COMMUNITY PROFILE the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Initially, Chavez studied animation at RMCAD, but he earned his undergraduate degree in interior design and highperformance building systems. This background laid the foundation for a holistic approach to art and design that would define Chavez’s career. One formative influence was a professor who introduced Chavez to the Bauhaus school—a historic German art institution known for its cross-disciplinary approach. However, Chavez’s commitment to integration across disciplines began even earlier through his study of martial arts. “That was, I think, my first exposure to cross disciplines, more on an international scale,” he said. The martial arts Chavez studied—particularly Wushu, a stylized form of Kung Fu with roots in yoga—instilled in him a sense of movement, philosophy, and creativity that shaped his holistic approach to art and design and continues to inform how he engages with space, form, and crossdisciplinary work. THE PORTRAIT LIBRARY: ART ON THE MOVE Recently, Chavez has embarked on a new project called The Portrait Library, a mobile cart-based creative project that merges candid portraits with handmade products. The idea was born, fittingly, in a public library. “I love libraries. I go to several a week,” Chavez said. “I just sit there and let the ideas come.” The Portrait Library includes what Chavez calls “flash” portraits, using different types of paper and book-themed formats. Unlike caricatures, the portraits Chavez creates are dignified and textual, or candid, capturing the essence of the subject. Through Chavez’s second website, NoStyle.co, the Portrait Library also serves as a storefront for unique products Chavez designs: leather-bound journals, accordion-style sketchbooks, and dual-function books with watercolor paper on one side and writing paper on the other. One of his products, a wrist-worn journal, which is about the size of a fitness tracker or smart watch, is geared toward travelers or creatives on the move. Chavez was quick to acknowledge that not all of his products are his own creation, but he enjoys working on them because they are so unique and rare. In addition to selling directly through Nostyle.co, Chavez is working to get these products into retail spaces like the gift shops at The Denver Art Museum and the Botanic Gardens. He’s also started offering commissions—like one he made for an educator retiring from her college, in which he created a personalized journal illustrated with portraits and scenes from her career. ART WITH PURPOSE: COMMUNITY, CONNECTION, AND EMPATHY Chavez’s design work and his Portrait Library keep him busy, but one of the most meaningful threads of his life is his engagement with nonprofits like Denver VOICE. Chavez’s connection to the organization stems from empathy for people who are struggling, especially the unhoused. What drives Chavez, ultimately, is a belief in shared human potential. “I really think that all people are capable of the same thing,” he said. “The opportunities, of course, are not the same. But the capacity is there. Whether it’s drawing a picture, writing a novel, or helping someone in need—it’s about the effort, not some innate talent.” Chavez sees art not as a narrow skill, but as a mode of being. “Artistry, to me, is the expression of your personality,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be visual. It can be how you THE PORTRAIT LIBRARY INCLUDES WHAT CHAVEZ CALLS “FLASH” PORTRAITS, USING DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAPER AND BOOK-THEMED FORMATS. | PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL CHAVEZ “ EVERYONE CAN BRING ARTISTRY INTO WHAT THEY DO” interact with people, how you think, how you move. Everyone can bring artistry into what they do.” You can learn about Daniel Chavez’s work by visiting nostyle.co or tzintzun.co. Editor’s note: We are thrilled to announce that Daniel will be the art instructor on September 18 at our Sip n’ Paint fundraiser for the VOICE at Seedstock Brewery. September 2025 DENVER VOICE 7
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