South Florida is a haven for talented artists and writers. This talent has led to some outstanding achievements. Take, for instance, Kathleen Denis, who’s one of the United States’ top licensed artists.
Her artwork has appeared on hundreds of home décor and gift products – wallpaper, kitchenware, bathroom collections and much more. Her talent extends beyond licensing her artwork: the art has won many outstanding awards nationally and internationally, including the highly lauded Plein Air Magazine’s Salon.
You can see her artwork in movies and television shows such as “Hawaii 5-0” and “Bloodline.” Denis is a member of the American Impressionist Society, National Oil and Acrylic Society, Oil Painters of America and she’s an official United States Coast Guard Artist. Her artwork hangs in the homes of celebrities and political figures.
Denis was born in Miami and grew up in Fort Lauderdale. She spent much of her time between the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. This greatly influenced her subject and colorful style.
“My love of art began at the age of 4 when taking art lessons from a fashion illustrator in Hollywood, Florida,” she said. “After graduating from University of Miami with a BFA degree in graphic design, I continued my painting skills by studying from noted master artists such as Scott Christiansen, Anne Blair Brown and Camille Przewodek.”
When you meet Denis, the first thing that strikes you is her sense of calm, and when you talk to her, you realize her power. She is at the top of her craft and she knows it. She is a rare juxtaposition of mastery and serenity. Denis is a generous and academic instructor; she has been teaching classes and workshops in person and online for over 10 years at art centers, including the Winslow Art Center Online.
“Depicting joy through my paintings, as well as capturing the effect of warm sunlight, is of great importance to me,” she said. “Having grown up in South Florida, island life has greatly influenced how and what I see when I paint. Brightly painted buildings, colorful landscapes, turquoise waters and the locals who live there always capture my attention. Whether the subject matter is a timeworn cottage, a day at the beach or a sun-drenched garden, my desire is to capture the warm light and invite the viewer into the scene as they imagine being there.”
Denis is a plein air artist, or one who paints outdoors, typically in natural settings. The phrase “plein air” is French for “in the open air.” She saw her first plein air event in Apalachicola about 14 years ago; she was fascinated with it.
“As I started painting ‘en plein air’ and participating in plein air events I realized the importance of direct observation instead of relying on photos to paint from and how it would reveal the true colors and light of the scene.”
It is the feeling of the moment that’s important to Denis, everything from the light, colors, seeing a focal point and building the composition. Some of her favorite painters are Bonnard, Sorolla and Hopper. She admires their use of color and light, brushstrokes, edges and composition.
“I paint the same technique in plein air as in my studio,” she said. “I start with sketches, value studies, color scheme selections, mix paints, tone canvas and apply the darks first, then build up my lights with thicker paint.”
She generally mixes her colors with a palette knife, sometimes with a brush. She uses a warm and a cool of each primary plus white to mix most of her colors. Some of the challenges while painting plein air are capturing the light on canvas before the light changes. Things move while painting them, or get in the way of the scene — like cars and people.
Other factors which can affect the painting process can be weather immediately turning bad or forgetting something in the studio. She manages her time by being prepared with equipment and by starting with sketches and color mixing. That way she formulates a plan which helps her paint faster. The most important thing is to know the light — its direction, its intensity and its temperature.
Those wishing to learn more about colors and painting from Denis can visit winslowartcenter.com. Originals are found at kathleendenis.com, Our Place in Paradise Gallery in Islamorada, and Camden Falls Gallery in Camden, Maine. Prints are found at HomeGoods and by searching online for “Kathleen Denis + Prints.”
