Denise Walser-Kolar, Botanical Artist

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Rochester, MN
Denise Walser-Kolar, Botanical Artist

Denise Walser-Kolar is a botanical artist and instructor, specializing in painting nature subjects on vellum. Commissions welcome.
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Denise is a freelance illustrator, botanical artist, and teaches workshops on painting on vellum. Her work has been shown in International juried exhibitions.

06/20/2026

In 1505, Albrecht Dürer painted this magnificent stag beetle. It inspired many artists, most notably Joris Hoefnagel in the mid 1500s (his beetle is in the golden oval) and Hans Hoffman in 1574 (the third beetle shown).

In 2026, I was commissioned by The Krajewski-Siuda Library (Biblioteka Krajewskich-Siudów) to paint my own stag beetle inspired by Dürer and Hoefnagel (and using my own reference photos). It is painted on vellum from the 19th century, which made it an even more exciting commission (mine is the last painting - I decided to sign it outside of the image area).

06/14/2026

Still trying new kinds of vellum. I like the markings on this piece so much, that I don't want to cut the vellum shorter (even though it seems a bit too tall for my actual painting). I'll have to think about it for awhile...

This is a rosebud from the Volksgarten in Vienna. I took pictures in December long after it was all dried out and had frozen at least a few times. I love how old dead things have such intense (and unexpected) color.

06/08/2026

Hoefnagel-Inspired #49 finished!

I started this as a demonstration piece while teaching at Clos Mirabel in April, where I awoke every morning to the sound of the frogs in the frog pond. Everything in this painting was found in the Clos Mirabel gardens.

06/06/2026

I love this time of year when my garden is full of roses (I am painting as many as I can). If you are interested in learning how to paint roses on vellum, I have just scheduled a new Zoom class. More information can be found on my website (denisewalserkolar.com).

06/05/2026

Lately I have been trying all the different vellum I have bought over the years. I found this rose last December in the Volksgarten in Vienna. It was dead, but that one last beautiful petal was still hanging on...

06/04/2026

I haven't posted much lately as I have been hard at work on this painting. It was commission by The Krajewski-Siuda Library (Biblioteka Krajewskich-Siudów) for exhibition in Poland 2028.

I finished it yesterday.

This is the first time that I have included lettering in one of my Hoefnagel-Inspired pieces. Now I am full of ideas for more paintings with lettering.

The painting is 4" x 6", watercolor and gouache on goatskin vellum - I liked the old look of this piece of vellum and thought it would go well with the subjects that the client chose.

04/30/2026

Work in progress...Hoefnagel-Inspired #49
My demo painting for the vellum class I taught at Clos Mirabel last week. Flowers found in the gardens, a snail that was on the artichokes, and a Marsh Frog to remind me of the mornings I woke up to the sound of the frogs in the pond outside my window. What an amazing week - great food, lovely students, and the friendliest people taking care of all of us. I will spend the rest of today working on finishing my painting.

04/21/2026

Another day of class at Clos Mirabel. Everything is beautiful and the studio space is perfect. On chilly mornings, they even light a fire for us.

04/19/2026

Starting a week of painting on vellum at Clos Mirabel.

Address

Rochester, MN
55902

Website

http://www.denisewalserkolar.com/

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