BOONE — When driving throughout Watauga’s countryside and Boone’s busy streets, it’s hard not to pass by the vibrant murals on storefront windows, buildings and barns done by Danielle Ragan, a Boone native.
Growing up in Boone, Ragan participated in art contests at local grocery stores and won every time she entered, so much so that her mom would often joke she rigged the competition in her favor somehow.
“I’ve always been artistic, but I didn’t really get into my painting till I was in my early 20s,” Ragan said.
She drew throughout childhood and found inspiration through her grandmothers’ and great-grandmother’s gardens and the animals that frequented the yard. She drew what she saw and used vibrant colors to bring it to life. She still pulls from that inspiration years later.
Ragan began painting a colorful lion, receiving enough positive feedback she decided to continue
Photo courtesy Danielle Ragan
“My artwork is usually very colorful and bright. I think memories of growing flowers with my grandmother and my great-grandmother inspire that,” Ragan said. “Color just brings me joy, and I hate white space. I told my husband if I ever paint all of the walls beige, call the nut house because I finally lost it.”
After working at Sally Beauty Supply and a day spa for several years, Ragan picked up a brush and painted a brightly colored lion, which received a lot of positive feedback and sold several prints of the painting.
“I went through a really big weight loss, just trying to kind of find myself,” Ragan said. “I found another outlet for joy, and that was my paintings; that’s when I really got into it. Now I use it as my relaxation because I wasn’t being judged for physical appearance whatsoever; I was being judged for my talent.”
Ragan said the process to paint a mural can be scary at first but once she trusts the process it start coming together.
Photo courtesy Danielle Ragan
Since then, she has painted murals throughout the High Country, pet portraits, and self-published her own book with a coloring book section. Her murals appear everywhere, from barns throughout the countryside to store windows for local businesses including Bocca Bistro and Blue Ridge Dinner.
Most recently, she painted a mural on the building next to Lil Rudy’s on Blowing Rock Road.
“Some of my favorite murals are a barn I painted with the night sky and the one in Fries and Friends because it’s more my style with tons of flowers, very colorful, bright and happy,” Ragan said.
Ragan enjoys using lots of color for her paintings.
Photo courtesy Danielle Ragan
Beyond the finishing product, Ragan enjoys building relationships with the businesses and talking with passers-by while she paints.
“I love getting out and meeting the people with businesses and growing those relationships,” Ragan said.
Her vibrant colors stay consistent through her kids’ book “The Little Raccoon from Boone” as well. Written for her son, she wanted to incorporate her childhood memories into her son’s reading.
“I have a little boy, and I wanted him to always have something, so I wrote it for him, just to always find joy, magical things, music, and happy things that aren’t money-related or possessions.”
She added coloring pages for kids to be creative on their own, adding a customization aspect for kids to engage with.
“I hate when I hear parents telling kids, ‘Don’t paint that elephant pink; elephants aren’t pink,’” Ragan said. “They can be whatever color they have in their mind. There’s just no right or wrong. I really try to encourage people to look at it that way.”
She is working on a second book about the same raccoon from Boone but continues to paint pet portraits and murals around town.
Ragan love painting flowers and animals, a consistent trend since her childhood.
Photo courtesy Danielle Ragan