Fine Art Pastels
Denise Page
About the Artist
From my earliest memories, I’ve been captivated by the beauty of nature—the shimmer of light on grasses, dramatic skies, and the rich colors of rugged landscapes.
My passion for art began at age three, sketching daily with my grandfather, who even built my first easel. With encouragement from my grandfather and mother, I pursued art studies throughout childhood and college, although practical life decisions first led me to a fulfilling career in education and as a school librarian.
In retirement, I joyfully returned to my first love: painting. A workshop with my dear friend and acclaimed pastel artist, Jen Evenhus, reignited my creative journey, and I immediately fell in love with pastels— the organic feel of pastel to gritty paper, the pure color intensity, the fluidity of application,
and its challenge as a new medium, and of creating a work of art.
Since then, I've been on a journey of self-discovery, taking workshops from renowned artists, painting whatever inspires me, joyfully rediscovering and cultivating my passion for painting and the adventures it brings. My husband and I like to combine workshops with travel, to regions such as California, Wyoming, Colorado, the American Southwest, Italy and France. I bring my plein air supplies with me and set up whenever I can, and take lots of reference photos of our travels.
In my studio, while I may use a reference photo, my memory carries me back to that moment with nature, evoking the sounds, sights, temperature and the inspiration I felt at that moment when I snapped the photo. My goal is to use my own voice to translate the wonder I feel in nature into paintings that invite viewers to step into that same moment of awe. I draw inspiration from both the great pastel masters—such as Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt—and from today’s leading pastel artists across diverse genres. Studying their work continually deepens my appreciation of the medium and fuels my own artistic growth.
I enjoy experimenting with a variety of pastel papers, though my favorite remains UArt 400 grit. It was the first surface I learned on, and I love its ability to accept an underpainting—often created with hard pastel and an isopropyl alcohol wash. I’ve also explored Pastel Premier, Pastelmat, and most recently LaCarte, each offering its own unique qualities and challenges. Before beginning a piece, I typically sketch one or two thumbnails: a simple design of shapes, a value study, and occasionally a third variation. Other times, I dive straight in, letting intuition guide me. Each painting becomes its own adventure, a new opportunity to learn and grow. That constant discovery, along with my deep love for the pastel medium, is where I find my greatest joy.
I am an active member of several Pastel Societies. A few are : Pastel Society of America, International Association of Pastel Societies, Northwest Pastel Society, and now the Puget Sound Group of Northwest Artists. My work has been juried into local, national and international exhibitions. I enjoy the goal of entering shows and if I can, attending show openings and the camaraderie of meeting with local artists. My dream is to again have paintings accepted into the Pastel Society Enduring Brilliance Show in NYC, and in IAPS. Both experiences were a dream come true!