Denise Zompa

Colorful contemporary paintings of trees, fields, and beach dunes.

Each painting invites the viewer to enjoy a quiet, tranquil place, to remember the feel of fresh spring air or the cool ocean mist.

"This group of paintings was created from studies done outside, painting “en plein air”. On site, I seek to capture the sense of a place with quick studies. In the studio, I may do several larger paintings based on the original study. This offers the opportunity to re-imagine the landscape, removing some details, changing the placement of houses or trees, and playing with color combinations.

Using several layers of paint, I develop a rich surface with a focus on color and texture. Layering allows the under colors to come through in negative spaces or I can reveal a color by scraping away some of the paint surface. I favor complementary colors, often using reds and greens or yellows and violets and arranging bright, bold colors with softer, more subtle hues.

As a landscape painter, I am always conscious of nature and our beautiful New England vistas. And living near the water in a rural Rhode Island town, reminds me everyday of how fortunate we are to be near the ocean." - Denise Zompa

Denise Zompa has a BA in Art and Elementary Education and a Masters in Education. She has studied painting at Rhode Island School of Design and The Newport Art Museum. After retiring from teaching art, Denise now paints full time at her studio located in the historic waterfront town of Bristol, RI.