Conversations with Kaili Dence

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaili Dence. They and their team shared their story with us below:

The idea for the business grew from Kaili’s experiences of providing art lessons over Zoom during the Covid lockdown. While some children readily took to the online learning experience, other children seemed to struggle in the absence of more personal interaction and feedback. Based on our desire to meet the needs of all types of learners, we decided to open Whitepine Studios in the summer of 2021 and offer classes and workshops for all ages and abilities. At this time, we also decided to develop a full mobile studio that could take our classes to those not yet comfortable in coming to our studio…we retain the mobile studio today and still provide art classes to a wide variety of learning and living communities. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Initially, we were apprehensive about stating a business in the aftermath of Covid. While we were confident in the business model and our ability to deliver a great art experience, we still needed people to feel comfortable in a public setting and be social again. Our concerns were put to rest within the first month. While believing that people were ready to go out in public, we were clearly taken aback by the overwhelming response we received from our first birthday painting parties. Not only were the kids thrilled, the parents were also elated that their children could celebrate their special events with friends and classmates. Seeing the expressions of the birthday boy or girl being able to celebrate with their friends for the first time in years was truly special for both the parents as well as our staff. It made all the work and planning worthwhile. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I was born in Utah, but Saline has been my home for the past 20 years. I began drawing and painting at an early age and always knew I wanted to be an artist. The focus on technique demonstrated in classical art led me to develop a representational style in my work. I gain inspiration from the natural beauty I observe in nature, people, and especially wildlife. I have a BFA, with a concentration in painting and drawing, from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan and studied figure drawing and fresco painting at SACI College of Art and Design in Florence, Italy. I continue to perfect my craft by taking lessons from master oil and pastel artists. 

My recent work is inspired by my passion for animals. My drawings capture the unique personalities of each species in my favorite mediums: pastels, charcoal, oil, and colored pencils. Charcoal allows me to create with the precision that defines my animal compositions. This medium allows me to explore a range of values and mark-making. I am also drawn to pastels because they allow me to create from a vibrant, rich palette, and they can produce a beautiful luminosity. 

During the creative process, I feel a deep connection to the essence of these amazing creatures. My hope is to bring attention to wildlife preservation and to help the viewer consider their relationship to nature. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Whitepine Studios is a family business and, like many small businesses, was launched over meetings at the family’s kitchen table. We each bring our unique skillsets to the business. Our founding and management team is: 

– Kaili Dence is the Creative Director. Kaili is responsible for setting the creative direction and teaching many of our classes. 

– Joanne Dence is the Managing Director. Joanne is responsible for operations and staffing. 

– Randall Dence is the Marketing Director. Randall is responsible for marketing and finance. 

– Tyler Dence is Technical Director. Tyler is responsible for our hardware and software technology platform. 

Bios for our team can be found on the Whitepine Studios website. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whitepinestudios.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitepinestudiosart/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WhitepineStudi1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whitepinestudios4238

Image Credits
Randy Dence
Marketing Director
Whitepine Studios