'I fell in love with playing in my childhood and I never wanted to stop.'
Denise Fort is an artist living in the coastal town Raglan in New Zealand.
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She graduated with a degree in Industrial Design at the University of Applied Science in Munich, Germany in 2007. Denise worked in the design industry as a concept drawer, illustrator and graphic designer for several years in Europe and New Zealand.
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2009, in New Zealand, Denise started to work as an artist and since 2013 until today she is working full time as an artist.
Her style changed completely from European architectural-inspired detailed drawings to bold black marker lines. In New Zealand her art was mainly inspired by its nature and landscape which she turned into her own fantasy world of helicopter robots ... . With her style, she got commissioned for several mural works in New Zealand throughout the country.
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Well traveled, she left her mark in Asia and Europe and exhibited in several countries around the world. 2014 she opened her studio and gallery in the coastal town Raglan, New Zealand. Getting itchy feed after 3 years running her own Gallery, seeking new inspiration she went traveling again to Canada and bounced around for the past 2 years between Canada, Europe and New Zealand with her everlasting question in mind how to be closer to friends and family in Europe while living her dream in New Zealand.
But she decided New Zealand remains her home!
TV One came to visit when Denise worked out of her home studio at Manubay, Raglan, New Zealand:
2002-2007
2006 - 2010
2010-2013
since 2013
2020
2020
2019
2019
2017
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
2009-2014
2012
2012
2011
Degree
University for Applied Science of Munich | Dipl.Industrial Designer ( German FH | 4 years )
With one semester at the Free University of Bolzano | Italy
Freelance since 2006 in Product Design, Graphic Design, Illustration & Art
Designer at BIOZONE | Hamilton, New Zealand
until today - Full Time Artist
Selection of Mural Work
Artist in Residency | Surfboard Art & Mural | Great Barrier Island, New Zealand
Artist in Residency | Tiny House Mural | Raglan, New Zealand
Artist in Residency | Piano Mural | Raglan, New Zealand
Artist in Residency | Mural | Wellington, New Zealand
Community Project | Piano Mural | Salt Spring Island, Canada
Black Coffee | Mural | Wellington, New Zealand
Empty Space | Mural Work | Te Kuiti, New Zealand
Hamilton Street Art Festival | Mural Work | Hamilton, New Zealand
Private Commission | Container/Tiny House Mural | Raglan, New Zealand
Private Commission | Skatebowl Mural | Raglan, New Zealand
Mimi's Cafe | Walls, Surfboards, Plates, Signs, Phones... | Cherating, Malaysia
Homage Store | Mural | Berlin, Germany
Heimatpunk & Luxusbaba | Mural | Munich, Germany
Kiwirail & Creative Waikato | Mural | Huntly, New Zealand
Community Hub Huntly West & Creative Waikato | Mural | Huntly, NZ
Raglan Roast | Murals for several Coffee Shops | Raglan & Wellington, New Zealand
Beach Bar & Co. | Murals and Signs | Cherating, Malaysia
U-Leisure Building, Waikato University | Mural on Windows | Hamilton, New Zealand
Ronald McDonald House/ DROGA5, Starship | Mural for the Kitchen | Auckland, New Zealand
02-03/2020
03/2019
01-02-03/2019
10/2019
08/2018
03/2018
11/2017
11/2017
05/2017
2015-17
01/2017
2014-2017
12/2016
01/2016
12/2015
12/2015
06/2015
05/2015
05/2015
05/2015
05/2015
04/2015
04/2015
04/2015
01/2015
12/2014
12/2014
11/2014
11/2014
10/2014
10/2014
09/2014
08/2014
07/2014
03/2014
02/2014
01/2014
12/2011
12/2011
12/2011
10/2011
06/2011
05/2010
05/2010
04/2010
03/2010
02/2010
12/2009
11/2009
04/2009
05/2009
06/2009
02/2008
05/2008
2007
2006
2017
2014
2014
2013
2010
2010
2008-2010
2009
2009
2008-2010
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
Exhibitions & PopUps
All planned Exhibitions in 2020 are canceled / Stay safe!
Ponsonby Central | 3 x Pop Up Exhibition | Auckland, New Zealand
BOON Exhibition | Hamilton, New Zealand
Ponsonby Central | 3 x Pop Up Exhibition | Auckland, New Zealand
Slice of Life | Vancouver, Canada
Wheel of Time Gallery | Vancouver, Canada
BOON | Exhibition | Hamilton, New Zealand
The Eastside Culture Crawl | Open Studio | Vancouver | Canada
Woodstove Festival | Market | Cumberland | Canada
Ponsonby Central | Pop Up Exhibition | Auckland | New Zealand
The Mandarin | Exhibition | Gordonton | New Zealand
DENISE FORT ART Gallery & Studio
Raglan Arts Weekend | Open Studio
Preview Exhibition 300 x 300 | Raglan | New Zealand
Raglan Christmas Exhibition | Raglan | New Zealand
Raglan Arts Weekend | Raglan | New Zealand
Popup Shop | Ponsonby Central | Auckland, New Zealand
Popup Shop | Ponsonby Central | Auckland, New Zealand
NZ Art Show| Wellington, New Zealand
Little Umbrella | Tauranga, New Zealand
InGoodCompany | Auction | Wellington, New Zealand
The Blanks Project | Exhibition | Wellington, New Zealand
InGoodCompany | Exhibition | Wellington, New Zealand
Debrasic | Thames, New Zealand
Denise Fort Studio | Raglan, New Zealand
Popup Shop | Ponsonby Central | Auckland, New Zealand
Raglan Art Weekend | Raglan, New Zealand
Lichtblick21 Gallery | Munich, Germany
PRINTA Gallery | Budapest, Hungary
The Raglan Spirit of Christmas Art Show | Raglan, New Zealand
HOMAGE STORE | NEWember | Berlin, Germany
Heimatpunk & Luxusbaba | Open Westend Studios | Munich, Germany
Mondscheinbazar | Artist Section | Vienna, Austria
Art Sale | Hamilton, New Zealand
Life Drawing Mural at Homage Store | Berlin, Germany
NZ Art Show, Single Artist Wall | Wellington, New Zealand
INK Exhibition | Matchbox Studios | Wellington, New Zealand
Creative Waikato | Hamilton, New Zealand
Raglan Art Trail | Raglan, New Zealand
DRAW Inc. | Hamilton, New Zealand
Artifice Exhibition | Hamilton, New Zealand
Nautical Exhibition | Hamilton, New Zealand
The Other Universe | Waikato University | Hamilton, New Zealand
Raglan Art Trail | Raglan, New Zealand
KALI | SURFERS WHO ART | Raglan, New Zealand
DROP Exhibition | Lausanne, Switzerland
STROKE.02 with sketched and LEGO together | Munich, Germany
Solo Exhibition “Matapihi“ Art Gallery | Raglan, New Zealand
SHIFT | Live Drawing | Auckland, New Zealand
YUMYUM | Live Painting with Sketched together | Munich, Germany
LEGO Style Convention | Munich, Germany
DOWNTOWN ARTWALK | Los Angeles, USA
SHIFT | Live Drawing | Auckland, New Zealand
LaFraise | Westberlin Galery | Berlin, Germany
Designparcours | Munich, Germany
Cinema Cafe | Mural Commission | Bolzano, Italy
Publications
Interview for WaikatoTimes
Featured on Creative Waikato
TV ONE ( see video at the top )
Interview in the Raglan Chronicle
Publication in re.flect magazine | Munich
Publication book „choisgallery“ | Shanghai, China
Publications in books like: „Graphics @ Space", China | “Zeixs“, Germany | „BASTA“, Germany
Magazine XFUNS | Taipei, Taiwan | Interview |
Magazine HOMECONCEPT | Malaysia | Interview
Several times featured on and other blogs, websites, magazines
Online magazine Iniciativa Colectiva |
TV Documentation BR alpha | „Campus Extra“ | „Design zwischen Kunst& Handwerk“ ( engl. )
Design in between Art & Handcraft | Interview ( Bavaria, Germany )
Newspaper | Süddeutsche Zeitung | article about Exhibition Designparcours ( Bavaria, Germany )
Newspaper | Süddeutsche Zeitung | article about me as Illustrator ( Bavaria, Germany )
2008
Award
Denise got an award for an exhibition design concept. The show was called "Forum Young Design"/ "Design Parcours" in Munich. It got actually implemented with Denise's help.
since 2006 - 2010
Selection of Projects / Collaborations as an Artist and Illustrator
IDEO, Munich - several times concept drawing - Pharmacy Industry
AIT Magazin, Stuttgart - several times design invitation cards for events
BEST KITEBOARDING - Fashion & Graphic Design
INVENT GROUP - several times Packaging & Graphic Design, Illustrations
INNOVATION EUROPE - concept drawing
DORNIER / Talents of the World - designing bags, purses, and accessories
PETER-SCHMIDT-GROUP, Munich - concept drawing - client HUGO BOSS
SNK SCHOENE NEUE KINDER - several times Graphic Design and Illustrations
TEK ENGRUBER - 3D drawing with CAD, Graphic Design work like catalog, logo
STUDIO LUFT / VILLEROY & BOCH - Product Design - designing dining set
THOKK THOKK - several times T-shirt Design
HIERMEIER KG/STERNTHALER - Art Director for designing a booth for the Christmas market in Munich
N3TWORK / Red Bull - T-shirt Design
TATUIT - Product Illustrations
SKINEKIN -Product Illustrations
TEESHED - T-shirt Design
CORNERSTONE ROOTS - Illustrations for CD-Cover, T-shirt & website
CHINASKY RECORDS - CD Album Designs
TULPENKIND - Webpage Design & Illustrations
SEBASTIAN SCHULKE/PARADISO - illustrations and design for a children book
HAND ME DOWNS - Designs & Illustrations for poster, web & business card
DROGA5 for ASB mural for Ronald McDonald House Auckland
THIEVES&HONOUR T-shirt Design
BlabberingTreeCollective Logo Design
Little Lapin Merchandise
MET OCEANS Graphic Design / Branding
BIOZONE Rebranding
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And many more ...
+ several jobs as an artist with drawing on walls in households, coffee shops and on cars in Italy, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Malaysia
