beauty of being alone. For years, however, these works remained private, the product of an artist who was formally trained as a photographer and only painted on the side. They were never intended for public consumption, existing solely as a personal outlet for McKinney's creative expression.

That changed in 2020, when the world was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a photographer, McKinney's practice relied on capturing the interactions and movements of people in public spaces. But with the onset of lockdowns and social distancing, her world shrank, and her ability to photograph "people in gestures" was suddenly curtailed. The pandemic forced her to confront a new reality: the world she knew had changed, and with it, her approach to art.

Shut inside her New Jersey home, McKinney reached a breaking point. She marched into a local Michaels arts and crafts store, bought some cheap canvases, and retreated to her attic. There, she began to paint, driven by a need to create that transcended her previous hesitations. "I wasn't thinking," she said. "And that's what the creative act does when you can take 'you' away." In this new space, McKinney found freedom and a renewed sense of purpose. She began posting her paintings on Instagram, sharing them with a world that was also seeking solace and connection during a time of isolation.

The response was overwhelming. Within a few years, McKinney's work had captured the attention of the art world. Her prints now sell for thousands of dollars, and she has collaborated with prestigious brands like Dior. In March, she will debut nine new works inspired by American realist Edward Hopper at the TEFAF Maastricht art fair in the Netherlands. This meteoric rise to success initially brought McKinney a sense of panic, but she has since learned to embrace it. "I asked myself, 'If I didn't have all the success, would I still be in my studio trying to make these ladies?'" she said. "And the answer is yes, because I'm so curious as to what's going to happen on that canvas. Every day, I just want to know."

McKinney's journey as an artist began long before the pandemic. Growing up, she was always drawn to photography, completing an MFA in photography at Parsons School of Design in 2013. Her work focused on capturing the nuances of human interaction, driven by questions about personal space, connection, and the ways in which we relate to one another. But the pandemic forced her to confront a new reality: in a world where touch and proximity were suddenly dangerous, her photography practice felt stifled. "The world changed in the way I was seeing it, so I couldn't find joy there," she recalled. "I was frustrated. I was extremely frustrated with my craft."

It was in this moment of frustration that McKinney discovered a new path. Her paintings, once a private endeavor, became her primary mode of expression. She began sharing them on Instagram, driven by a desire to connect with others through her art. "It wasn't about, 'Oh, I want to be in this big gallery.' I just wanted to share," she said. "I'm not formally trained as a painter, but I like the portraits. And even if nobody else does, I'm going to share them anyway."

McKinney's process is deeply rooted in her background as a photographer and her fascination with human movement and gesture. Her paintings often begin as collages, a technique she learned as a child by cutting figures out of magazines and placing them in imagined interiors. Today, she uses Photoshop to combine images of women and domestic spaces that speak to her. She finds inspiration everywhere: in vintage magazines, old photographs, and even on Pinterest. Her attraction to mid-20th-century imagery is evident in the soft, natural bodies of her subjects, a stark contrast to the slim models of contemporary fashion.

Each painting is a meticulous assembly of elements, with McKinney piecing together the perfect combination of figures, furniture, and lighting. Sometimes, however, the pieces don't quite fit. She might paint a beautiful interior only to find that the final composition feels off. "It'll drive me mad sometimes," she admitted. But through this process, McKinney has developed a unique style that captures the quiet intimacy of domestic life.

One of the most striking aspects of McKinney's work is her insistence on keeping her ladies indoors. She has experimented with painting them outside, but the results never felt quite right. "Maybe my lady just doesn't want to go outside," she concluded. As a self-proclaimed "extreme homebody" who rarely leaves her house except for the studio, McKinney can relate to the desire for indoor comfort and solitude. Her paintings are a testament to the beauty of rest and the importance of one's own space.

In a broader context, McKinney's work holds a particular significance for Black women. By portraying her ladies as Black, she has created a space for representation that has long been missing in the art world. "I think it also spoke to other Black women who had not seen themselves in an art historical context, or just in general, in a leisurely position," she said. "They'd never seen themselves in rest." This aspect of her work feels especially revolutionary, offering a counter-narrative to the dominant representations of Black women in art and media.

As McKinney prepares for her upcoming exhibition, she is both excited and nervous. Edward Hopper, the American realist who inspired her new series, is a legend in the art world. His use of light and shadow, reminiscent of film noir, has influenced filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and captivated generations of artists. McKinney shares Hopper's affinity for still, private moments, and her newer work is filled with references to his style. Shadows stretch across faces, light filters through blinds, and viewers are invited to peek into the intimate lives of her subjects.

In other ways, McKinney's approach has evolved since she began sharing her work publicly. She has taken classes at the New Masters Academy, an online art school, to learn traditional painting techniques she was never taught. As a result, her work has transformed. Her brushstrokes are freer, her use of color more confident, and her paintings have taken on a whimsical quality that reflects her growing comfort with her craft. "I feel like it's going to really improve my work," she said of the classes. "Anytime you're enjoying something and learning, I feel like it communicates in the work."

Despite these changes, McKinney remains deeply attached to her ladies. She cares for each iteration deeply, admitting that her attachment might seem a bit "kooky." She still feels a sense of loss when her paintings are sold and her ladies leave her studio. But she recognizes that her portraits have come to represent something universal: the desire for private moments of rest and introspection.

"We all wear these masks when we go out in the world," she explained. "We have to be all these things and say all these things." But at the end of the day, we get to come home, close the door, and find that private moment all to ourselves. "That's what I really try to capture in this beautiful solitude," she said. "Some of the ladies are very tense in those moments with a cigarette, and then sometimes they're asleep and beautiful. But those moments are theirs."

In a world that often demands constant productivity and social engagement, McKinney's work offers a powerful reminder of the importance of rest and solitude. Her ladies invite viewers to slow down, to find beauty in the quiet moments, and to embrace the parts of ourselves that we often hide from the world. As she prepares to debut her new works at the TEFAF Maastricht fair, McKinney continues to explore the intimate lives of her ladies, capturing the essence of what it means to be alone with oneself.

In the end, McKinney's paintings are more than just portraits; they are a celebration of the human spirit in its most unguarded moments. They remind us that in the midst of a hectic, demanding world, there is still space for rest, reflection, and the simple joy of being alone. Through her art, McKinney invites us all to reclaim our own moments of solitude, to find peace in the quiet corners of our lives, and to embrace the beauty of being ourselves.