Denise Hopkins

Artist

Denise Hopkins grew up in Mandeville, Louisiana, but didn’t take her first formal art class until college. While studying English and studio art at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, she began exploring painting as a way to connect more deeply with her own experiences. She later earned a master’s degree in English from Louisiana State University and went on to teach art and creative writing at Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans for six years.

In April 2014, Denise launched her full-time art career with a “painting-a-day” challenge. A new mom navigating the emotional terrain of a recent divorce, she used daily painting as both a discipline and a form of healing. Drawn to the coastal birds around her, she began to see them as symbols of hope and renewal—subjects that would become central to her work.

Denise moved to Pass Christian, Mississippi, in 2020, where she now lives with her husband, son, and two stepsons. Her practice of daily painting continues, rooted in both habit and devotion. In 2021, she opened her own gallery in downtown Pass Christian, a space designed to welcome participation as much as appreciation. At her shows, visitors are often invited to contribute to a communal canvas—a reflection of her belief that art is not just to be viewed but experienced.

Her work—ranging from bold bird portraits to textured figure and pattern explorations—has been featured in NOLA.com, Sophisticated Woman Magazine, The Times-Picayune, Gulf Coast Woman, and more. She was voted “Northshore’s Best Local Artist” four years in a row. No matter her subject matter, Denise’s intention remains constant: to express the tension of serenity and chaos, where peace often emerges from disorder. She frequently uses a palette knife to build rich, textured layers in vibrant color.

When she’s not in her studio, you’ll find her painting live at weddings and events throughout New Orleans, Baton Rouge, the Mississippi Gulf Coast and beyond.

Artist Statement:

Painting is powerful. On once-blank surfaces, we put marks that would otherwise not exist. We use our hands to represent (and in doing so contemplate) both the physical and emotional worlds we inhabit. I work with a palette knife and oil paint to build rich textures that remind me of my own agency, my own ability to shape, distort, color and understand the world. My paintings combine representational imagery with abstract elements as a way to connect with both the form and spirit of my subject matter.