Textual description of firstImageUrl

Denise Henley | Portrait painter



Born in Guyana, South America, Denise Henley first realized her artistic passion at the tender age of eight. She spent much of her young life immersed in drawing.
As an adolescent, she moved to the United States to study art and after obtaining a B.A in Visual Arts, went on to pursue a career as an artist.
While she works in several mediums and subject-matters, her passion lies in capturing the beauty of the human figure. A constituent of realism, she continuously strives to perfect her drawing skills, believing it to be the backbone of the portrait process.









However, her creations range in style from photo realism to a more painterly depiction, often times opting for a palette knife instead of a paint brush; after-all, why do anything so boring as the literal details. The very greatest painting isn't bound by time or taste, a reminder, if ever we should need it, that eloquence doesn't always come with a pretty face. Although most of her work has been commissioned, she has been featured in a number of exhibitions which earned her both recognition and awards. Her portraits hang in private homes throughout the United States and abroad.
A resident of Colorado and U.S Citizen, Denise is intoxicated with the beauty of the Rocky Mountains - it feeds her artistic spirit. She has been married over twenty seven years and has two beautiful daughters who are not only fans of Mom's work but often the inspiration of her paintings.
Denise continues to evolve as an artist, ever hungry for the astounding beauty of nature and passionate about portraying it.
  • Artist Statement
"I consider art a gift, the marriage of craft and imagination to create an aesthetic that should be shared and enjoyed. I have always found the human figure to be the most intriguing and beautiful of subject matters and perhaps one of the most challenging - somewhat of a still-life with an opinion. My compositions are often designed to evoke quiet contemplation and an appreciation for simplicity. 
It is my hope to share with others the human figure as I see it - Simply Beautiful".

















Exhibits:
  • Gallery 809 - Glenwood Springs, Colorado;
  • Aspen Gallery at the Highlands - Aspen, Colorado;
  • Aspen Colors Gallery - Basalt, Colorado;
  • Aspen Art Museum - Aspen, Colorado;
  • Glenwood Springs Art Guild - Glenwood Springs, Colorado;
  • River Valley Ranch - Carbondale, Colorado;
  • Weinerstube Restaurant - Basalt, Colorado;
  • The St. Regis Hotel - Aspen, Colorado;
  • Red Mountain Grill - Aspen, Colorado;
  • Internet Sites.

Awards:
  • Grand Champion Professional Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2011;
  • Art Guild Purchase Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2011;
  • First Place Professional Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2011;
  • Popular Choice Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2011;
  • Popular Choice Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2007;
  • Second Place Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2007;
  • Purchase Patron Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2007;
  • People's Choice Award - Studio Tour and Silent Auction - 2006;
  • Honorable Mention Award - Glenwood Springs Art Guild - 2005;
  • Popular Choice Award - St. Regis Hotel, Aspen - 2003.