‘A Journey Through Trees’ at Ripple River Gallery | Brainerd Dispatch

“Trees. We see them every day, but do we really appreciate their beauty and the essential role they play in our lives?” a news release said on the exhibit. Through her pastel paintings, Denise Bunkert offers a meditative journey through trees. The public is invited to meet the artist during the gallery’s annual fall open house and benefit for Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization on Sept. 25.

“Representing life, growth, peace and nature, trees are essential to survival, offering clean air, shade and shelter, food and carbon capture,” the release stated. “Bunkert’s paintings offer a glimpse into the mysteries of the woods as a community and as individuals on a path. Like exploring the layers of a tree’s bark, with pastel she builds layers of color and texture, creating depth to reveal a path to inner workings of heart, soul and nature.”

Bunkert’s expressive paintings range from vast landscapes to intimate portraits of trees and flowers. Her love of nature and forests remain a consistent thread in her artwork.

“My paintings are not just a reflection of the surface, but an exploration of deeper paths to inner beauty and healing, beneath all the exterior layers,” she said.

Bunkert, who lives and works in Savage, was awarded several commissions for paintings for the Minnesota Children’s Hospitals and the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Her paintings are in the permanent collection of the Minnesota Children’s Hospitals, Regions Hospital, the Lake Nokomis Clinic and the Mother Baby Center. She exhibits regularly at local juried arts events and shares her passion for art by teaching painting workshops to children and adults at local art centers.

Ripple River Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 218-678-2575 or email ripplerivergallery@gmail.com.