Meet Danny Nguyen | Barista & artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danny Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danny, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always knew that whatever my life consisted of, it would involve my art or something creative. I started my own business when I wanted to have a name for my art (paintings). I came up with the name Moody Blue because I enjoy involving a lot of colors in my paintings and my personal favorite color is blue. Once I had a place for it, I started experimenting with heat pressing my art into clothing to sell to my friends and instagram.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started truly getting into art when I was in high school when I finally found a place for myself in an art class. It just felt right to create a project using what life has taught me and the tools available. I was so fascinated in new ways to express in general. And telling a part of my self through my art using colors and textures. I am proud to have come up with a name for my art, Moody Blue. Since I had a name for it and a place to go to, I was able to explore new creative outlets. I bought a tablet, heat press and some clothing and started putting my art on shirts and totes. It was so fun because my friends enjoyed the process as much as I did. I still have a very long way to go. I want to get into the nail design business and allow my art to expand through peoples nails.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have a handful of restaurants with many different cultures to eat in mind. Id take them to Food Terminal (Malaysian), El Rey Del Taco (Mexican), Dan Moo Ji (Korean), and SriThai (Thai/Japanese). The historic forth park skatepark by the Atlanta Beltline is a wonderful place for a picnic and people watching. Theres a grass field to play sport games as well. The night life, my personal go to spots are Blakes at the Park and X (TEN) in midtown. They have fun pop, latin, dance music and drag shows on certain nights. It’s s great place to be free.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to shoutout my bestfriend Sydney Zuehlke, Hailey Baugh, Ethan Ingraham, Dante Mendes. I grateful to have such a supportive AND creative group of friends to motivate and inspire me. Sydney is a videographer and photographer and watching her continue to travel and tell her story through other people is so beautiful. Hailey just started her own band is already performing in bars and shows and has an album on the way in all platforms. Ethan has his own house services business and produces music in his home on his free time. Dante paints on his own clothes and cheers me on as his partner.

Instagram: @moodyblue.co @holykrap

Image Credits
Danny Nguyen, Sydney Zulkhe