There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual.
Golden light, acres of undeveloped land, and nature’s frequent displays of both nuance and grandeur constantly catch the eye of landscape painter Denise Antaya (b. 1959). “I am drawn to these scenes because they soothe my soul,” the Canadian artist declares. “The need to document them for future generations pulls me in again and again. It’s a way to remember — a visual reminder of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed.”
Antaya grew up in rural Ontario and spent her childhood learning to appreciate the simple joys that small-town country life offered. “I took time to enjoy the sunshine, surrounding fields, the shapes of clouds in the sky,” says this curious observer. “These elements completely formed my love of the landscape.” She is particularly fascinated by light, specifically how the shining of the sun — or lack thereof — can totally transform the appearance of landscape. Water, and how it creates literal and symbolic reflections of the surrounding environment, is also highly attractive to the artist.
Antaya studied traditional oil painting techniques at the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto for 3 and 1/2 years — after a 31-year career in advertising. With this foundational skill set in place, she began exploring her love of landscape painting. Today the artist spends countless hours getting to know the subject matter that most moves her through exploring the countryside near her home, painting in plein air, and visiting conservation areas, where she can quietly admire the beauty and stillness of land, water, and sky.
One autumn evening last year, Antaya observed an especially compelling scene that she knew had to be captured on canvas. “The sun was setting over a low area in a field near my home,” she explains. “The warmth of the sun as it sets takes an everyday subject and transforms it into something magical. This scene, containing the light and water elements that I love, was just begging to be painted.” Using her on-site plein air sketches and photos, plus her memory, Antaya brought “Shimmering Light,” illustrated here, to effervescent life in her studio.
