Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Denise Bunkert. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Denise thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
At the heart of my creative journey is a deep commitment to making art accessible and fostering creativity beyond traditional spaces. I truly believe that art has the power to heal, connect, and transform—and some of the most meaningful moments in my career have come from bringing that vision to life.
One of the most impactful projects I’ve ever worked on was the Arts and Healing: Urban Renewal Project for the Minnesota Children’s Hospitals. I was honored to be selected and commissioned to create over 30 large-scale paintings for the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, as well as the New Mother Baby Center. These paintings were designed to bring light, color, and hope into the hospital environment—a place that can often feel heavy and overwhelming. Mollie Loiselle of the Children’s Health Care Foundation described the work as creating a “magical, healing and transformative experience,” which still fills me with gratitude and purpose to this day.
But what made this project truly unforgettable was what came next.
After seeing one of my mural-sized paintings in a hospital waiting area, a young patient chose me for her Make-A-Wish—an honor that changed my life. Her wish was simple but powerful: to have beautiful, uplifting paintings line the long, stark hallway leading to the operating rooms so that children like her could see something hopeful on their way to surgery. Working closely with her and her family to bring that vision to life was a deeply emotional and inspiring experience. It reminded me of the power art has—not just to decorate a space, but to provide comfort, strength, and light in someone’s most vulnerable moments.
That experience continues to inspire my art today.
One of the most meaningful aspects of my work is creating custom oil paintings for individuals who have a special place close to their heart. Whether it’s a cherished vacation spot, a beloved garden, a childhood home, or a peaceful retreat—a memory can be transformed into an original fine art oil painting. Using your photo and your story, I create a one-of-a-kind piece that captures not just the scene, but the feeling of your special place—tailored uniquely to you.
Whether in hospitals, public gathering places, or personal homes, I aim to create art that reflects the beauty of nature, nurtures healing, and transforms everyday environments into spaces filled with joy, color, and meaning.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Denise Bunkert – Painter, Educator, and Creator of “Crystal Impressionism”
Denise Bunkert is a vibrant local artist based in Savage, Minnesota. Known for her brilliantly colored landscapes and florals, Denise’s passion for art, teaching, gardening, design, and travel extends far beyond her hometown.
As the founder of Painted Places, Denise has studied masterworks of art firsthand during her travels across Europe. Her creative journey has taken her to Monet’s gardens in Giverny, the hills of Provence where Cézanne once painted, and the scenic countrysides of Italy, Ireland, and England—all of which continue to inspire her work.
A recent trip to Barcelona, Spain became a turning point in Denise’s artistic evolution. Inspired by Antoni Gaudí’s mosaics and stained glass, she developed a unique style she calls Crystal Impressionism—a vibrant, light-filled approach to oil painting using palette knives and thick brushstrokes, echoing the Impressionists while incorporating kaleidoscopic color and form like stained-glass.
Denise is a master colorist and passionate gardener, whose love of nature infuses every canvas with joy, life, and light. Her paintings are exhibited in local galleries, juried art fairs, and in permanent collections, including several large-scale works at Minnesota Children’s Hospitals in St. Paul and Minneapolis, where they bring hope and healing to visitors and staff alike.
Through her art and teaching, Denise has helped raise funds for organizations including the Angel Foundation, Make-A-Wish, Let Love Live Animal Rescue, the Wilder Foundation, and the Ann Bancroft Foundation.
She is also the author of two limited-edition books blending painting and poetry: Essence: Nature in Vision & Verse (published in Italy), and Mirrors of the Soul: Reflections on Life’s Seasons (published in England), a collaboration with English poet Sir Richard Whitfield.
D. Bunkert’s Painted Places is honored to be a featured artist in the Botanical Artist section at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Art Fair over Mother’s Day Weekend, May 10-11th. For more information visit: https://www.homespunevents.com/sgafbotanicalmarket
To view her work or find other upcoming exhibitions, visit: shop.painted-places.com/events.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Yes—my mission as an artist is to bring beauty, light, and joy into the world through my paintings. From a young age, painting has been my way of expressing wonder, capturing nature’s radiance, and connecting with something greater than myself. My work evokes bright, vibrant images of nature—intended to awaken the senses, stir emotion, and gently encourage viewers to take the next tiny step into their own light.
I believe that as we grow older, we begin to lose the child-like wonder that once came so naturally—the ability to pause, to notice, to savor the moment. My goal is to help reignite that sense of awe and presence through color, light, and imagery. I want people to stop and feel something. To see beauty where they may have forgotten to look.
This mission took on a deeper meaning during my commission for the Arts and Healing project at Minnesota Children’s Hospitals in Saint Paul and Minneapolis. It was here that one young patient, touched by the whimsical, hopeful energy in my work, chose me to fulfill her Make-A-Wish. Together, we created multiple paintings to brighten the hallway leading to the operating rooms—turning a space of fear into one filled with color, imagination, and light.
Today, those paintings continue to bring warmth and hope to patients, families, and hospital staff. That experience remains one of the most meaningful moments of my life—and a powerful reminder of why I paint.
Through my landscapes, flowers, pathways and butterfly wing paintings, I hope to offer small moments of light to others. To help them rediscover wonder. To encourage them to stop, breathe, and maybe even smile. In doing so, we reconnect with joy—and with the truest parts of ourselves.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Throughout my career, I’ve been blessed with opportunities, creative talent, and a strong support system—but the path to becoming a fine artist has been far from straight or predictable. I’ve worked in graphic design, publishing, advertising, teaching, retail, and interior design. I like to think of each experience as “an addition to my palette”—lessons and skills that ultimately shaped the artist I am today.
One major pivot came in 2004, when I received a layoff notice from a well-paying graphic design job. That moment was a wake-up call—a push to “think outside the cubicle” and reimagine my future. I turned inward and asked myself: How can I use my art to make a meaningful difference? That’s when I began painting a series of large butterfly wings—symbolizing personal transformation—with titles like A Wing and a Prayer, Star Dust, and Wind Song. Though the road was filled with creative droughts, harsh criticism, and moments of self-doubt, I persisted—taking workshops, painting every chance I got, and leaning on the encouragement of my husband to keep going.
A breakthrough came between 2010–2013, when I was selected as a commissioned artist for the Arts in Healing project at the Minnesota Children’s Hospitals. Those original butterfly wings became the inspiration for large, transformative paintings that could be rotated and viewed from multiple perspectives—designed to bring comfort and healing to patients and their families. That project gave me the confidence to fully embrace my identity as a fine artist and affirmed that I was on the right path.
The pandemic brought yet another pivot. Like many artists, I faced canceled shows, long periods of isolation, and uncertainty. But it also became a time of deep reflection and growth. I challenged myself to paint one large oil painting each week for two years. That consistent studio time led to the development of my signature style, Crystal Impressionism—a vibrant blend of palette knife textures, impressionist strokes, and kaleidoscopic light.
Each twist and turn has led to greater clarity and purpose. Looking back, every challenge has shaped the artist—and the person—I’ve become today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://denisebunkert.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/painted_places/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Artist.DeniseBunkert/
