The Night We Reached $1 Million

Oct 15

A Dream That Began in 2014

In 2014, I set a dream that seemed almost impossible: to raise $1 million for charity through my live painting events. After one of my paintings sold for $50,000 at auction for Little Warriors, I realized art could do more than inspire—it could change lives.

The Auction I'll Never Forget

On September 25th, 2025 I had the pleasure of painting in support of the Saffron Center in Sherwood Park, Alberta. That night my total was at $987,000 raised. I set up as usual & for some odd reason I decided to live stream the night on Facebook. (I never live stream these events). When it came time to auction the painting, something started to happen…very quickly! The bid started at $1000, then 4, $50000, then someone shouted $10,000, THEN, someone else shouted $15,000, and the bid then closed at $16,000!! Now if that wasn’t cool enough already, another man approached me & said he would like to double up, which means that if I was willing to paint one more painting for another $16,000 we would raise $32,000 that night! Of course I said yes and now to date my art has raised over $1,019,000!!!

Hope Is Everything

I couldn’t believe what just happened. It has taken 11 years to reach this goal and the entire room cheered as we celebrated together. I called the painting that night, “Hope is everything” as the keynote speaker, Amanda Lindhout shared her incredible story. Her words inspired the painting’s name. It was such a magical night I will never forget.

Thank You

Thank you to all of the organizations who have asked me to live paint for them to raise money. And for all the generous bidders who have invested in my art to give back this way. I could not have done it without you. I am so happy & thrilled that my goal was reach in my home town.

So... What's Next?

“Now what” you say? “What is the next goal?” I don’t plan on stopping at 1 mil. I will keep going as long as I can & as long as I have the energy. I have slowed down significantly though as my body is feeling it. But I am happy that I am still able to do what I love most, and that is paint.

Big hugs to everyone who has helped me see this dream become reality.

One million dollars wasn't raised by one painting. It was raised one event, one organization, one bidder, and one painting at a time.

Xox,

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Giselle Denis

Giselle Denis is an Alberta-based Canadian artist whose expressive landscapes celebrate the beauty and spirit of the natural world while inspiring hope. A recipient of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta Award of Excellence in the Arts, she creates paintings that capture not only the beauty of a place, but also the feeling of being immersed in it.

In addition to her studio practice, Giselle is an internationally recognized performance painter who has created live paintings before audiences across Canada and around the world. Highlights of her international career include a residency at the Raffles Hotel in Dubai, painting for the Canadian Embassy, the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi, and representing Explore Edmonton in Québec City.

Her public artworks include Mother Nature, a 40-by-26-foot mural celebrating Alberta's forests and wildflowers in downtown Edmonton, just one block from Rogers Place, as well as two large-scale paintings at Strathcona Community Hospital.

For more than a decade, Giselle has combined her passion for art with philanthropy, helping charitable organizations raise more than $1 million through the sale of her original paintings. Her work has achieved record-breaking auction results, including the sale of a single painting for $50,000.

Giselle's contributions to the arts have also been recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. Her work can be found in private, corporate, and public collections throughout Canada. She is proud to be represented by Avens Gallery.

Giselle often says she works out life through painting. Every brushstroke is a way of making sense of life itself. Through her work, she hopes to inspire others to slow down, reconnect with nature, and discover beauty, hope, and wonder in the world around them.

https://www.giselledenis.com