Daniel Miyares

Artist for Journeys encouragement line

When Hallmark artist Daniel Miyares was just a young boy, his father gave him an old tackle box, containing only a single dip pen and some black ink. Then, his art teacher gave him a sketchbook as a going away present at the end of third grade. These two simple gestures instilled a sense of wonder in Daniel – a wonder about drawing and mark-making. He’s been filling blank pages with his art ever since.

Daniel receives inspiration from many sources – great music, good food, relationships, family and friends – and, not surprisingly, all forms of nature. Born and raised in the foothills of Simpsonville, South Carolina, Daniel grew up surrounded by beautiful scenery and breathtaking mountain views. He also spent his free time at the museum near his hometown, regularly admiring a collection of Andrew Wyeth paintings.

Daniel’s work for Hallmark is mostly mixed media. He creates the parts and pieces of his work by hand, then scans them and uses the computer to build his final illustrations. He describes the results as “simple, emotional, narrative shapes of color.”

In his five years at Hallmark, Daniel has worked on many different card lines. However, for him, working on the Journeys line is different because of its purpose. “The emotional connection and writing in the line is so powerful that often my biggest challenge is to just help set a mood and not get in the way of what the card is really trying to say. Simplicity is key.”

Daniel says these products are meant to help people communicate in difficult situations where they really don't have the words. “The most unique – and frankly the hardest – thing about the experience is that it requires complete authenticity. It’s not easy to be real and honest all the time in your work. I’ve grown a lot as an artist working on the Journeys line.”

Outside of Hallmark, Daniel’s art has been displayed in group gallery shows, and he regularly takes on freelance illustration jobs such as album covers, commissioned portraits, and illustrations for newspapers and magazines. He graduated from the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, and after spending one summer as an intern his junior year, joined Hallmark full-time upon graduation.

When he’s not busy with his art, Daniel spends his free time with his wife Lisa and dog Buddy.