Denise LaRue Mahlke (Texas, b. 1957), "Evening Radiance", pastel on paper or illustration panel, signed lower right

sight: 18 x 18 in., frame: 30 x 30 in.

Provenance: Property from a home in San Antonio, Texas

Denise LaRue Mahlke is a Texas-based plein-air landscape painter whose work is inspired by the rugged landscapes and expansive skies of the American West, with particular emphasis on the subtle light, color, value, and texture found in everyday Texas scenes. A committed student of art, she has studied under numerous accomplished artists and cites the teachings of John F. Carlson, along with his Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting, as a particularly important influence; she has also studied the work of William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Emil Carlsen, Isaac Levitan, and William Langson Lathrop. Her direct observation of nature through outdoor painting has been central to her development, resulting in landscapes distinguished by careful attention to atmospheric effects and the nuances of natural light. Mahlke has taught privately and conducted workshops at the Fredericksburg Artists’ School and elsewhere across the country. Her numerous honors include First Place in Pastels at the Phippen Museum’s 34th Annual Western Art Show and at the 2006 Scottsdale Artists’ School Best and Brightest show, the RMPAP Award of Excellence, the Best Small Pastel Award and Milford Zornes Best Work on Paper Award at the Maynard Dixon Country Invitational, and Honorable Mention in the Pastel Journal’s annual competition. She has also been a finalist in The Artist’s Magazine, an invited artist at the Maynard Dixon Country Show, and an exhibitor in the Gilcrease Museum’s American Art in Miniature; her work has been featured in American Artist and Southwest Art.