About Me
My Journey into the World of Art
My name is Marina Daniluka. I am a contemporary oil painter and art teacher based in Scotland, originally from Latvia.
Art has always been a part of my life, although my journey to becoming a professional artist was far from conventional. As a child, I loved drawing, perhaps inspired by my grandfather, who was a talented artist himself.
However, life took me in a different direction. I studied law, became involved in running our family business, and for many years, painting remained a distant part of my childhood.
Sometimes, though, life has a wonderful way of bringing us back to what we truly love.
How Teaching Children Led Me Back to Art
My return to art began when I started teaching children to draw and paint. What I didn’t realise at the time was that, while I was teaching them, they were also inspiring me to become an artist.
Children are naturally curious and imaginative. To keep their creativity alive, I found myself exploring different artistic techniques, experimenting with colours and materials, and discovering new ways to express ideas through art.
I began creating sample paintings for my lessons, but gradually, those experiments became something much more personal. I was no longer painting only to teach — I was painting because I had rediscovered my own passion for art.
In 2012, I moved from Latvia to England, where I continued teaching art and began exploring oil painting. I also completed a year of art studies at college in Boston, Lincolnshire, building on the foundations I had developed through independent learning.
When I moved to Scotland in 2018, I began dedicating more time to my own artistic practice. What had started as a way of inspiring children had gradually grown into a new chapter of my life.
Discovering My Own Artistic Language
For many years, I enjoyed experimenting with different techniques, subjects and styles, never wanting to limit myself to one particular way of painting.
In November 2020, these experiments led me to develop a distinctive approach to oil painting, which I initially named Linkupism.
Using a palette knife, I build each painting through carefully placed strokes, working gradually from the top of the canvas to the bottom. Each shade is individually mixed and used for just a few strokes before I prepare the next colour. As a result, a single painting can contain hundreds of subtle variations in colour and tone.
Up close, the viewer sees an arrangement of individual strokes and shades. From a distance, these fragments come together to reveal the complete image.
It is a slow and demanding process, but one that I find deeply rewarding.
Later, I discovered other artists exploring similar approaches to painting. Rather than claiming this technique as an entirely new artistic style, I decided to keep the name for my own collection of works.
Today, this series is known as Linkupism – Game of Shades.
From Personal Passion to International Recognition
What began as a childhood passion has taken me on a journey I could never have imagined.
My paintings have been exhibited internationally, including in Scotland, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. My work has also been featured during Art Basel Week, recognised among the TOP 300 by the American Art Awards, and presented in international art exhibitions and competitions.
I am honoured to have received the Oil Painter of the Year award at the Scotland Prestige Awardsfor two consecutive years, 2025/26 and 2026/27.
My paintings have also appeared in specialist art magazines and on large-scale billboards in the United States following recognition in art competitions.
Each achievement is a meaningful milestone in my artistic journey, but what matters most to me is the opportunity to continue creating, experimenting and sharing my work with others.
Creativity Beyond the Canvas
For me, art has never been limited to painting on canvas. I love exploring new creative possibilities and bringing artistic ideas to life in different forms.
Alongside oil painting, I create Snow Spray Window Art, transforming ordinary windows into beautiful seasonal displays for homes, businesses and special occasions.
I also design and publish my own creative books, including colouring books, dot-to-dot activity books and notebooks, combining my love of art with the joy of creating something that others can enjoy and use in everyday life.
Teaching remains an important part of my journey. Through art classes and creative workshops, I continue to share my knowledge and encourage children to explore their imagination and discover their own artistic abilities.
I believe that being an artist means remaining curious, embracing new challenges and never being afraid to try something different.
Looking back, I realise that my journey into art was never a straight path. It was shaped by unexpected opportunities, countless experiments and the people who inspired me along the way.
And perhaps that is what I love most about art — there is always something new to discover.
Thank you for visiting my website and taking the time to explore my world of art.
Marina Daniluka
