National Mural Day Spotlight: How Danielle Cleary and Heartspace Art Are Transforming Jacksonville
Ian Cleary • July 11, 2025
Interview with Danielle Cleary on First Coast News
Jasmine Monroe:
Well, it's National Mural Day, and what better way to celebrate that than with Danielle Cleary.
She is from Heartspace Art.
She's a local artist using creativity to uplift and connect communities through powerful, one-of-a-kind murals.
Thank you so much, Danielle, for joining us here this morning.
Danielle Cleary:
Thank you so much for having me.
Jasmine Monroe:
Well, I know that this is a very special day for you all.
I wanna tell the folks at home, when you are driving, make sure you keep your hands 10 to 2. Right?
But these murals are so captivating when you see them going by.
You see your murals everywhere.
Tell me all about how you got started.
Danielle Cleary:
Well, my husband and I met at an art event, and he told me he wanted murals first.
And so that's kinda how things got rolling, and that was over a decade ago.
We started Heartspace Art in 2018, and now we just really love painting murals all over Jacksonville to beautify and uplift the community.
We feel like art really touches people in a way that—like music, you know?
Jasmine Monroe:
It really does.
And even taking a look at this one, tell me all about what we're seeing right behind us.
This mural stands out—one of the best murals that you guys do, especially in and around town.
Danielle Cleary:
Yeah.
So this project is with the Department of Health, and it's in their hallway, where the lower-income community comes in to get their vaccines and see doctors, if they can’t afford their own healthcare and things of this nature.
We worked closely with the Department of Health to represent them in the way that reflects the people who visit this area.
We really wanted to showcase their mission—the words, the responsiveness, and everything they represent there.
And so I feel like we did it. I'm very proud of this project.
Jasmine Monroe:
And every one is different.
So when you're going into these projects, you have these meetings.
What is it that people need to know when it comes to seeing murals and how to appreciate them?
Danielle Cleary:
Right.
So every project is like our baby, and we really want to make sure that we are sharing the message of our client or bringing in that energy that really represents how they want their people to feel—whether it's in their home or in an establishment like this.
Jasmine Monroe:
I always ask the artist, what is your favorite piece?
What is your favorite type of art to do?
I know it's like putting you on the spot, but what do you think—or I should say, what was the hardest project you’ve accomplished, and you were like, “Wow, I can’t believe we really finished that”?
Danielle Cleary:
I would say our project with Gateway Jax.
It's downtown, right when you're going into Springfield.
They had a tight timeline and a large, large project.
So I would say that was the most challenging in the way that we really had to pull resources.
Not only do we have our own team, we also subcontracted other local muralists.
We’ve worked with about 12 to 15 local muralists over the time that we work on these projects sometimes.
Jasmine Monroe:
You mention that you have a lot of help too.
It’s not just you and your husband.
How do you go about finding the next big artist in Jacksonville?
Danielle Cleary:
Oh my gosh. That’s a great question.
So all of our artists are either from Douglas Anderson—we have a relationship with the school—
And then several of our artists are UNF graduates.
We also work with the university to give artists an opportunity to have their dream job: to paint.
Not everybody wants to run a business.
A lot of artists don’t know how to do that or don’t know where to start, and so we really can give them that platform to stand on.
Jasmine Monroe:
I like to say artists, you know, they don’t like the cut and dry. Right?
They want their freedom.
So I do love that when you get a chance to see this artwork, it is completely, you know, mind-blowing, and it's amazing.
So thank you so much.
Happy National Mural Day, and hopefully, you guys are gonna get out and get a chance to appreciate some of your work too as well.
Because I know you're just, like, fully engulfed in it sometimes, but sit back and look at what you’ve done.
And, you know, you’re beautifying Jacksonville.
We were called a city that’s boring.
Right?
But not—not this artwork.
Not these pieces.
Danielle Cleary:
That’s right.
Jasmine Monroe:
Alright.
If anyone's interested in booking you—how do they go about doing that?
Danielle Cleary:
Yeah.
You can go straight to our website, heartspaceart.com, and that's exactly where you can find us.
It says “Book a Call,” and you're actually going to find me.
I’m the one who will be answering the phone and talking to you.
Jasmine Monroe:
She is.
Yeah. I can say that.
I called, and it returned me—you answered.
Well, Danielle, thank you so much for joining us here on Good Morning Jacksonville.
Folks at home, if you’re interested in all this information, all you have to do is go to firstcoastnews.com.
We will be right back.