Bio

Hi! I'm Denise.Sitting and painting a landscape on the rural plains with a forest in the background.

Artist Bio & Mission Statement

I fell in love with the acrylic process 18 years ago—first as a self-taught form of stress relief growing up in Utah, then later through formal instruction at Colorado State University. Painting became a visual language for me, offering connection and expression where my hearing impairment sometimes made words feel limiting.

Today, I live on a quiet stretch of land in rural Colorado, where the solitude fuels much of my inspiration. The land itself—its open skies, wildlife, silence—finds its way into my work. At the same time, I’m grounded by community through my longtime studio in Kashi Kari Co-op in Denver where I keep up engagement with artists and visitors.

Influenced by the Georgia O’Keeffe's independent spirit, I’m driven to create one-of-a-kind, contemporary conceptual westerns—works that reinterpret landscape, myth, and modern life in the American West. I intentionally focus on original paintings, preserving the intimacy and individuality of each piece for their collector.

My mission as an artist is to tell stories that matter—stories rooted in land, identity, and imagination. In 2025, I’m expanding my work to intersect more directly with environmental advocacy and nonprofit partnerships, using art as a way to listen, connect, and inspire action. I believe in the power of narrative-driven art not only to reflect the world, but to shape it.

-xoxo, Denise

EXPERIENCE & EXHIBITIONS

 

Kashi Kari Gallery & Cooperative | Denver, CO

Studio Artist & Member

Jul 2017 – Present

 

Athena Project & Dairy Block Women in Their Infinite Forms Installation | Denver, CO

Selected Artist

Mar 2023

 

Art Students League of Denver Flagpole Project

Grant Recipient & Artist

Jun 2022

 

Biennial of the Americas “Covid-19 Memorial” | Denver, CO

Virtual Open Show

Jun 2021

 

R Gallery “Circles & Squares” | Boulder, CO

Open Show

Dec 2020 - Feb 2021

 

Littleton Museum “Liberating Humor” | Littleton, CO

Open Show

Nov 2020 - Jan 2021

 

Harvest Moon Women’s Retreat | Elizabeth, CO

Art Instructor

Jul 2019

 

Colorado Mills Shopping Center “50 for 50” | Lakewood, CO

Open Show

Apr - Sep 2019

 

CORE Art Space “Grande Petit Deux” | Denver, CO

Open Show

Nov 2016

 

Minneapolis St. Paul Int’l Airport: Concourse C National Arts Program | Minneapolis, MN

Open Show

Nov 2012 - Apr 2013

 

 

DONATION PARTNERSHIPS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

                                                              

Dinosaur Ridge Gala Fundraisers | Morrison, CO

May 2023 | May 2024 | Apr 2025

 

Access Gallery 99 Piece Fundraiser | Denver, CO

Sept 2024

 

Firehouse Art Center Marshall Fire Fundraiser for BCWF | Longmont, CO

Jan 2022

 

Online Covid Relief Personal Artwork Auction| Franktown, CO

May 2020

 

Keller Williams KW Cares Black & White Gala | Lone Tree, CO

Aug 2017

 

Utah Friends of Animals Barking Ball Fundraiser | Park City, UT

Sep 2012