Denise Balcanoff is a member of Artists in Real Time, Inc. and annual participant of the city-wide Open Studio Hartford. She is a Connecticut artist who was born and raised in N.Y.C. She attended the High School of Art & Design in Manhattan, and later studied art at S.U.N.Y College at Buffalo. Her art is inspired by her childhood memories, of time spent playing in neighborhood parks, frequent family outings in nature, and days spent hiking with her father away from the city. It reflects those carefree days of observing and interacting with nature and its elements, hours on end, immersed in the pure joy of exploration, adventure, and discovery. Having more time on her hands, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Denise has used this time as an opportunity to learn more, and explore the limitless possibilities of painting with cold wax and oil paints, her most recent passion. Using an array of tools, solvents, pigment powders, and other materials to add and remove color, Denise creates interesting layers of history in her paintings. She finds manipulating the paint to achieve different effects is always challenging and rewarding. Whether Denise Balcanoff is creating with cold wax and oil paints, alcohol ink, or mixed media, her paintings are a feast for the senses. The textured layers of vibrant, delicious, colors, will excite your eyes, as well as your soul.