Art has the power to inspire and uplift us. If you love creating something that brings joy to others, know that you are not alone. Giselle Denis, a renowned artist from Canada, creates pieces of art that radiate hope, happiness, peace, and tranquility. And if you’re a young artist looking to discover your artistic voice and express your unique views and thoughts, then Giselle is someone you’ll want to listen to.
Table of contents
Giselle’s Artistic Journey
Giselle has been creating art since she was a little girl. Growing up surrounded by her mother’s art, influenced her greatly, but it was her intrinsic love for art that drove her to become the painter she is today. Giselle found her love for art energizing, and the fact that she won her first art competition at the age of five helped her recognize that art held a special place in her heart.
”Ever since I was a little girl (I knew that I’m passionate about art – editor’s note). My mother is an artist, and her being an artist influenced me greatly, but I think it is truly my core being. I remember always feeling energized by creating art and it always made me feel good. I won an art contest when I was five years old. My mom entered my drawing into the Edmonton Journal comics for Halloween and I won $25. I was over the moon! People recognized that I had something in me when I was really young,” says Giselle.
Bringing Hope Through Art
As an artist, Giselle paints to bring beauty and hope. She sees art as a powerful tool that can soothe, heal, and bring positive feelings. By using bright bold colors and textures in an impressionistic style, Giselle wants her art to inspire others to see the beauty in the world and feel hopeful, even during difficult times.
”I paint Hope. My message is Hope. My story is Hope and my vision is all about Hope. Everyone can relate to that message. I want people to feel good around my art. I want them to feel something. I want it to soothe, heal, and bring feelings of joy, peace, and happiness. (…) I enjoy creating art that is beautiful and uplifting. I paint what I feel, and when I don’t feel great, I still try to achieve beauty in my paintings. Art makes you feel good visiting many Art galleries. I often felt like I never saw the art that I wanted to see. So I decided to make my own,” she shares.
Giselle believes that art can help us feel good, bring us together, and elevate people’s spirits during trying times (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), and her artwork is a testament to the power of art to heal those who view it.
“I was worried during the pandemic that art wouldn’t matter as much because people had a hard time paying the bills and buying groceries. I wondered if art would still matter during this world crisis. But it turns out, that art mattered more than ever. It contributed to people’s mental well-being. It helped them through a difficult time. It is amazing the stories I could tell you of why people have acquired a painting and the meaning behind it. So it is a pleasure for me to create paintings that I know will affect people in such a positive way. This is one of the reasons that I paint. Just knowing that something I made with my hand can help someone through a difficult time is everything,” Giselle confesses.
Art as a Way of Giving Back to Society
Giselle supports all kinds of charities, from children’s hospitals to various foundations, and it is her goal to raise $1 million for charity through the sales of her artworks. She has already raised over $815,000, one of her paintings being sold for $50,000 for the Little Warriors Charity. Painting for charity is Giselle’s way of giving back to society.
”I have worked with all kinds of charities. From the Jim Patterson Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation 10. I have been painting for Charity since 2012. To date, my art has raised over $815,000. I paint for as many charity foundations as I can. I love to give back and this is my way of doing that,” Giselle explains.
Self-doubt and Negative Feedback as Challenges
Giselle acknowledges that being an artist can come with its own set of difficulties. One of the biggest challenges is believing in oneself, as self-doubt can feel soul-dispiriting when one is trying to create art.
”I guess the biggest challenge would be believing in myself. I believe in myself now, but every now and then I have doubts. Believe what people say when they say you’re amazing and great!” Giselle says.
Giselle confesses that, as her online presence grew, she had to deal with increasing negativity. However, she advises that one should disregard any unfavorable remarks and comments, “move on”, and continue creating the art that one loves.
”It is difficult to hear negative feedback. As my online presence has grown considerably, the more people I reach, the more negativity, I will hear from people. People can be very cruel when they are behind a screen. They say all kinds of evil and spew it out on to their keyboards to whoever they come across online. When you hear negative comments, you just have to ignore them and move on,” Giselle shares.
She continues by pointing out that making a living as an artist is challenging and necessitates a lot of hard work, devotion, and passion for the art form in question. Giselle, however, has always put her love of painting before any money she could earn.
”It is not easy to make a living as an artist. And just because you are an artist does not mean you should make a living at it. If you want to make a living at it, you really have to love painting. It can’t be because you want to make money because, for most artists, you will not make much money for a very long time. It took many years before I could say I made a living at it. But I’ve always painted because I loved it and my love for Art Inn Painting has always superseded any money that I could make,” she admits.
Finding Your Artistic Voice
Every artist, in Giselle’s opinion, has a distinct voice to express to the world, but “it takes years of practice until an artist finds their voice in art, and a style that is recognizably theirs.” She believes that practicing art frequently and having faith in “the process to dig deep inside yourself to find ideas that are truly your own” are the only ways to find your unique artistic voice.
”My advice would be to paint more often. If you think you’ve painted many paintings, then paint a whole bunch more. The only way to discover your voice, and who you are with your art is to spend time with it with many hours in the studio. (…) The world needs you to be you. The world needs you to be your own artist. Every artist has a unique voice to put out into the world,” Giselle shares.
She counsels aspiring young artists to concentrate on their own work rather than to look “to the right or to the left of what others are doing.”
“There are many copycats out there. If you spend any time on social media, you will see that so many artists are copying each other. And in my opinion, it is only because they are paying way too much attention to what other people are doing. If you stay focused on only what you are doing, then you will find your voice quicker and sooner,” she advises.
Giselle hopes that for many years to come, people will appreciate her art for what it is – genuine art – and draw strength and hope from it as they go through trying times.
“I want my art to affect the world. I want people to feel something when they look at it. I wanted to help them during a difficult time. I wanted to help raise money for people in need. Even after I pass away, I hope that the art that I leave behind still helps people. I hope that my art speaks of hope and resonates, peace, and kindness. I hope that I have developed a collection of work over my lifetime that looks like my work. I want people to recognize my work, even when I am long passed away, and know that I was genuine and put out authentic art that spoke to people,” Giselle shares.
It is true – discovering your artistic voice takes time and patience, but it is a journey worth taking. Bear in mind Giselle’s words: ”The world needs you to be your own artist”, so keep spending time with your art, and don’t be scared to be who you are. The world needs your unique artistic voice to spread hope and positivity.
I invite you to visit Giselle’s website, Facebook page, Instagram account, and Youtube channel to find more inspiring paintings.
Are you looking for fresh inspiration and creative ideas? Then join our vibrant community and discover a world of endless possibilities. Check out also our Facebook page!
Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved
Leave a Reply