A resident of Nantucket since 1991, Denese has spent over three decades weaving creativity into the fabric of the island community. Her legacy is perhaps best seen in the annual Halloween Parade and Costume Contest—an event she founded in 1996 which her family still has the honor of holding the banner leading the parade to this day.
As a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT), she integrates mindfulness into her artistic practice, teaching the meditative method of drawing deconstructed patterns to promote wellness. Denese teaches at the Nantucket Atheneum, N.I.S.D.A. and for the Town of Nantucket as part of their wellness program for their employees. Her personal work is a tactile exploration of pattern and texture, spanning the mediums of mixed media, drawing, printmaking, painting, and ceramics sculpture.
For me, art is an experiment. It is about the creative process and the experience of making. Being in “the zone” of mindful expression, where time flies by and the world fades away is my happy place. I strive to create without the burden of expectation, focusing solely on the process. For me, the true reward isn’t the finished object, but the act of creation and the joy of the gift. Whether I am teaching or creating “art for a cause,” I believe that art finds its highest purpose when it is shared with others. You won’t find much of my art in galleries. Most of my art I give away which is one of my truest joys.
