Though he was also a talented pianist in his youth, it was painting that truly resonated with him and became his primary mode of expression. Choosing to pursue a career as a professional artist was both an active decision and a natural progression for Daniel, driven by his innate passion for visual art.
Enckell paints mainly in oil, now as then in tempera. Stylistically, Enckell works with representational art as a starting point where the investigation of human beings is the central thing. Sometimes he also paints landscapes but it is mainly the person who is in focus in Daniel's paintings. Daniel also draws a lot, which he finds very rewarding. He uses materials in a traditional way, oil on canvas, where both the medium and the style are rooted in the traditional but with an expression that follows the present where his paintings follow the time we live in now.
Daniel finds it challenging to navigate the business side of being an artist, as his focus is more on creating than selling. Enckell doesn't consider himself business-minded, but he has found other ways to support his artistry. He continuously teaches and holds croquis and painting classes, as well as taking portrait commissions.
“It's challenging to make it as an artist,” says Daniel. He points out that a major challenge is that people are currently buying little art, which is likely due to the economic times we live in. Despite these difficulties, he continues to believe in his work and finds strength in teaching, even if economic uncertainty sometimes affects his creativity.
Daniel is a dedicated Konstrundan participant and annually looks forward to all the meetings during the Konstrundan weekend. For Daniel, the conversations and interactions are always fun and rewarding. He believes in the event's value and hopes for even more visitors this year.