Author: Denise Hopkins

But You Love What You Do: The War of Art

I recently had the pleasure of attending a classical guitar concert after which a few musicians chatted about their art: did playing guitar ever feel like work? The consensus was a resounding yes. One guitarists suggested that he is happiest on a beach somewhere, miles and miles away from his instrument. I get that. We […]

Can Art Really Do That?

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Ya’ll. It’s one of those days. The art just isn’t quite happening, I got a disappointing work e-mail, and my child is, um, boldly spouting some “alternative facts” about a chocolate bunny I found under the sheets in the top bunk bed. Gross. So […]

Present Over Perfect

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] I’m still in the hustle. You’d think frantic breakfasts and repeated “please-put-your-shoes-on” would phase out a bit as summer settles in. When you work from home, summer inevitably brings it’s own hustle. A much needed break arrived last week– I had the joy of […]

Single Mom on Mother’s Day

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] I had an honest-to-God good Mother’s Day for the first time since I’ve become a mom. There was nothing particularly different about it in theory except this time my four year old had the language skills to repeatedly ask me when it would be […]

This is a Painting About Laundry…

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [creativ_button url=”https://denisehopkinsfineart.com/product/laundry-list-30×30-oil-canvas/” icon=”” label=”Purchase Info” colour=”red” colour_custom=”” size=”medium” edge=”straight” target=”_self”] And beaches. And managing other people’s expectations. And color, breast cancer, tenacity. It’s also about chaos organized, Peace and taking breaks. Last night I found myself sitting on my couch in a pile of […]

Let’s Go For the Win-Win: How to Ask Artists for Donations

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] This post is my personal PSA. I love working with organizations and particularly causes, but I haven’t been doing it very well or very wisely. There’s potential neither of us are tapping. Last year alone, I donated original oil paintings to more than ten […]

You Know What Your Problem is?

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] “You know what your problem is?” a sassy little woman in a red hat asks me as I finish a stroke on my painting. I’m intrigued. My problem? I’ve got 99 and, well, you know the rest. “What?” I finally ask her. “You aren’t afraid.” She says it with […]

Out, Out Damned Yellow Spot: Painting is Like Parenting Part II

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] My painting is like my parenting: sometimes so glorious I feel tempted to write a book about it, sometimes so painful and frustrating I wonder why I keep trying day after day at all. My son’s pre-k assigns dots to each day in the calendar he brings home in […]

I Didn’t Know What She Meant by “Walking Around in Your Underwear.” Until Now.

“Into the Unknown” 20×20, oil on canvas [creativ_button url=”https://denisehopkinsfineart.com/product/palette-knife-painting-unknown-20x20in/” icon=”” label=”Buy Now” colour=”blue” colour_custom=”” size=”medium” edge=”straight” target=”_self”] “You’ll feel like you’re walking around your underwear,” my art professor warned as we inexperienced undergraduates prepared for our senior art exhibits. One of my classmates felt the metaphor so deeply that she made it the title of her […]