Daniel Heinz – When Animals Learn to Breathe

As a child, I often sat next to my mother at the kitchen table. In front of me lay colored pencils, paper, and a small world full of colors. I scribbled, painted, experimented – just let loose. I loved how color worked, how lines became shapes.

At school, I started drawing coloring pages for my classmates and selling them for a few cents. This helped me buy sweets during breaks – and without realizing it, I was training my hand every day. Soon, I was known as "the one who can draw." A simple phrase that shaped me and gave me courage.

The School of Precision

During my three-year apprenticeship as a glass and porcelain painter in Kaufbeuren, I learned precise reproduction. It wasn't so much about photorealism – much of it was abstract, decorative, or stylized. But I learned to transfer motifs exactly, to mix colors perfectly, and to work with meticulous craftsmanship. A school of precision.

Even in my childhood, my mother showed me the works of Ivan Aivazovsky. His seascapes, their depth and realism, were seared into my mind. This standard has stayed with me to this day.

The Hard Start

After my apprenticeship, I immediately became self-employed. Without a plan. Without any marketing knowledge. Without knowing what people actually wanted.
I just painted.

Cars. Motorcycles. Portraits.
Then animals.

And at some point someone said to me:

"Your animals are breathing."

This sentence became a turning point.

"Fox in Winter", Acrylic painting, Year 2019, Private collection in Germany

My Bedroom Became My Studio

For a long time, I didn't believe that you could actually make money with art. During the open house at the glass and jewelry school, I saw that people appreciated art – but I still lacked belief in myself.

The push came from my sister: she listed small acrylic paintings on classified ads, simply to earn a little extra money. And to my surprise, they sold. That sparked something in me.

I also started selling my first works online and later at flea markets. I earned little – but as a teenager from a poor family, the first hundred euros I earned myself was a huge triumph.

I quickly transformed my bedroom into a studio. Customers came to my home, stood between my bed and stacks of canvases, and bought my work there. It was cramped – but it was the beginning.

The first year? There were orders, but very little income.
The following years? With each experience, prices rose slowly but steadily.
I learned to appreciate my work – and my clients did too.

Why Animals?

As a child, I always wanted my own pet – a wish that was never fulfilled. Perhaps that's why animals became my companions on canvas. I like them all: their calmness, their strength, their personality.

Then I discovered artists like Rudolf Vogl ("Voka") and Konstantin Korovin. Their wild, free brushstrokes electrified me.
This movement! This energy! This imperfection within perfection!

I began to combine this expressive freedom with my precise, reproductive craft. Two poles that complement each other surprisingly well.
This is how my own style emerged: semi-abstract, expressive, yet clear in form.

"The Moment of Decision", Acrylic painting, 140 x 145 cm, Year 2024, Private collection in Switzerland

"Breathing Stillness"

Today I paint animals in two variations:

Colorfully realistic – vibrant, lively, almost musical

Realistic with wild brushstrokes – powerful, raw, but full of soul

A wolf whose fur you can almost feel, even though the strokes are coarse and free.
My animals are not mere motifs.
They carry presence.
They breathe.

"Wild Boar", Acrylic painting, 50 x 40 cm

The Moment I Realized Things Were Moving Forward

I never had that one big breakthrough. No sudden viral success, no explosive achievement.
What I had – and still have today – is continuous progress.

My style evolved, my technique improved, and over the years I learned to appreciate my work more. As a result, my prices rose – slowly but steadily. My clientele also grew: first a few interested people, then regular customers, then the first larger projects.

Perhaps it was the invitation to South Korea.
Perhaps my more mature style.
Perhaps simply the sum of all the hours I've invested in painting.

What I know today:
Nothing happened overnight – but everything happened because I never stopped.

And I am grateful: to my mother, my teachers, and all the people who have supported me for years, believed in me, and brought my work into their spaces.

What My Art Means for Your Home

When you have one of my works on your wall, you're not just bringing decoration into your home.
You're bringing a being home – captured in a still, powerful moment between calm and movement.

Every day you can discover something new:
the shimmer in the fur, the gaze that changes depending on the light, the energy contained in the brushstrokes.

My mission is clear:
To show animals with dignity – as unique, powerful living beings, not as pretty decorations.

Which Animal Is Calling You?

Perhaps it is the tiger – powerful, untamed.
Perhaps the wolf – loyal, free.
Or a being that I may yet create for you.

Each of my works is created in close consultation with you. We talk about your vision, your space, the energy you're looking for. In the end, you're not just hanging up a picture – you're bringing a companion into your home.