In this series, World of Abstraction, my paintings are based upon philosophical ideas, and addressing the unknown. Paintings by Denise Hartley.

“Passage Way”. The opening into another dimension. How do we reach the unknown within ourselves? How do we learn about ourselves?

To Know Yourself is to Forget Yourself

BY PEMA CHÖDRÖN

So to know yourself is to forget yourself. This is to say that when we make friends with ourselves we no longer have to be so self-involved. It’s a curious twist: making friends with ourselves is a way of not being so self-involved anymore. Then Dogen Zen-ji goes on to say, “To forget yourself is to become enlightened by all things.” When we are not so self-involved, we begin to realize that the world is speaking to us all of the time. Every plant, every tree, every animal, every person, every car, every airplane is speaking to us, teaching us, awakening us. It’s a wonderful world, but we often miss it. It’s as if we see the previews of coming attractions and never get to the main feature.

"Mitochondria I", mixed media and gold leaf on wood, 4' x 6', 2002. Private collection.

"Mitochondria". Each of our cells can contain thousands of mitochondria. They are used by our bodies to convert molecules into energy. They are independent, and genetically distinct from the cell nucleus, and can manufacture their own proteins. It is thought that mitochondria originated as a separate single-cell organism that became symbiotic with their hosts, as to be indispensable. Mitochondrial DNA is a remnant of a past existence as a separate organism. Mitochondria contain their own DNA, which we only inherit from our mothers, and can be used to trace maternal links (The American Heritage Science Dictionary).

“Jade Disc”, acrylic paint on canvas, 4’ x 6’, 2002.

“Jade Disc”. This disc is called a bi disc, it is a flat jade disc, with a circular hole in the center. They were used in Neolithic times, burial objects, undecorated, about 3000 B.C.E. The jade objects represent Heaven and were laid on the diseased.

Tao”, mixed media, acrylic on canvas, 4’ x 6’, 2002.

This painting represents the beginning of the universe. The red rays piercing the disc, are the sparks that create the Ten Thousand Things in our existence.

Verse 1.

The Tao that is unnamable is the Source of the Heaven and the Earth.

Verse 40.

The name, once introduced, becomes the Mother of the Ten Thousand Things.

Returning (to the basis) is the motion of Tao,
Yielding is the work of Tao,
The Ten Thousand Things in the universe are born of being,
Being is born of nothingness.

Verse 42.

Tao begot one.
One begot two.
Two begot three.
And three begot the Ten Thousand Things. Lao Tzu, The Tao Te Ching

"Silent Passage", oil on gessoed wood, 4' x 6', 2003.

Lao Tzu, The Tao Te Ching.

The reason water can keep changing its form is because it is essentially formless. Its form is determined by what is around it. Put it in a cup, and it will be cup-shaped. Put it in a ravine, and it will be river-shaped. It needs no form of its own, because it harmonizes with everything around it, taking other beings as its outline, instead of imposing itself upon others.

“Zen Drawing”, mixed media on wood, 3’ x 4’, 2002. Private Collection.

“Zen Drawing”. Enlightenment, the first principle is possible acknowledging the everything and everyone is Buddha-nature. Enlightenment is possible to everyone. Enlightenment in Buddhism, or for the Taoist sage, is not expressible in words, or logical thought. Intuitive understanding is necessary, acknowledging that eternity is here and now.
Fredric Liberman

Zen Buddhism And Its Relationship
to Elements of Eastern And Western Art
http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/lieberman/zen.html

Birth of a Painting Series IX: "Solid Footing, Trees and Rocks".

" A beautiful thing calls forth things that are

beautiful in kind..."

Tung Chung-Shu

Nature Series:
My art consists of a combination of video installations and paintings, which form an exploration of the sights and sounds of water. Focusing on a natural vista, the viewer may experience the crashing of waves, the roar of a whitewater river, and the sounds of a brook working its way downward, in the cycle of movement, back to the ocean.

Photo by D.A. Hartley

My paintings create a tactile experience for the viewer, transforming the gallery into a visual world of life sized natural forms which mirror the existing environment. The paintings are sculptural, created on large wood panels, with deep texture, stains and oils are worked into the wood. The videos are of natural events, surrounding the viewer with the gentle or crashing sounds of water, designed to include the viewer within the artwork.

"Lost Canyon".

Paintings in this video:
“Lost Canyon”, mixed media on wood, 4’ x 6’, 2005. Private collection.
“Blossom Peak”, mixed media on wood, 4’ x 6’, 2004. Private collection.
“Aspen”, mixed media on wood, 4’ x 6’, 2002. Private collection.
“Starlight”, mixed media on canvas, diptych, 76” x 54”, 2004. Private collection.
“Old Friends”, mixed media on wood, 4’ x 8’, 2001. Courtesy of the artist.
“Old Oak and Rock”, oil on canvas, unfinished, 2017-2018.
”Cypress and Basalt”, mixed media on wood, 4’ x 6’, 2006. Private collection.
“Aspens”, mixed media, gold on wood, diptych, 6’ x 8’, 2006. Private collection.
“Tao”, cast bronze, 10.5” x 22”, 2002. Collection of the artist.
Art Exhibitions for this series:

Water! 2008, Conley Art Gallery, Fresno, CA. Solo Exhibition
Icons, 2004, Three Person Exhibition, Fourth Street Art Gallery, Berkeley, CA.
Temporal Man in Nature, 2002, Cort Gallery, Three Rivers, CA. Solo Exhibition.

Thank you for visiting my art blog,
Denise

Birth of a Painting Series X: "Mountains, Clouds, and Streams".

Birth of a Painting Series X, “Mountains, Clouds, and Streams”.

“The world is a world of becoming. To see being in becoming, and becoming in being, that is enlightenment”. D.T. Suzuki

Empirical and experiential sculptural paintings, within a natural environment, the paintings are a combination of massive sculptural grounds, forming a reflection of nature, reflecting the temporal nature of man.

"Mountains, Clouds, and Streams", mixed media on wood, triptych, 4' x 6', 2005. Courtesy of the artist.

Nature Series: Themes of Taoism by Denise Hartley. Sculptural paintings on wood.

“My paintings are influenced from real physical spaces that exist in nature. The painting is intrinsic to the wood panels that I use. A tree was cut down to create this panel; the life of the tree encourages the finished piece. My paintings begin more as sculptural projects. I assemble, sand, stain, and texture, with an eye to the wood grains. I apply the paint by rubbing the surface. The surface inspires the art.” D.A. Hartley

"Tao", cast bronze, 10.5" x 22", 2002.

Birth of a Painting Series VIII: Installation, "Water!".

Artist D.A. Hartley creates a series of empirical and experiential waterscapes in a video installation that explores the sights and sounds of water.

Water!: D.A. Hartley

Museumgoers might be expected to imagine entering a natural vista, experiencing the crashing of waves, the roar of a whitewater river, and the sounds of a brook working its way downward, in the cycle of movement, back to the ocean.

The viewers are invited to participate in a format of healing and reflection upon nature.

Water! A combination of large-scale videos within an installation format includes an inner meditation room, surrounded by paintings and the gentle sounds of water, designed to include the viewer in the artwork. The paintings are sculptural, created on large wood panels, with deep texture, oil paints, and gold leaf. The videos are of natural events; “Lost Canyon Falls”, includes water and fire, in a meditative film; “Lake Kaweah”, transforms two years of photos into a video time piece, recording the beauty of each passing day; “Douglas Creek”, includes streams, meadows, and the sounds of water.

Lake Kaweah, 2007-2008, large-format video collection of stills.

Conley Gallery, CSU Fresno, 2008. One Woman Show.

A video of stills, documenting the rising and

lowering of the waters of Lake Kaweah,

from the wild flowers of early spring,

to the snow-capped peaks in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.

Paintings:

"Cypress and Basalt", mixed media on wood, 4'x6', 2006. Private collection.

"Aspens", oil paint, gold leaf on wood, diptych, 6'x8', Private Collection.

"Mountains, Clouds and Streams", mixed media on wood, triptych, 4'x6'. For Sale.

"Silent Passage",oil paint on gessoed wood, 4'x6', 2004. Private Collection.

"Koi", oil paint, gold leaf on wood, diptych, 70"x 68", 2008. For Sale.

Birth of a Painting Series VII: "Douglas Creek". 2015

Douglas Creek is one of many small creeks that come directly from the high-country snowmelt and natural springs. It is our drinking water for our cabin in Stanislaus National Forest, located at 6,700 ft. where the water is delivered by gravity flow. After passing by our cabin it enters the South Fork of the Stanislaus River, which begins at (9,635 ft. (2,937 m) Leavitt Peak, in Tuolumne County and eventually enters the San Joaquin River, and drains into the San Francisco Bay.

This little mountain stream and river have sustained life well beyond our time. There are parts of wagons used by the settlers trying to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There are obsidian points from the Miwok Native American tribe and grinding stones. The tiny stream banks are lined with willow, horsetail herb, mints, orchids, and many other wildflowers. As a child I wandered where ever I wished, with the caveat that, if lost, head downhill. I have slept outdoors with bear and mountain lions as possible visitors. Deer have taken a nap beside me. Chipmunks and Golden Mantle squirrels have sat in my hands. I trust the four- legged critters but keep a wary eye on the two legged.

Climate Change is changing our landscape quickly. We had to saw down six large beautiful Ponderosa trees this year alone. They are dying at a rapid rate, from bark beetles (love the heat), and a fungus, which spreads from fir tree roots. This was all predicted by a U.C. Berkeley scientist that wrote about how pollution affects the photosynthesis process, especially in the Ponderosa Pines. I watched a fire burn this summer across the river, tree torches burning brightly in the night.

Denise Hartley

Birth of a Painting Series VI, "Nobe Young Falls". 2017

Nature influences my art, every aspect of nature in the wild is so precious. In California we have been experiencing an extreme drought, which is causing fires, and tree disease and plant die out in our Sierra Nevada Mountains. We have lost thousands of trees in the last few years, and the loss of natural habitat is shocking.
My painting “Nobe Young Falls”, is a landscape created in oil paints. Nobe Young Falls are in Sequoia National Forest. I used to have a home in Camp Nelson, and the falls were near my home. It is an area that was homesteaded by my son’s great, great, grandmother, Nellie Marshall (the niece of John Marshall, discoverer of Gold! in California). She homesteaded 200 acres near Ponderosa, CA. in the Sierra Nevada’s of California, in 1870’s. She married Nathan Dillon, a gold rush businessman, and owner of land that is now Dillonwood Sequoia Grove in Sequoia National Park.
Nobe Young Falls are now a destination, when I hiked there it was an unmarked trail. If you would like to visit these falls there are now directions posted. https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/california-nobe-young-falls.html

Here is a map of the Giant Sequoia Groves in the Sequoia National Forest. Camp Nelson, Ponderosa, and Dillonwood are located on the second map: Giant Sequoia Groves in Sequoia National Forest.

Birth of a Painting Series V, "Golden Falls".

As an artist I seek balance in my life. As a healer, I use healing in my art process.
As an artist I seek balance in my life. As a healer, I use healing in my art process.
As an artist and healer, I address the healing of our planet. I try to approach Climate Change, and our damaged environment, more as a spiritual issue. First, we must heal ourselves, and by doing so we will become aware of the reality of the global stress that humanity has caused.
My paintings are often bought by healing organizations and individuals. "Golden Falls", was a corporate purchase by Kaweah Delta Medical Center, Visalia, California. They have bought several of my paintings.
Please promote self-healing by visiting beautiful sites in nature. This artwork was inspired by a small waterfall in Stanislaus National Forest. The trail to the falls was a delight, each flower will delight and encourage you, and the sounds of the forest, and stream, will lead you back to your true self.
My paintings are often bought by healing organizations and individuals. "Golden Falls", was a corporate purchase by Kaweah Delta Medical Center, Visalia, California. They have bought several of my paintings.

Please promote self-healing by visiting beautiful sites in nature. This artwork was inspired by a small waterfall in Stanislaus National Forest. The trail to the falls was a delight, each flower will delight and encourage you, and the sounds of the forest, and stream, will lead you back to your true self.

Birth of a Painting Series IV: "Blue Iris".

Birth of a Painting Series IV: Blue Iris

The Life of Flowers

Article by Denise Hartley, artist and gardener, etc.

I have inherited my grandmother's love of flowers. Just moments after arriving for a visit, she would say, “Let’s go outside and see the garden". “Blue Iris” is a photo taken by my photographer son, Chris Gilbert, in that garden. His photo was the source of my painting. When we sold her home, the blue iris came home with me, recently planted in this tree stump.

Please view my page 'Healing Plants', a blog about my grandmother's garden, then my sons, and last, my beautiful garden at her home: Page on this site: https://friendnature.wordpress.com/healing-plants/

Flowers give me courage, the life of a flower is so ephemeral, the beauty of the flower quickly passes, and is soon replaced by another. My life is passing just as quickly, and I will soon be replaced by my children and grandchildren. I long to look at flowers (and grandchildren’s) beautiful faces.

In my little greenhouse I have a tray of tiny lavender plants, also snow peas, and a flat of chamomile. The flowers attract the butterflies, bees, and birds. My desk looks out over my garden. My dad was the gardener, with a large vegetable garden, and a pergola filled with red grapes. I am the new keeper of his garden. My garden here, although established, was a working man’s garden. I just finished planting his vegetable garden this winter, and I planted a peach tree, expecting blossoms and delicious peaches late spring.

I am off to paint a ceiling mural, sky and clouds, on my future grandchild’s nursery!

Many thanks for visiting this site!
Please respect the artist's copyright!

From the desk of Denise

htttp://www.dahartley.com

http://friendnature.wordpress.com

https://instagram.com/dahartley222

Birth of a Painting Series III: Blocked.

“BLOCKED, an Art Exhibition”,
Fresno, CA, 2000.

As an artist, I paint when I am inspired. Everything flows; feeling great, working in the studio for hours, paints flow from my brush. The question is how to be an artist when the inspiration has disappeared, when you feel blocked from your inner self?

I began this series of paintings while I was blocked! My creative solution was to paint the limitation that I was feeling. I began just to paint actual BLOCKS, placed in restrictive grids, which eventually swirled into patterns.

The first painting this series is the painting “Eye of God”.

Using the contrasting shades of blue and orange created a boldness I had not expected. Somehow the ‘eye’ is not blocked, or it is not placed within the grid. The ‘eye’ expands to me the feeling of what is possible, or what is enduring within myself.

The painting “Self-Restraint”, painted in blues and greens which followed the cool color pallet,

using analogous colors. The lovely landscape is blocked by a large grid, and it is broken into drip-like smaller grids within the panes of a window. To me that exemplifies that there is beauty in the world, yet at the time I could not quite access it.

My favorite of the series is “Creation”. Warm colors are dominant, with a touch of cool blues and

greens. But everything in the painting is off kilter, the edges are leaning at odd angles. The blocks and the grids remain in the painting. The artist is still blocked, but she is stacking the blocks in a manner that creates tension in the artwork.

“She Broke”.

The dominant orange, the contrasting blue highlights, black drips, blobs, and pools, and yes, the first block began in this painting, on the upper mid-right of the canvas.

Paintings by Denise Hartley: "Creation", oil on canvas, 3'x4', 2000;
"Eye of God", oil on canvas, 3'x4', 2000;
"Self-Restraint", oil on canvas, 3'x4', 2000;
"She Broke", oil on canvas, 30"x 48", 1998.

I have created another video in the “Birth of a Painting Series”: BLOCKED.

Many thanks for your interest,

Denise Hartley

Birth of a Painting Series II: "She Broke", by artist Denise Hartley

She Broke...Painting By Denise Hartley

This is the second painting in the series: Birth of a Painting Series.
Artists love to create, and I am trying to dedicate my time to create a platform to showcase my art. Sadly, painting is so much more rewarding for me! This week I am washing each of my paintings, photographing them, and formatting the photos for different uses. Before this, then that, which means that I have to learn to use a 35mm camera, light balance, f stops, the list is endless. I was almost caught swearing the other day.
My son is helping me with #'s. I have started posting on Instagram:dahartley222, Twitter: DAHartley, my wordpress blog, Friend Nature (https://friendnature.wordpress.com). The learning curve makes my head spin. I would rather be out today under the blue sky digging in my garden!
My art focuses on spirituality, healing, self-expression, and nature themes. My collectors have noticed my healing theme, my paintings have been purchased by hospitals, nurses, and healing professionals, and those individuals that need healing.
I am currently inspired by artist, writer, and teacher, Lisa Congdon. Her book, ART, INC. is driving me on. (lisacongdon.com). She offers ideas on how to prepare a press kit, advertising on line, creating a marketing plan, just about everything you need to learn to promote your own art. Check out her website!
She Broke, is the first of a similar group of paintings from my BLOCKED art show in 2000. I will be posting the rest of the painting in the next several posts.
Well, back to work (where are the emoji's on Blogger?).
Denise

The painting, “She Broke” is dedicated to the “MeToo” movement and to all women.

Time Magazine’s Person of the Year is dedicated to #MeToo.

Time article by Bill Chappell,

“It has created a wave of awareness and brave confrontations over sexual harassment and assault, taking down powerful men in the process. And now the #MeToo movement has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year

for 2017.

She Broke, oil on canvas, 16" x 20", 1998.

Self Portrait, oil on canvas, 16" x 20", 1998.

A thirty second video from: Birth of a Painting Series: She Broke.

Birth of a Painting Series I, Blossom Peak, video

Article by Denise Hartley

In the Birth of a Painting Series, I try to give examples where the artist finds inspiration in creating an artwork, and how the creative process develops within the artist.

I begin this series with my painting “Blossom Peak”. It is a 4’ x 6’, mixed media painting on a wood panel, created in 2004. It is in a private collection.

The inspiration for the painting “Blossom Peak” began on a hike I took with my son. We climbed an iconic peak in Three Rivers, California. Three Rivers is near the entrance to Sequoia National Park, on the banks of the whitewater Kaweah River. The park is the home of Mount Whitney, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It is famous for its giant sequoia groves, jagged peaks, and glacier polished valleys, rushing rivers, and wildlife. As a resident of Three Rivers, hiking is an important experience, as well as white water rafting and swimming, and it is the backpackers dream location.

My young son I enthusiastically began our hike at the base of Blossom Peak, and headed straight up hill, we rose above California’s Central Valley, hidden by fog. After reaching the top, we could see the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, signed the book, made our cell calls, and then my son looked over the steep edge, and slipped. He somehow caught himself at the last moment at the precipice, a 35’ drop to the rocks below.

In the spirit of jubilant thankfulness, we began our descent. The inspiration of this painting was based upon the high emotions that I felt that day, and on our return, I began this painting, “Blossom Peak”.

Denise Hartley

Video: Birth of a Painting Series: “Blossom Peak”.

https://youtu.be/vYOrsHu6bpU

Denise Hartley - Fine Artist and Muralist

Denise Hartley was born in Oakdale, CA; lived in the art community of Three Rivers, CA for 22 years, studied art in NYC at the Art Students League, and lived on the island of Kauai, in Santa Barbara, and currently lives in Oakdale, CA.

BA in Fine Art, and Philosophy (Religion)

MA degree in Fine Art, New Media.

Artist Statement:

D.A. Hartley

My life has been driven by art. The artist eye looks to nature for inspiration, and then artist within translates these insights into an art work. Anything may appear onto the paper or canvas. The artist may channel the past, the present, or the future. I am a Reiki healer, and use healing in my art process. As a artist and healer, I address the healing of our planet. I try to approach Climate Change, and our damaged environment, more as a spiritual issue. First we have to heal ourselves, and by doing so we will become aware of the reality of the global stress that humanity has caused. I studied at the Art Students League, NYC, with professional artists of New York. I have a BA degree in Art, yet found my voice with my BA in Philosophy, and a Masters Degree in Fine Art.

My business has been painting murals. My favorite project I painted with my son, the children’s floor, Children’s Hospital, Central Valley. (www.dahartley.com).

I have a California teaching credential in Art, longing to share my experiences as a professional artist.

I have lived in the mountains of the Sierra’s in California, and at the sea in Monterey, and Santa Barbara. In New York City when I was young, and a few years ago, on the island of Kauai, teaching children with autism. I currently live in Oakdale, CA.

RECENT EXHIBITIONS

Her recent shows include:

Artist Open Studio, (2011), Stanislaus County, private studio tour, Modesto, CA;

Mistlin Gallery, (2011) 58th Annual Spring Art Show, member group show, Modesto, CA;

Ironstone Vineyards, (2011) Spring Obsession, group show, Murphy’s, CA;

Water, Flowers, and Inner Light, (2010) Show with photographer Christian Gilbert, San Luis Obispo, CA;

Water! (2008) One Woman Show, Conley Gallery, Fresno. CA;

Icons (2004) at Fourth Street Studio Gallery, Berkeley, CA;

The World of Abstraction (2004) at Easel Heads, Church Street Gallery, Visalia, CA;

Wisdom and Compassion, Tibetan Art Installation, (2003), One Woman Show Dean’s Gallery, CSU Fresno, CA;

Temporal Man in Nature, One Woman Show, Cort Gallery, Three Rivers, CA;

Her video, Lake Kaweah, a time piece that transformed two years of still photos into video,

was featured at the Kaweah Land and Arts Festival, at the Land and Arts Symposium (2009),

College of the Sequoia's,Visalia, CA.

She received a commission from Sierra View Hospital, Porterville, CA, (2004)

to create a hospital floor of murals for the Children’s Hospital, Central Valley.

She studied at the Art Students League in NYC.

Denise Hartley had two BA degrees, in Fine Art and in Philosophy (Religion).

Her MA is in Fine Art, New Media.

She received training from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, in sculptural restoration.

Hartley worked for the Nelson Rockefeller Trust,

at Kikuit Museum at Potanico Hills, N.Y.,

and worked for the conservator of the Whitney Museum, NYC.

She taught drawing in the Artist as Witness workshop at the Fresno Metropolitan Museum,

to children of migrant workers.

She has received a diploma as a producer from the Hollywood Film School.

She was assistant to Keaton Walker, 4 Emmy award recipient,

as Art Director of the Academy Awards, at the American Music Awards (2003).

CORPORATE PURCHASES

Corporate purchases include four painting for Kaweah Delta Hospital, and the Sequoia Regional Cancer Center in Visalia, CA.

PRESS AND MEDIA REVIEWS:

Radio Interview, March 2003, one hour interview with Janet Flores, Wisdom and Compassion Show, KFCF (KPFA), Fresno CA.

Visalia Times Delta, February 26, 2004, Family’s Support is Artist’s Greatest Joy.

Fresno Bee, October 22, 2004, Sierra View Handles New Wing with Kid Gloves.

Lifestyles Magazine, July 2005, Denise Hartley, text by Carol Firstman.

Voia, Liana: “Denise Hartley”, Blog Talk Radio, Contemplative, Expressive and Imaginative Arts, Ottawa, Canada, February 17, 2013

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/multiplearts/2013/02/17/denise-hartley--fine-artist-and-muralist

Media Kit upon request, denise@dahartley.com

Santa Barbara

Artist Denise Hartley moves to Santa Barbara (right) having lunch with daughter Diana.

Student Work

Advance Placement Class

Imagine 50 origami kimonos, using patterned and textured papers, assembled into one project, with a female figure drawn wearing a kimono. This AP student created this multi-media project, one in a series of world-wide women’s traditional costume and dress.