Denise Nomura
denisenomura.comDenise Nomura was introduced to the world of art at a very young age by her grandmother, an accomplished painter. She fondly remembers her grandmother always having a paintbrush in hand. As a child, Denise loved the process of mixing paint to create new colors and even enjoyed the smell of the paint. To this day, those memories evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Denise has been studying and painting for the past 20 years. Her artistic journey began in Japan, where she lived for 7 years. While raising her children and learning the language, she studied the art of "sumie" and "gansai", water-based painting techniques. Upon returning to the United States, she further developed her fine art painting skills, focusing exclusively on representational oil painting. More recently, she has been working with acrylics and oils, exploring nature in the abstract form at the Art Students League in New York City where she studied daily for 3 years. Denise is back in the Bay area working on California-inspired, abstract pieces.
Please reach out to Denise if you have any questions about her artwork.
Art Tutelage and Shows
2026 - "Bloom Ground Flow: Woks in Nature" at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library
2025 - "New Beginnings" Group Show at the AARD in Lafayette, CA
2024 - "Abstract Serenity" Solo Show at the Art Gallery at Wilder, Orinda, CA
2024 - "Stories We Tell", Lamorinda Arts Council at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, Orinda, CA
2024 - "Art Passages", Arts Contra Costa County, Martinez, CA
2023 & 2024 - Student Salon Exhibition at the Phyllis Harriman Gallery, New York, NY
2022-2024 - Abstract Study with instructor, Frank O'Cain at the Art Students League, New York, NY
2019 - "Art Embraces Words", Lamorinda Arts Council, Lafayette, CA
2019 - Solo Show at the Art Gallery at Wilder, Orinda, CA
2017 - "Meditations in Nature" Exhibition at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience (Juried), Walnut Creek, CA
2012-2021 - Representational Study with instructor, Gary Bergren, Walnut Creek, CA
2009 - Sumie Group Show at the Tokyo American Club, Tokyo, Japan
2005-2010 - Sumie / Gansai with instructor, Shoko and Suiko Ohta, Tokyo, Japan
Press:
Canvas Rebel Magazine
https://canvasrebel.com/?post_types=&s=denise+nomura
The Orinda News
https://theorindanews.com/2021/03/25/library-gallery-seeking-natures-deep-calm-in-tahoe/
Artist's Statement
My work reflects my love of nature. I was raised in Sedona, Arizona. Growing up in the red rocks, hiking, camping and swimming in the beautiful streams nearby was the backdrop of my childhood. This experience greatly influenced my drive to recreate the exquisiteness of the outdoors—its limitless skies, serene lakes, and rolling fields—on canvas. Whether I'm composing a very realistic re-creation or an abstract interpretation of what I see, my intent is to capture the essence of nature in my art. My paintings range from soothing, calming scenes to tumultuous, emotional episodes, which hopefully gives the viewer the opportunity to experience those moments in their own way, with their own interpretation of what they see.Website: https://denisenomura.com
Instagram: dnomura.art
Facebook: Denise Nomura, Artist
© 2026
Lamorinda Arts Alliance
