Dakota Daetwiler’s Ocean of Wonder

Every Dakota Daetwiler painting feels like a journey into a hidden world where whales glide beside mermaids, octopuses guard forgotten treasures, and every current holds a little magic. Dive into the new Underwater Kingdom collection in the Happy Color app, color these extraordinary ocean scenes, and lose yourself beneath the waves. Curious about how Dakota creates her mesmerizing underwater worlds? Read our interview to find out!

What first inspired your love of painting animals, nature, and imaginative worlds?
I have always been deeply inspired by my childhood and the way things felt back then. I definitely lived in my head a lot, imagining worlds full of mythical creatures and magic, filled with vivid colors, warmth, and joy. This is the feeling I try to portray in my paintings today.

What has influenced your artistic style the most over the years?
Lots of things, but mostly, I just try hard to hold on to how I felt as a kid. My goal is to leave the world a bit more magical and colorful than I found it.

What is it about the ocean that inspires you as an artist?
It’s peaceful, deep, and beautiful, with so many vibrant colors and incredible creatures. I grew up next to the ocean and was always so drawn to how powerful it felt to be there, imagining everything going on underwater. It’s like another world within our own.

Many of your paintings feature striking female characters. What role do these figures play in the stories you tell through your art?
I love painting women. I feel like women have been under-celebrated in art – outside of more sensual poses – so I try to portray them the way we should be represented: as incredible, strong, fierce warriors who effortlessly balance nature, strength, and beauty, all at the same time.

Did you study real marine life while creating this collection, or did you rely more on your imagination?
I study references online and sketch out my paintings in depth before I create them. Painting imaginative scenes with mermaids and animals is uniquely challenging, which is why my pieces take weeks to create. I hope the time I spend on them shines through when people experience my work.