Gold Wasp

Oil on canvas. Denise Keeping’s artwork is an abstracted mix of dreams and memories, often from nature and/or her life experiences. “I like to convey emotional and mental states of mind, via an exploration of colors and dichotomies, and I’m drawn to liminal spaces—boundaries and transitions.”

Most of her paintings are oil on canvas, but she has worked in acrylic and many other materials. Depending on what she’s creating, she will experiment with fabrics, plastic, glass and/or wood to form additive and subtractive sculptures.

“I admit to a somewhat mystical and possibly cynical tendency. I sometimes feel like I am chronicling my time on earth, as I don’t have high hopes for our species.

“My paintings are moments of breath and unexpected meditation.”

Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, Denise came to the US as a teenager. She’s based in Dallas now. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Texas in 1999. She earned her Masters in Professional Studies in 2022 from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore.

Since 2016, she has also worked as a muralist for Eyecon Studios in Dallas. Her handiwork is on view at 5 Mockingbird and at Fitzhugh and State Highway 75 in Dallas.

A freelance scenic artist since 2007, Denise says all of her scenic work influences her personal work to some degree. “I’m always learning on any assignment and picking up new ideas.”

Since 2016, Denise has exhibited several times at Kettle Art in Dallas. Her work was selected for the “Emerge” show at Dallas’ PLUSH Gallery in April, 2023.