Whitepine Studios

Kaili Dence is Whitepine Studios Creative Director. Kaili  was born in Utah but Saline has been her home for the past 18 years. She began drawing and painting at an early age and always knew she would be an artist. The focus on technique demonstrated in classical art led her to develop a realistic style in her work. She often gains inspiration from the natural beauty she observes in nature, people and animals both large and small. She earned a BFA, with a concentration in painting and drawing, from the University of Michigan and studied figure drawing and fresco painting at SACI College of Art and Design in Florence, Italy. Some of her favorite mediums are oil and watercolor paint, colored pencils and charcoal. She loves sharing her passion for the arts, exploring new mediums and styles and helping her students grow as artists and creative thinkers.

Kaili’s animal portrait series is created with charcoal on toned paper. She uses colored pencil to selectively highlight her pieces. Kaili shares “I love working with charcoal as it allows me to create with the precision that defines my animal compositions. This medium allows me to explore a range of values and mark making.

Kaili can be commissioned for pet portraits in this medium or in oil.

               

Why Invest in Original Art.  Is it Worth It?

Have you ever fallen in love with a piece of artwork at a gallery and wondered why the piece is so expensive? Here’s why original art is absolutely worth the higher cost. 

Artists are influenced by the the local culture and colors of the region. The art they create will often reflect the region in which they live. Their artwork is one of a kind, made by the hand of the artist. You will not find it in another home or gallery. There is a connection to the artistic process and the artist’s inspiration. The original expresses the colors the artist chose versus a print where the original colors may be compromised. You can observe the brushwork and textures and subtleties not visible on a print. The original gives you the full visual experience that the artist labored over for many hours. Your purchase supports the arts. Artists need you to observe, interact, and buy their work so they can continue to produce magnificent art. 

Stop by the gallery and see the beautiful work of local artists. Let’s support our local art community!

Salvador Dali was born on May 11, 1904, and remains one of the most famous surrealists. His paintings, sculptures and films were inspired by his dreams. Surrealism was an art movement that tapped into the unconscious mind. One type of surrealism combined reality with dream-like images. Artists like Dali combined subjects that would you would not expect to be together as can be observed in one of his most famous works, Persistence of Memory. Melting clocks, a monstrous face, and red ants on a gold watch are juxtaposed with the realistic images of the sea and cliffs in the background. Another type of surrealism focuses on the spontaneity of creation without the need for conscious reasoning. With randomness and intuition, Hans (Jean) Arp, a fellow surrealist, created organic abstract paintings. We offer a workshop for middle school and high school students called Arp and Intuition. Students will create an abstract piece of art by chance and intuition! Happy Birthday Salvador Dali and thank you for your contributions to the Surrealism Movement and its continued influence on Modern Surrealism.

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