Denise Marsh named Artist of the Month
From Special Reports
The Newnan-Coweta Art Association has selected Denise Marsh as its featured “Artist of the Month” for March 2024. Mrs. Marsh’s art will be featured in the entry way to Newnan City Hall until the end of March.
Marsh grew up without art in the public schools she attended and was not exposed to art until she took a required art survey course at university. Mrs. Marsh shared, “It rocked my world! I declared my major to art education and never looked back. I loved talking about art and teaching my students the basics of art education.”
Before retiring from teaching, she began taking studio classes in order to create, rather than simply demo for her students. She loves color and began with pastel and moved into acrylics and has now landed in creating with oils. She paints outside and in studio. As Marsh began to paint, she wondered what would inspire her. As she reviewed her work the answer was clear: landscapes.
“The play of light on even the simplest scene evokes such strong emotion; I want to capture it on my canvas,” she stated.
Lately her subject matter has become more diverse as well as returning to acrylics, watercolor and pastel. She enjoys florals and small canvases rather than much larger works. Marsh enjoys painting whatever captures her interest at the moment.
“Inspiration comes from the world as God created it,” Marsh says.
After attending schools in DeKalb County, she moved to Coweta County in 1981 with her husband Tom and children. She returned to college in her late 30s to complete her degree. While still teaching she began taking pastel classes at night in Newnan at a local art studio.
Marsh’s work has been shown at the University of West Georgia alumni Biannual 2021 where she won 1st place and NCAA Annual Shows finishing in the top 10 over the last 3 years. She has been featured on Carrollton Art Alliance Flyer and Power 2020, Forgotten Coast Quik Draw – 2nd place 2019 and showcased in Dinett Hok’s first published catalog, First Place, 2021 University of West Georgia Bi-annual alumni Exhibit. She also frequently displays and sells art at Newnan’s Art walks, and was the Featured Artist of City of Moreland’s July 4 BBQ, 2022.
Marsh is a member of NCAA. NCAA’s general meetings are held on the third Monday of each month (August – May) at the Harriet Alexander Art Center on Hospital Road at 7 p.m. An art demonstration is presented each month. Visitors and new members are always welcome.
