Daniel Leighton is a Los Angeles-based painter, Augmented Reality (AR) artist, filmmaker, and technologist who uses art to explore and communicate complex emotional and physical states. Born with Crohn’s Disease and having undergone multiple surgeries—including the removal of his colon at age 11, resulting in a permanent ileostomy—Daniel has faced mortality from a young age. This lifelong relationship with pain, vulnerability, and resilience is central to his work.
Daniel’s paintings are bold, emotionally charged compositions that combine simple lines and vibrant colors to depict deeply felt inner experiences. Through his AR app, Daniel Leighton Art + AR, he animates and extends his works into immersive, multi-sensory journeys that bridge the realms of fine art, technology, and personal storytelling. The integration of AR with painting allows him to blend his backgrounds in filmmaking, programming, and visual art into a unique form of expression.
At the heart of Daniel’s work is a mission to create a visual vocabulary of emotions—images that help externalize internal experiences that are often difficult to articulate. His pieces invite viewers to slow down, drop in, and inhabit their own emotional landscapes. His aim is not just to be seen, but to help others feel seen. As Daniel puts it, “Each piece begins in the body. My art is not just something to look at, but something to feel.”
Daniel began programming at the age of 11 on an Apple II Plus, and later studied filmmaking at UC Berkeley, graduating Cum Laude with a Regents and Chancellor’s Scholarship. After an early career in digital media—creating award-winning websites and working at CNET—he returned to art as a way to process the lingering traumas of chronic illness and medical interventions. What began as a private practice of emotional release has grown into a widely recognized body of work that has resonated with audiences across the globe.
His work has been exhibited and recognized by institutions such as the Getty Museum, LACMA, MoCA, Victoria and Albert Museum (London), LA Center for Digital Art, and the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Daniel has also spoken at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Technarte, and Apple’s “Start Something New” campaign.
With each piece, Daniel Leighton invites us into a deeper presence—with ourselves, with our emotions, and with each other. His art is a call to connection, catharsis, and transformation—a way to make meaning out of pain and to illuminate the beauty within the struggle.
Watch the videos below to learn more and hear Daniel speak:
