Bio - Denise Daffara

Denise Daffara is part of a new breed of contemporary artists living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Her work brings together a fusion of motherhood, friendship and femininity in the 21st Century.

Born in Wellington in New Zealand, Denise remembers a childhood spent pestering her parents for new crayons, pencils and paints, to feed her burning desire for drawing and painting. Her sister Maria, who was an accomplished and talented artist, influenced her work and her decision to choose art as her career. In the late eighties Denise emigrated to Australia and later she settled into the sunshine and beach lifestyle on the Sunshine Coast, an hour north of Brisbane.

This move brought her into contact with well established local artist Peter Hales, who is based in Noosa. It was under his guidance that Denise started to take her art and her passion more seriously through regular mentoring, lessons and guidance.

She’s constantly being exposed to new ideas and trends through networking with other artists around Australia and internationally, occasionally attending workshops to keep her skills up to date.

When it comes to technique, Denise represents what is new and funky about painting and design, with a style that dabbles in both traditional and modern styles. Her work is striking, personal and is easily relatable to the modern woman. It speaks to the woman at home, at play and at work and the woman who seeks the fusion of these three parts of her life.

Like all artists her work is ever evolving but at the core of each piece are the joys of feminine life, with vibrant colour and distinct form.

Denise says, "Motherhood and friendship are a constant source of inspiration for me, and my style embraces elegant simplicity”.

A private commission has seen Denise link up with good friend and journalist, Sarah Schofield, and design the front cover for her poetry book "Portraits & Love". She has just completed designing and painting for the cover of a cookbook named “The Chef & I” released nationally in 2010.

In 2009 a State Govt. initiative with Queensland Urban Ecology; Denise participated in a community project to beautify some traffic signal boxes, she donated her time and painted two bright additions to the Mooloolaba and Alexandra Headland streetscape much to the delight of locals and visitors.

When people see Denise’s work they often feel the need to commission personalised pieces, which is one of Denise Daffara’s fortes. These pieces are now represented in various Australian and overseas collections.

Her work is for sale through a Sunshine Coast gallery - Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery
(and/or can be commissioned on request.)

Solo Exhibitions
2009 A Golden Thread, Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery, Buderim, Qld, Australia
2008    Free Spirits, Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery, Buderim, Qld
2007    Femme Fantastique, Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery, Buderim, Qld
   – sell out success with large number of commissions following.

Group Exhibitions
2010    The Abused Child Trust Exhibition, White Canva Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
2010    Women in Art Exhibition, Zonta Club, Maleny, Queensland
2009    The Abused Child Trust Exhibition, Gallery 2, Brisbane, Australia
2008    The Abused Child Trust Exhibition, Riverside Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2007    “A Sense of Place - Maroochy”, Tatebayashi City Council, Japan
2007    The Abused Child Trust Exhibition, Riverside Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2006    Geisha, Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery, Buderim, Qld
2004    Women in Art Exhibition, Zonta Club, Maleny, Queensland

Awards - Recognition
2004    ‘Packing Room Prize’, Women In Art Exhibition, Zonta Club - Blackall Range, Maleny, Qld
2008     ‘Kid’s Choice Award’, Abused Child Trust Art Exhibition, Brisbane, Qld
2009    ‘Certificate of Achievement’ – Nominee: Sunshine Coast Regional Council Australia Day Awards for Outstanding commitment and service to the community of the Sunshine Coast.

Donations
2007    Give Me 5 For Kids - Sugar & Spice (valued $750)
2007    Breast Cancer Foundation - The Sky’s the Limit (valued $2,250)
2008    Give Me 5 For Kids - Kick it to Me (valued $850)
2008    Breast Cancer Foundation - Ring a Ring of Roses (valued $2,750)
2009    Give Me 5 For Kids - Gypsy Girl (valued $900)
2010    Give Me 5 For Kids - Joy Riders (valued $3,500)
2011 Give Me 5 For Kids - Spring Fling (valued $950)

Summary

Have you ever wondered what who is a modern woman?

In Denise Daffara’s art the modern woman is light, happy, sexy, feminine, confident and cheeky. Her world is her home, her work and the fusion of fun, friends and family.
Denise uses striking colours with intricate patterns created through layering, to bring out texture, depth and warmth. Her most recent exhibition was about light and joy, which were explored with rich colours and design. The exhibition also looked deeper in the soul of the modern woman, delving into connectivity and expression through life and life’s experiences.
Denise Daffara has enjoyed a fantastic success since her first solo exhibition sold out in 2007. Her work is now hot property with commissions from national and international buyers.

Read Denise's story from the Autumn edition of Salt Magazine.

denisedaffara.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Gallery Representation

Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery, Buderim, Queensland, Australia (website)

G3 Fine Art, John Wilkinson, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (website)