Daniela Smith-Fernandez is Chilean-Canadian by birth, francophone by choice. She is trilingual: English, Spanish and French. Her creative practice is rooted in traditional arts, her Latin American heritage, and a deep passion for language and culture. Her work is also marked by a certain amount of irreverence for social inequalities inspired by her leftist politics.

As a visual artist Daniela works in a range of mediums, predominantly textiles but also including theatre costumes, props, leatherwork, puppets, sculpture, knitting, beadwork, resin and linocuts. 

As a writer she has published theatre criticism, articles on culture, and a blog Reading Libros and Livres about enjoying books in her second and third languages, Spanish and French.

Community is incredibly important to Daniela’s artistic practice. She is a member of Miradorx Art Collective for women and non-binary Latin American artists on the Canadian prairies. She also teaches art and writing skills, has volunteered extensively in the arts, and works as a bartender for community events.