Denise LaRue Mahlke - Meet The Artist

Langson Lathrop, and many others has also contributed greatly to her growth. She sites John F. Carlson's book, "Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting" as one of her strongest influences and uses her well-worn copy often in her own teaching. She has studied under the tutelage of a number of the country's best artists and considers their instruction and guidance an important part of her education in the principles of art.

Denise is a board member and past president of Central Texas Pastel Society and a member of Plein Air Austin and Rocky Mountain Plein-Air Painters. Recent honors and awards include having her work accepted into Salon International 2008, First Place in Pastels in the 2006 Best and Brightest show, the RMPAP Award of Excellence in 2006 and Award of Merit in 2004, the Best Small Pastel Award and the Milford Zornes Best Work on Paper Award in 2003 and 2004 at the Maynard Dixon Country Invitational Fine Art Show and Sale. She is an Invited Artist to the prestigious Maynard Dixon Country Show (from 2003 - present) and is pleased to have participated in the Gilcrease Museum's American Art in Miniature show in 2007. Her work can be viewed at Whistle Pik Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas.

"To paint from the heart is the best way I know how to fulfill my goal and to give honor and praise to God through the work of my hands. My hope is to touch people with my art, to communicate truth and beauty while making a connection emotionally, even spiritually. I count it a blessing if my work can give the viewer a sense of peace, joy, or encouragement."



	The subtle beauty and diversity found in her native state continually inspires Denise and often she can be found painting out along the back roads and byways near her home or exploring new territory from the Texas Hill Country to far West Texas, or from the Panhandle south to the Texas coast. She loves traveling and has enjoyed painting in such majestic places as southern Utah, northern Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Maine, but most often, Denise finds her greatest inspiration in the quiet, simple, everyday scenes found in her own backyard. Painting outdoors has become a part of life, for Denise. It is in studying nature, observing the nuances of light and color, value and texture that have had the most impact on her work. Researching the works of the Masters such as William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Emil Carlsen, Isaac Levitan, William
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Langson Lathrop, and many others has also contributed greatly to her growth. She sites John F. Carlson's book, "Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting" as one of her strongest influences and uses her well-worn copy often in her own teaching. She has studied under the tutelage of a number of the country's best artists and considers their instruction and guidance an important part of her education in the principles of art. Denise is a board member and past president of Central Texas Pastel Society and a member of Plein Air Austin and Rocky Mountain Plein-Air Painters. Recent honors and awards include having her work accepted into Salon International 2008, First Place in Pastels in the 2006 Best and Brightest show, the RMPAP Award of Excellence in 2006 and Award of Merit in 2004, the Best Small Pastel Award and the Milford Zornes Best Work on Paper Award in 2003 and 2004 at the Maynard Dixon Country Invitational Fine Art Show and Sale. She is an Invited Artist to the prestigious Maynard Dixon Country Show (from 2003 - present) and is pleased to have participated in the Gilcrease Museum's American Art in Miniature show in 2007. Her work can be viewed at Whistle Pik Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas. "To paint from the heart is the best way I know how to fulfill my goal and to give honor and praise to God through the work of my hands. My hope is to touch people with my art, to communicate truth and beauty while making a connection emotionally, even spiritually. I count it a blessing if my work can give the viewer a sense of peace, joy, or encouragement." Selected Exhibitions: 2007 Texas Review, Whistle Pik Galleries ~ Fredericksburg, Texas Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters ~ Winter Park, Colorado Maynard Dixon Country Invitational Fine Art Show and Sale ~ Mt. Carmel, Utah Brushes to Bronze Invitational Fine Art Show and Sale ~ Keller, Texas Gilcrease Museum ~ American Art in Miniature 2007 ~ Tulsa, Oklahoma Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniature Show ~ Fredericksburg, Texas 2006 Scottsdale Artists' School Best and Brightest Juried Art Show and Sale, Scottsdale, Arizona Horizons 2006 Invitational Fine Art Show and Sale, Lakeway, Texas Texas Review, Whistle Pik Galleries ~ Fredericksburg, Texas Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters ~ Winter Park, Colorado Maynard Dixon Country Invitational Fine Art Show and Sale ~ Mt. Carmel, Utah Brushes to Bronze Fine Art Invitational ~ Keller, Texas Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniature Show ~ Fredericksburg, Texas 2005 Texas Review, Whistle Pik Galleries ~ Fredericksburg, Texas Maynard Dixon Country ~ Mt.Carmel, Utah Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniature Show ~ Fredericksburg, Texas Graceful Discoveries Palette Show ~ Whistle Pik Galleries, Fredericksburg, Texas 2004 Texas Review, Whistle Pik Galleries ~ Fredericksburg, Texas Graceful Discoveries Showcase, Whistle Pik Galleries ~ Fredericksburg, Texas Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters 2004 ~ Estes Park, Colorado Maynard Dixon Country 2004 ~ Mt. Carmel, Utah Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniature Show ~ Fredericksburg, Texas 2003 Maynard Dixon Country 2003 ~ Mt. Carmel, Utah Painting The Parks, Estes Park Plein Air ~ Estes Park, Colorado Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniature Show Cultural Activities Center ~ Temple, Texas One-Woman Show Nature's Palette Plein-Air Invitational, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center ~ Austin, Texas North Hills Gallery Pastel Exhibition ~ Austin, Texas Visual Impressions Plein Air Invitational, Hill Country Arts Foundation ~ Ingram, Texas 2002 Arts for the Parks Mini 50 Competition Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniature Show American Plains Artists Exhibition ~ Odessa, Texas Ellen Noel Art Museum 18th Annual American Plains Artists Benefit Show & Sale ~ Midland, Texas American Women Artists Fifth Annual Competition ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico Bosque Conservatory of Fine Art National Show ~ Clifton, Texas 2000 - 2001 Bosque Conservatory of Fine Art National Show ~ Clifton, Texas American Plains Artists Exhibition ~ Odessa, Texas Awards and Scholarships: Honorable Mention ~ Pastel Journal 9th Annual Competition 2007 Finalist ~ Landscape division, The Artists' Magazine Annual Competition 2007 Scottsdale Artists' School Best and Brightest 2006: First Place Pastels Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters 2006 Show: Award of Excellence 2006 Central Texas Pastel Society 2005 Membership Show: Best of Show Maynard Dixon Country 2004 Show: Milford Zornes Best On Paper Award Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters 2004 Show: Award Of Merit Central Texas Pastel Society 2004 Membership Show: Best Of Show Scottsdale Artists' School 2003: Tuition Scholarship Maynard Dixon Country 2003 Show: Best Small Pastel Award Arts for the Parks 2002 Mini 50 Competition: Top 50 Bosque Conservatory of Fine Art 2002 Show: Tuition Scholarship American Plains Artists 2002 National Show: Honorable Mention Austin Pastel Society 2001 Show: First Place - Portrait Second Place Overall People's Choice Award Central Texas Pastel Society 2001 Membership Show: Winsor & Newton Award of Merit Pastel Society of the Southwest Show 1998: Kay Polk Portrait/Figure Award