About Denise Hopkins Fine Art
Established in 2014, Denise Hopkins Fine Art was born not of certainty and clarity but of the unknown and confusion. Denise believes art is a way to navigate chaos and articulate hope. She hopes to continue to use it to enrich her own life as well as those of her collectors.
10
Years Creating
Art Full-Time
3k
VIP Club
Members
31
US States with
Denise’s Art
Our Journey So Far
1999
Discovery
Denise takes her first art lesson with her great aunt who is a carmelite nun and an endlessly patient teacher. From Aunt Catherine she learns that art is not only something she might have a knack for but that it can be a joyful and important human experience. The following year, she enrolls at Spring Hill College where she takes her first official art class and is forever hooked. She graduates in 2004 with a degree in English and studio art.
2004
What will I do with my life?
Denise is smitten with art but has no reference point for how or why to turn it into a career. To buy some time to figure out a life plan, she enrolls in graduate school at Louisiana State University where earns a master’s degree in English.
2006
I pick the one with the art
Denise is offered several teaching positions but she accepts the one at Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans because they offer her not only English classes but art as well. She fully believes she will make art “on the side” but never quite seems to find the time even though she keeps an easel and dropcloth in the bedroom of her small New Orleans apartment.
2012
Chaos and hope
After several pregnancy losses, Denise welcomes her son into the world and decides to take time off from teaching. Shortly after his birth, she finds herself dealing with divorce and starts painting again regularly as a way to navigate her grief. She finds art to be both a way of letting go and of taking action.
2014
Painting the way forward
Denise launches her career as a full-time artist with a 30 in 30 painting a day project. She does one small painting each day during the month of April and posts each piece to her blog, where she slowly begins to gain followers.
2015
This time with people watching
One of Denise’s former students asks her to do a live painting at her wedding. Denise cautiously accepts. She has been doing live wedding paintings ever since.
2016
It takes a village
Denise buys her first home in Covington, Louisiana, and dedicates one room entirely to creating art. She starts a project she calls the “31 in 31” where she invites artists of all kinds to participate in a daily art practice every day in January. The group becomes a haven for people wanting to make art but unsure of how to get started.
2020
Home is where the art is
Denise gets married, adding a husband, two step sons, and a poodle to her fold. She and her son relocate to Pass Chrisitan, Mississippi where she rides out the uncertainty of the pandemic by making art and building community online in the 31 group.
2021
Open the doors
Denise opens a gallery of her work in downtown Pass Christian where she hangs a painting of her Aunt Catherine above the doorway to be an inviting presence to all who enter.
today
The gallery is a welcoming space known in the community for events that invite guests to participate in some form of art-making whether it is making a mark on a community painting or encouraging children to grab a piece of chalk and decorate the parking lot. Denise believes deeply in the power of art to transform spaces (physical, spiritual, and emotional) and tries both through the gallery and her online presence to share that power with others. The 31 in 31 group is 200 + members and continues to grow each year. Denise is currently working on an online course called “The Art of Live Painting” which will launch in 2024.
testimonials
Voices of Appreciation
“ I highly recommend Denise for your live wedding painter!! She was so sweet and quickly responded to my emails and questions. My painting is absolutely beautiful and such a statement piece in my house. I am constantly in awe every time I pass it. I get many compliments from everyone who sees it. Denise personally dropped off my painting and helped me pick out a frame afterwards. Again, I HIGHLY recommend Denise Hopkins Fine Art for your live wedding painter. You won’t be disappointed! ”
Amanda – Louisiana, USA
“ Incredible gallery and a super talented artist. The paintings and prints are gorgeous, and the space is warm and cozy. If you’re in the area, it’s a must-visit spot. ”
Rebecca Olinde – Louisiana, USA
“ NOT JUST WEDDINGS…We used Denise for a MARDI GRAS ball live artist when my husband was king. She is super talented, easy to work with, responds quickly to scheduling questions. She can even made notecards for a bride’s gift of the brides painting. Super smooth transaction. She comes highly recommended. ”
Mary – Louisiana, USA
“ Denise’s impressionistic interpretation of a live event is nothing less than stunning. With paint brush or pallet knife in hand she turns an event into a lovely reminder of a special time in a persons life. With her sparkling personality she adds to the entertainment aspect of a live painting. Many people have not ever seen a person create a painting and love watching an artist in action. A great addition to any event. ”
Catherine – Louisiana, USA
“ CANNOT say enough great things about Denise! Absolutely stunning work and definitely one of the highlights of our wedding for our guests was watching her creation come to life! Now it sits in our home as an incredible reminder of the best day ever THANK YOU.
Kristen- Louisiana, USA
“ I would like to take a moment to acknowledge Denise and her talent. We chose Denise as our live wedding painter and could not have been happier with our choice (and I am extremely picky). She did an amazing job at capturing our guests, the second line band, and the venue. She has a keen eye and puts that to her paintings. It will be a piece we cherish for the rest of our lives. Denise herself is also very kind and has great energy. Our 3 flower girls gravitated to her right away. ”
Jessie Bozeman – Louisiana, USA
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