Denise Hawkins is a life-long Nashville resident who took advantage of early retirement after a 30+ year career in the investment management business. To paint full-time is the fulfillment of a life-long dream. Since beginning the study of oil painting in 2008, she has aligned with other artists and groups and has had the privilege of learning from and showing her work alongside many established artists in the Nashville community.
She is drawn to quiet places, whether it is a riverbank, an open field or a place setting for an upcoming meal to be shared. Denise paints in oils with a limited palette and enjoys the buttery texture of oils, the richness of color and their permanence. Limiting the pallet helps achieve the many ways to create colors and achieve harmony.
Reflecting on and painting the landscape (of which Tennessee has in breathtaking abundance!) brings an amazing richness and depth to her life. It is her goal that a measure of this joy be felt by the viewer of her work as well. Painting alongside nature has sharpened her awareness of tonal values, light and use of color. “I hope that my paintings evoke a memory or provide a timeless sense of place to the viewer. I hope to always learn and stretch beyond myself toward excellence every day.”
She has representation in Nashville, Tennessee on the east side with Art & Invention Gallery and on the west side at York & Friends Fine Art Gallery.
Professional Affiliations
The Chestnut Group, plein air painters for the land - Member
Oil Painters of America - Associate Member
American Impressionist Society, Inc. - Member
Awards & Recognition
Finalist in the Artist’s Magazine Over 60 Competition (Dec 2014) for “An Autumn Ritual” entry with a listing in the March, 2015 issue of The Artist’s Magazine
Featured Emerging Artist in Art Galleries & Artists of the South publication, Vol. 11, Issue 3 (2014).
Finalist in the Richeson 75 International Art Competition: Animals, Birds & Wildlife, 2014
Meritorious entry in the Richeson 75 International Art Competition: Animals, Birds & Wildlife, 2014
Finalist in the Richeson 75 International Art Competition: Animals, Birds & Wildlife, 2015
Finalist in the Randy Higbee Gallery 6” Squared juried show, Winter, 2015
Finalist in the Emerging Artist category, Art Muse contest, February, 2016
Two Meritorious entries in the Richeson75 International Art Competition: Animals, Birds & Wildlife, 2016
Meritorious entry in the Richeson75 International Small Works Exhibit, 2017
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