Denise Nomura

Denise Nomura was introduced to the world of art at a very young age by her grandmother, an accomplished painter. She fondly remembers her grandmother always having a paintbrush in hand. As a child, Denise loved the process of mixing paint to create new colors and even enjoyed the smell of the paint. To this day, those memories evoke a sense of nostalgia.

Although Denise has no formal academic training, she has been studying and painting for the past 20 years. Her artistic journey began in Japan, where she learned the art of **sumie** and **gansai**, water-based painting techniques. Upon returning to the United States, she further developed her fine art painting skills, focusing exclusively on oil painting. More recently, she has been working with acrylics and oils, exploring nature in the abstract form at the Art Students League in New York City.

Denise’s work reflects her love of nature. During her formative years, she lived in Sedona, Arizona. Growing up in the red rocks, hiking, camping and swimming in the beautiful streams nearby was the backdrop to her childhood. This experience greatly influenced her drive to recreate the exquisiteness of the outdoors—its limitless skies, serene lakes, and rolling fields—on canvas. Whether she composes a very realistic re-creation or an abstract interpretation of what she sees, Denise captures the essence of nature in her art. Her paintings range from soothing, calming scenes to tumultuous, emotional episodes, allowing her to revisit and experience those moments repeatedly.

Source: https://www.denisenomura.com/home

*Artist featured in 2024 Art Passages exhibition at the County Administration Building in Martinez, California.