Denise Ivey Telep has walked a life path that has included a wide variety of vocations based on a diverse set of gifts.           

Telep’s professional journey began in 1975 at Ohio University. As a photography and painting major, her first commercial commission, on her painting professor's referral, was a 25' x 9' coal mining mural in Athens, Ohio. Displaying her entrepreneurial spirit, Denise immediately launched a Site Specific arts company to sustain her creative energies until being offered a position as photographer for a Professional Photography Studio.  Within a short time she was promoted to Regional management to train supervisors where Denise wrote a training manual designed for photographers and managers to improve performance and customer relations, along with writing and producing a video training series. Within this time, Denise never stopped painting,
receiving commissions from the corporate and private sectors on a regular basis. The time came to use her leadership qualities and heart to help others, so Denise left the photography profession to "re-energize" her site specific art company, and “Art Solutions”, a custom fine art company was born. 

The “Art Solutions” mission was to create a clearing house for artists uniting the seeker of art with an artist who could custom create design that piece to fit the buyer’s style preferences. Soon Art Solutions employed over 40 artists in various disciplines as independent contractors. Denise’s salesmanship secured commissions and her design ability produced the rough sketch. Clients loved her talent to visualize and bring tangibility to what they were expressing in addition to her ability to select the
precise artist to fit their need. Art Solutions successfully kept artists working. Art Solutions first public art event was the “Canvasing Cleveland” mural held at Cleveland Riverfest 1987, where participants used sponges and cups of color to individually create in their own personal space, but had to collaborate with their neighbors  on their left and right to unite their imagery. “It was a statement of community” said Telep.         

In 1990 a feature article in The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on one of Denise’s own residential commissions and showed the process from sketches to final art. By then, her personal commercial commissions included Kennametal, Inc, Conversion Resources, FitzSimons Advertising Agency, Landmark Office Towers, The Halle Building, Laurelwood treatment facility and Farro Enterprises. Local Interior Design firms commissioned Denise to produce artwork that enhanced their environments, having observed her special sensitivity to colors and themes conducive to healing. That led to many commissions in the Medical and Dental Arts fields as well.        

In 2000, DaySpring Cards used Telep’s design as their 25th Anniversary Edition Christmas Card.

Telep's personal work is primarily representational, yet her approach currently is in the finding of abstract characteristics that representational art can capture depending on viewpoint and perspective. The challenge is to encourage people to notice the patterns and artistic creation that is in everyday environments. Years of honing her skills to recreate in multiple styles, for diverse environments is evident in her work today. "Unlike other artists, I want people to walk up to one of my canvas' and say, 'Wow.Telep did this one?'

And for many who are artists in their souls, Telep urges each one to cast off years of making comparisons and negative self talk that have hindered the expression placed within you. Well meaning family members, teachers and friends, often fail to recognize that your gift is YOUR gift, that the gift of creativity was placed there by GOD, and only needs coaching and to be exercised....not criticism.  

“My next goal is to awaken humanity everywhere as to the limitless creativity they possess inside themselves! To capture their imaginations and through public art projects, coax that creative soul into fruition.”  

Denise Ivey Telep’s work can be found in numerous states. Artist Telep has recently completed the 2800 square foot Atrium cloud mural for Hospice of the Western Reserve, in Cleveland, Ohio. Hidden within the clouds are images of spirituality, hope and peace. Denise resides in a century home nestled in 6 acres of scenic North Royalton, Ohio with husband, Mike and two children, and a golden retriever named Joshua.