RANCHO SANTA FE – Denise Walsh’s husband Peter welcomes guests into their home as if they were family, making them immediately comfortable. Denise seems to be like that, a person who has an open heart to her friends and all causes that touch her. Designing jewelry for her line DLuxeries is Denise’s creative outlet, enabling her to offer good jewelry prices to her friends and give back to local charities.
Beautiful and touching pieces of art are scattered throughout the Walshs’ home. Many collected through their travels, each painting or sculpture has a story behind it from their travels and about the artist. Their love of travel created their love of art, started by collecting aboriginal art from a trip to the Australian outback. Denise particularly loves art that tells a story and has a primitive edge. The Walsh’s growing art collection while traveling was a way for them to expose their children to other cultures, and “the best trips are those seen through a child’s eyes.”
The idea that exposing children to the value of art is why Denise is volunteering her home for the upcoming ArtReach Annual Party Arty fundraiser on Oct. 13 (see below). Introduced to the nonprofit by her sister Dyana Brown, who sits on the ArtReach Board, Denise acknowledges that her kids were lucky enough to get exposed to art through their travels and because they attended private schools. Plus, back in the day, art was included in the curriculum of public schools. Through ArtReach, Denise is supporting a way to bring back art to schools who are not getting those classes, and a program that brings real artists into San Diego’s public schools.
The Walshs strongly believe in supporting causes in any way possible, not just from donations. That’s why the couple offers up their home for events such as Party Arty, and the Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund’s Annual White Party earlier this year.
A relative newcomer to Rancho Santa Fe, the Walshs have lived here for two years, previously living in Las Vegas for 18 years, and Los Angeles for 10 years. Although Denise is a native San Diegan, having graduated from Kearny High School. They continue to support the Geffen Playhouse Theater and the Farhang Foundation in Los Angeles, and Boy’s Town in Las Vegas. And to put their beliefs in action, the Walshs now volunteer as English tutors to nonnative speakers for the Laubach Literacy Council of San Diego County. She loves her students and meets them at the Encinitas Library to provide their English lessons. They both like to help with any group that “needs it,” and as Denise admits, they have the time to help, they’re free agents.
The luxury of time gives them the opportunity to continue their travels and support artists through their travels. Who knows what they will bring back from their next bucket list trip to Peru, Chile and Easter Island.
“I really do believe in this, there’s great things to be said for supporting the arts but supporting the arts for people who can’t afford the arts … is important,” Denise said of the ArtReach Party Arty fundraiser at their home.
Thanks to Denise for returning home to San Diego and taking action on giving back to the community.