Meet Daniel Halksworth, a 43-year-old artist from Sheffield whose realistic oil paintings of fried eggs have taken the art world by storm. With over 600 unique egg-themed pieces sold, Halksworth has turned a simple brunch staple into a thriving career, amassing a social media following of 41,000 egg enthusiasts worldwide.
Halksworth’s journey into food art began when he painted a range of everyday objects—including shoes, a bathroom tap, and, of course, fried eggs—while visiting his parents. The lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to pivot his passion into a business after his girlfriend, Caz Haigh, lost her retail job. “Chances for me to exhibit or sell in shops vanished,” he said. “She sold a lot of her clothes to help pay rent, and I got my art online.”
His first egg painting quickly garnered local attention, and requests poured in. Caz suggested he paint more, even offering to fry the eggs as models. Fast forward four years, and Halksworth has created 615 variations of fried eggs—some sunny-side up, some peppered, some double yolked—all while making sure to capture the essence of each dish before the couple enjoys a delicious brunch of eggs, avocado, and spinach on toast.
“We take a few reference pictures as soon as they’re fried before eating them,” he explained. Their dog, Sid, is never left out, patiently waiting for his share of the eggs—or a dog chew to keep him occupied.
Thanks to Caz’s “egg map,” Halksworth’s art has been shipped to 30 countries, with notable fans including celebrities. One of his creations even appeared in Hellmann’s 2024 Super Bowl commercial alongside actress Kate McKinnon.
Halksworth acknowledges the quirks of his egg-loving clientele. “People are quite particular about their eggs—some like them crispy, some like them smooth,” he said, noting that avocados have also become popular in his companion pieces.
Despite the sheer volume of fried eggs he has painted, Halksworth remains passionate about his work. “I still enjoy it as I always have,” he shared. “Every time I paint an egg, it feels like I’m doing the first one all over again.”
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