Canadian artist Denyse Klette was born and raised in Saskatoon, and is proud to call Saskatchewan her home. With no formal art training, Denyse began painting for survival while living for a short time in Toronto. Denyse met the first of her many mentors and began to study the intricacies of colour theory and to expand her knowledge of painting techniques and mediums. Over the next five years Denyse´s mentor became a friend as well as a painting and business partner.
Denyse has devoted her life to art and creativity. Her natural tendency toward entrepreneurship and her constant thirst for learning has resulted in a diverse portfolio of art. Her work has taken up residence in almost every province in Canada as well as mainland USA, Hawaii, Europe and Australia.
Denyse is rightfully admired for her captivating portraits and murals. Her portraits, whether of a whimsical toothless child or a CEO of a major corporation, capture the essence of the individual completely. Her murals invite you to walk into them and to make yourself at home.
The Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary, Alberta is filled with Denyse Klette´s art. More than forty canvasses, from huge murals to large portraits of famous Albertans, grace the main floor while the guest rooms feature her prints.
When she is not painting, Denyse explores other mediums to express herself. In the late nineties, she sculpted pewter jewellery for Disney Canada™ and The Body Shop Canada®. It was at this time that she ventured into an imaginary land of little people called the Belly Button Buddies. Fluid lines, sculpted texture, and brilliant colour make these paintings unique. The fanciful paintings of children at play began to evolve beyond her canvases when she met writer-performer Nicole Haddock. The two women developed the Belly Button Buddies™ concept into books, CDs, DVDs, live performances, and more.
No creative task is too daunting for Denyse. Working with artist Curtis Daviduke to develop a life-size model of one of her Belly Button Buddies paintings, she has been able to create a Belly Button Buddies set for stage and film. The Belly Button Buddies™ are represented by Trek 2000 Corporation and recently gained international representation with Yarto Entertainment.
Denyse Klette´s newest collection of work, fondly named The Girls, has a life of its own. Born on a scratch pad, the result of doodling after an in depth discussion with her daughters about self-esteem, the paintings have become a sensational celebration of the female psyche and form. The Girls exude self worth and lighthearted joy in simple pleasures. The Girls helped Denyse raise thousands of dollars for good causes, but perhaps their greatest contribution has been to help women celebrate themselves as the precious works of art that they are!
Denyse Klette smiles when she realizes that she has been a full-time artist for over twenty-five years. Whether she is in New York showing The Girls, responding to news about the Belly Button Buddies in London, or opening an inn and casino in Calgary filled with her art, life is never boring for Denyse.