Artist Brings Women's 'Untold Stories' To ArtWalk Carlsbad

CARLSBAD, CA — From a distance, Denise Rudy's artwork appears to be a colorful portrait. Step closer, and individual pieces of torn paper, handmade textures, patterns and touches of gold begin to emerge.

The San Diego artist uses mixed media to create portraits of women, each built from layers of paper and paint, and each developing a story of her own.

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Rudy will be among more than 150 artists showcasing their work this weekend at ArtWalk Carlsbad, a free, two-day festival returning Saturday and Sunday to an ocean-view venue above the Flower Fields.

"I think of my work as using paper and paint to reveal the voices and untold stories of women," Rudy told Patch.

Her portraits combine torn and cut paper, acrylic paint, handmade papers and gold leaf. Most of the women she creates are imaginary, though Rudy has also made custom portraits of real people in her mixed-media style.

She draws inspiration from women across different eras, cultures and circumstances, particularly their stories, personalities, strength and vulnerability.

"The women I create are usually imaginary ... but as I work on them, they begin to develop their own personalities and stories," Rudy said.

At ArtWalk Carlsbad, Rudy will display original works and fine art giclée prints, including two pieces she is particularly eager to share: "The Butterfly Queen" and her newest work, "Sophia."

"The Butterfly Queen," one of Rudy's larger pieces, depicts a woman surrounded by butterflies that she can summon when she needs clarity or comfort. Deep in thought, the woman barely notices them at first.

"The butterflies bring her back to the present moment and remind her to notice what is right in front of her," Rudy said. "It's a story I think many of us can relate to."

"Sophia," meanwhile, emerged as Rudy worked on the piece.

"She has a quiet confidence about her," Rudy said. "She is elegant and self-assured, but there is also something mysterious about her, as though she has plenty of stories she could tell."

Rudy describes her style as contemporary, colorful, layered and very detailed. That detail is also one of the reasons she enjoys displaying her work in person.

"One of my favorite things is watching people discover the details in my work," she said. "They may see a portrait from across the booth, but when they get closer and realize how much of it is made from individual pieces of paper, they start looking at it differently."

Those encounters also allow viewers to bring their own interpretations to the portraits. Rudy said people sometimes see stories in the women that are completely different from the ones she imagined.

"I love that," she said. "When someone chooses to purchase a piece and take it home, it means a lot to me knowing that something I created connected with them personally."

Rudy previously participated in ArtWalk Liberty Station and said events such as ArtWalk provide a contrast to the many hours she spends working alone.

"Art can be a very solitary process," she said. "I spend many hours alone in my studio working on each piece, so events like ArtWalk are a wonderful opportunity to step out of the studio and actually meet the people who experience my work."

Now in its seventh year, ArtWalk Carlsbad will feature artists from San Diego County, elsewhere in the United States and Mexico. Works will include paintings, sculpture, glass, jewelry, photography and other media.

Attendees can purchase artwork directly from participating artists.

"I really enjoy the ArtWalk events because they give me an opportunity to get my work out of the studio and meet the people who respond to it," Rudy said.

The festival will also feature live music, food vendors and KidsWalk, an area offering interactive art activities for families.

ArtWalk Carlsbad runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

The event is produced by ArtWalk San Diego, which also organizes art festivals in San Diego's Little Italy and Liberty Station.

A portion of proceeds from ArtWalk San Diego events supports ArtReach San Diego, a nonprofit that provides free or low-cost visual arts education programs to schools throughout San Diego County.