This month, Canadian artist Giselle Denis is taking part in a performance painting residency at Raffles Hotel in Dubai. Denis will be creating her nature-inspired artwork live for hotel guests from March 1-17. Here, we caught up with her to find out about her art and inspiration.
I have been painting my whole life. My mother is a painter, so I have always been surrounded by art and creativity and I have been selling my art since I was 14 years old. I did not know many artists who could make a living selling their paintings, but I was determined to not only paint because I love to paint, but to also sell my art. I express hope to the world through the images I paint. The titles I give my art have purpose and meaning, which help people find their purpose and meaning as well. With the main message of hope, I am a painting messenger using art as the vehicle to bring that message.
Live painting began as a way to pass the time when showing my art at public art shows. With some shows lasting for days, I used that time to create and it turned out to be a huge draw to my work. To see people watching me really fuelled my desire to perform my painting.
I have had many amazing opportunities to paint live for an audience. I have been a resident at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Canada, for three years and in 2014, I was asked to live paint for donation at a charity organization called Little Warriors – I raised $50,000 for the charity. In 2016 my painting raised $24,000 for Youth Empowerment Social Services. To date my art has raised over $250,000 for charity. I created a niche that no one else I knew was doing, and learned to be great at it.
There is a side to me that likes to perform, and to share what I do best in the studio with an audience is very fulfilling. Like a musician might feel during his performance on stage, it is a very invigorating experience. Painting live is very different than studio painting and conversing with the public can be challenging because I must keep my creative side in tune with the process. A certain sense of satisfaction is felt after I’ve made art in front of an audience. I feel inspired.
Yes, they can be. Often times when I live paint, I receive special requests and am asked to make a commissioned painting right on the spot while the customer watches me paint it. That is very rewarding, especially when they have never seen my work before yet they feel drawn to the painting and want to take it home.
I paint in collections or series of work. This keeps me focused on creating great paintings. I take in the atmosphere around me and am influenced by the conversations I have and the people I meet.
I paint nature-based scenes such as fields of flowers and forests, paths and lakes in bright, bold colours and textures. I grew up in the country, and spent a great deal of my childhood playing outdoors. These scenes are forever engrained in my mind. I play with colours and textures to create images that stir up hope. I studied music in college, so the names I give my work are inspired by writing music. I love the way a phrase of words roll off the tongue like poetry. Hours alone in the studio, long country walks, music, dancing, visiting new places, spending time with children, gardening and conversations I have with new people all inspire me.
When I paint in any environment, I am naturally influenced and inspired by my surroundings. But, like a musician who tours the world, he plays his songs and his fans love him for those songs he plays because he has developed a style of his own that connects with people no matter where he goes. I am like a musician. Art speaks to people no matter where it goes and no matter what the subject. I look forward and am open to the ways Dubai will influence me as a painter. I have only been here a few days and feel a strong sense of devotion and love here.
I will be painting at a special Canadian beach party on March 17th to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday here in Dubai. Then my plan is to head back to Canada and continue with my residency at the Fairmont Hotel. I know the possibilities are endless to where I could go.
• Giselle will be painting in the lobby of the hotel on selected weekday afternoons from 2-5pm and in Raffles Garden (during Raffles Friday Brunch) from 1pm-4pm. For more information on the artist www.giselledenis.com
