Denise Souza Finney

"I love the texture and feel of paint and the sensuous beauty of color. I try to make the most of these two elements in my work. What most excites me about paint is that the way in which it is applied can imply movement and mood as it moves across the canvas; color only serves to intensify the feeling."

Denise Souza Finney works in her beautifully remodeled century-old barn. From this space she draws inspiration from a weekly women's figure-drawing group, the lush gardens surrounding her studio, and the quiet solitude and spiritual sense of place from within its light-filled space. Her figure work and poppy series focus on movement and gesture, with color and texture as her muse.

She paints using acrylic paints and mediums. Her paintings are often done in series, playing with subtle variations in technique and color combinations. Some of her favorite mediums within the acrylic line are the various molding pastes. They dry quickly and create luscious texture that subsequent paint layers can sink into in various, intriguing ways.

Finney graduated from a small liberal arts college in Washington, where she studied the visual arts and ballet. She further pursued her art career in Seattle and Portland, working as a fused glass artist. This contributed to her love of transparent, light-filled color. She worked eight years in costume at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, enhancing her love of texture and the figure.