By Anh Thu Truong
With dyed bright red or bleached blonde hair alternating each week and new outfits pieced together by upcycling and thrifting, senior Daniel Le can be described as everything but ‘boring.’ The pursuit of self-expression and creativity intertwine in nearly every aspect of his identity, from the clothes he wears to the art he breathes.
But besides being an avid Pokémon card collector and fashion enthusiast, Le also finds solace in one of his long-time, creative passions: painting. You’ll be amazed at the relatively simple, yet hyper-realistic sketch of a dog on top of his physics homework, or his giant, handcrafted Monsters-Inc-themed calculus project—but those are just small glimpses into his endless pool of talents. His true talent shines on the canvas.
As the president of Fountain Valley High School Medical Society’s Club, co-captain of the varsity badminton team, and a board member of three other clubs—it’s difficult to find free time in Le’s busy schedule. Yet, art has come like an instinct, as a child doodling in every corner of his paper, Le knew his drive for the arts ran deeply in his bloodline. Coming from a family of successful artists, Le sought inspiration from their work, patience, and precision to nurture his creative pursuits.
“Growing up in my grandmother’s home, surrounded by many artists, I always felt the pressure to find my talents,” Le said. “My mother and aunt mastered the art of nail design, painting intricate designs on their small canvas, my uncle is skilled in metal sculptures, and my other aunt is talented in color pencil art. My art journey started with a $20 art set, my first painting being a macaw against a sunset, for my late grandfather.”
His first art set kickstarted his love for acrylic painting and colored pencils, which grew his ambition to start his independent art account the summer before his freshman year. Through advertising his paintings on social media, he’s been able to commission over twenty paintings to clients all over Orange County.
“To create art is to infuse purpose and meaning into a work … painting for other people, especially for money, was really nerve-racking for me. However, a majority of my clients gave me artistic freedom as long as I followed a specific criteria, which allowed me to have an idea of what they wanted.”
If you take a glance at Le’s plethora of paintings and sketches, there’s no doubt that his talent ranges from a wide range of subjects: from the intricate details of a praying mantis, and portraits of celebrities, to the vibrant tentacles of the pink jellyfish. Le’s work is a unique touch of enjoyment and fun while being drawn to reflecting nature and wildlife in his work. Something is deeply captivating in the way the shell of a June bug reflects a sheer metallic sheen of greens, yellows or pinks or how a lion fishes possess a uniquely alluring pattern yet dangerous nature—all of which Le strives to incorporate in his work. But another way Le loves to highlight his art is by paying homage to his loved ones.
“One of the key aspects as to why I paint is because I like to give gifts. Growing up with scarce money, it was hard for me to buy gifts for friends and family, and painting their favorite things became a more inexpensive alternative,” Le said. “I pay attention to the small details in all of my relationships and show that through my unique paintings that capture the essence of who I’m giving the painting to.”
Le puts intention, purpose, and care into his paintings, just like his series of paintings dedicated to all his junior-year teachers.
“To all the teachers who have had a significant impact on my life, I made customized paintings for them that I believe resonate with them,” Le said. “My math teacher, Mrs. Kim, loves going to national parks with her family. I noticed she had a water bottle with stickers of the ones she’s been to, so I chose one of those and painted it … for my physiology teacher, I chose to paint her an anatomical heart, one of the lessons [she taught] that catalyzed my future career in medicine.”
It’s been a long journey from Le’s first stumbles in the art world to the artist he’s become today. As an incoming biology major at the University of California, Irvine, Le is all about balance when it comes to his STEM-orientated career goals and love for the arts.
“I hope to continue commissioning paintings and incorporating art in my future. While pursuing a career in STEM, I hope to never stray away from art and always use it as my creative outlet,” Le said.
If Le could do it all over again, there’s no different path he would’ve chosen. Art has and will continue to be, a cornerstone of his identity.
“Do what you love. It seems a bit cliche, but whatever you create, it should be for yourself first. Don’t let others control how you choose to express yourself, the end result doesn’t always have to be pretty, it’s the ability and freedom to create—that is the [most] beautiful aspect of art.”
This article was originally published in the 2025 RED Magazine. Stop by room 306 to pick up a copy.
