Denita Benyshek

Dr. Benyshek was born in a Czech immigrant community. She attended the Pilchuck Glass School on a full scholarship and was an artist-in-resident at the Ucross Foundation, Wyoming. For 15 years, she taught visual art and dance in the bush villages of Alaska.



In 2018, Benyshek underwent a traditional Naerim Gut (shamanic initiation) with three women mansins (shamans) from South Korea. Her research focuses on contemporary artists as shamans, with publications in the USA, UK, Poland, Hungary, and China. Her artwork was included in group exhibits in west coast museums, with solo exhibits in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Sun Valley, ID, and Santa Fe, NM. Dr. Benyshek’s work is in the public art collections of the University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, King County Ethnic Heritage Collection, Glasmuseet of Ebeltoft, Denmark, and Snoqualmie Point Park. In 2022, OpenStudios selected Benyshek as the Botanica gardens artist-in-residence and, in 2024, she was awarded the Koch Cultural Trust enabling grant. She is a member of Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL. Her work is currently on exhibit at Viridian Artists, New York City, NY.

Statement

My artwork is influenced by my Czech heritage, gardens, nature, quantum ph...

BFA, Wichita State University.
MFA, University of Washington.
MA, Psychology, Saybrook University.
Graduate certificate, Psychology of Creativity, Saybrook University.
PhD, Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology, Saybrook University.
Pilchuck Glass School, full scholarship.
Training in jazz vocals, modern dance.

2025
MMX, multi-media group exhibit, Harvester Arts, Wichita, KS.
Into the Garden, solo exhibit, Reuben Saunders Gallery and Andover Library, KS.
Group exhibit, Commerce Club at the National, Wichita, KS.
2024
Winter Saffron, group exhibit, Cerbera Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
cOLD Times, group exhibit, Viridian Gallery, NYC.
Prairie Art Exhibit, group exhibit, Symphony of the Flint Hills, Cottonwood Falls, KS.
Voices of the Midwest, group exhibit, Fine Line Creative Arts Center, St. Charles, IL.