Daniel Villa is a self-taught relief printmaker based in Stockton, California, working in linoleum, woodcut, and Mokuhanga (Japanese water-based woodblock printing).

His interest in printmaking began in 2019 after discovering the work of contemporary Mexican printmakers Pavel Acevedo, Mazatli, Eduardo Robledo, Alex Carmona, and 3GatosPress. That discovery set off a self-directed education that continues today. Drawn to Chiura Obata's "Dai-Shizen" (Great Nature) philosophy and the Sōsaku-hanga movement of early 20th-century Japan, Daniel approaches each print as designer, carver, and printer. The work is entirely his own hands, from block to paper.

His prints have been exhibited at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the California Museum in Sacramento, and Yosemite National Park in partnership with the National Park Service and Yosemite Conservancy. He has worked with corporate partners including Adobe, Blick Art Materials, Speedball, and Legion Paper.

Daniel also works full-time as a district interpreter and translator in public education, with a focus on special education — a role that keeps him grounded in community and reinforces why accessible, meaningful art matters. He contributes to arts education through workshops and demonstrations with public schools, nonprofits, and government institutions, and shares his process through social media and a newsletter.

Outside the studio, he enjoys classical music, horror and historical fiction, football, and the daily company of his cats.