BIO
In early childhood, Dr. Benyshek lived in a farmhouse, amidst a Czech immigrant community in Kansas. She earned a BFA (Wichita State University), an MFA (University of Washington, Seattle), and a graduate certificate in the psychology of creativity, MA and PhD in humanistic and transpersonal psychology (Saybrook University, San Francisco). Benyshek attended the Pilchuck Glass School on a full scholarship and was an artist-in-resident at the Ucross Foundation, Wyoming.
In early childhood, Dr. Benyshek lived in a farmhouse, amidst a Czech immigrant community in Kansas. She earned a BFA (Wichita State University), an MFA (University of Washington, Seattle), and a graduate certificate in the psychology of creativity, MA and PhD in humanistic and transpersonal psychology (Saybrook University, San Francisco). Benyshek 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 the solitude of the arctic, far from the coastal art scenes, she found her individual artistic voice. During this period, when she returned to Seattle, she also worked as a runway and print model for I. Magnin's and Nordstroms.
In 2018, she was initiated as a shaman, through a traditional Naerim Gut ritual, by three shamans from South Korea. Her research focuses on contemporary artists as shamans, with publications in the USA, UK, Poland, Hungary, and China.
Her artworks were included in group exhibits in west coast museums (Bellevue Museum of Art, Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Yakima Valley Museum, Coos Bay Museum, Corvallis Art Center, Museum of NW Art), with solo exhibits in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Sun Valley, ID, Santa Fe, NM, and Wichita, KS.
PUBLIC ART COLLECTIONS
Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
Ethnic Heritage Collection, King County, Washington
University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
Snoqualmie Point Park
Glass Museum, Ebeltoft, Denmark
RECENT AND UPCOMING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2026
The Sanctuary: Coming Full Circle, solo exhibit, MARK Arts, Wichita, KS (11/20/26 – 1/29/27)
Benyshek, D. (2026). Initiation of a Western Shaman through a Traditional South Korean Ritual, Conference presentation, International Society for Academic Research on Shamanism, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
2025
Mandalandscapes, solo exhibit, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI (9/2/25 – 12/5/25)
Into the Garden, solo exhibit, Reuben Saunders Gallery, Wichita, KS (4/4/25 – 4/26/25)
Cosmic Spirits, 30 artworks, Commerce Club at The National, Wichita, KS (2/7/25 – 4/26/25)
Visual art exhibit, 12 works, Clio Art Fair, New York City, NY
Calling Down the Gods. Behave as though God Exists performance series, May 8, 2025
opening reception, Clio Art Fair, New York City, NY
MMX: Positive Disintegration, Mixed-Media Group Show, Harvester Arts, Wichita, KS, co-curated with Jo Reinert
HerStory: The Battle Continues, invitational group exhibit, Viridian Artists, New York City, NY
Versus, invitational group exhibit, MARK Arts, Wichita, KS
Creative Labor: The Art of Gestation, curated group exhibit.
Invoke, group exhibit, WomensWork.Art at Cunneen-Hacket Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
Rituals, international juried exhibit, Millepiani Gallery, Rome, Italy
Coalesce, 4-person show, @art_up_stairs/Health Hub Gallery, New York City, NY
Lotus and Lion: Contemporary Buddhist and Hindu Art, juried group exhibit, Shoshoni Retreat, CO
Andrée Singer Thompson Scholarship, WEAD (Women’s Eco Art Dialog)
Artist Access Grant, Wichita Cultural Arts, KS
Inside the Studio: Denita Benyshek, Art Dealer Street (forthcoming).
The Guerilla Girls at the Wichita Art Museum, drawings from sketchbook, The Page Gallery
Literary Journal (forthcoming)
Benyshek, D. (2025). The Beginning (The Birth of the Universe), Randall, J. (Ed), The Mama Temple Magazine, (1), color reproduction (pp. 17-18).
Benyshek, D. (2025). The Mother, We are Born of the Earth, Randall, J. (Ed), The Mama Temple Magazine, (1), color reproduction (pp. 7-8).
Benyshek, D. (2025). Invading the boys’ club, Ulrich Art Museum at 50: 1974-2024, T. Mott & V. Zavataro (Eds), Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KS, p. 90.
Benyshek, D., and Coreopsis (Spring 2025). Interview, Part 1: Family and nature. Coreopsis: Journal of Myth and Theatre, Vol. 13, No. 1, ISSN 2333-0627.
Boles, D., Ed. (2025). VoiceS: Mysticism, Prophecies & Marigolds, Cold River Press, Grass Valley, CA. 12 reproductions of artworks.
2024
Koch Cultural Trust Enabling Grant
Winter Salon in Saffron, Cerbera Gallery, Kansas City, MO
cOLD Times, Viridian Artists, New York City, NY
Horizons, Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, KS.
Portfolio Platform, Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, KS.
Benyshek, D. (2024). The art audience as shamanic community. In Y. Owens (Ed.), Trans-Disciplinary Migrations: Science, the Sacred, and the Arts. London, UK: Cambridge Scholars.
2022
Artist moves back to Wichita, Kansas, after living in the Cascade Mountains 25 years.
OpenStudios Artist in Residence grant at Botanica Gardens, Wichita, KS
SELECTED AWARDS
2025
WEAD (Women's Eco Art Dialog) Andrée Singer Thompson Scholarship.
Artist Access Grant, Wichita Cultural Arts, Wichita, Kansas
2024
Koch Cultural Trust Enabling Grant
2022
OpenStudios Artist in Residence Grant, Botanica Gardens, Wichita, Kansas
2019
Mary Lou Panter Scholarship, Creativity & Madness, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2011-2012
Research Grants, Saybrook University, San Francisco, California
2010
Alumni Scholarship, Saybrook University, San Francisco, California
2008
Scholarship, Society for Shamanic Practitioners, Olivenhain, California
2007
Rudy Melone Presidential Scholarship, Saybrook University, San Francisco, California
2006
Milotte Art Scholarship, Atlanta, Georgia
2006-2009
Seclef-Hoetzel Scholars Merit Award, Council of Higher Education Scholarship for Students of Czech, Slovak, or Ruston Descent, Chicago, Illinois
2006
Finalist, Eileen J. Garrett Research Library Fellowship, Parapsychology Foundation New York City
2005-2009
Tuition Grants, Saybrook University, San Francisco, California
1994-1995
W.W. Stout Fellowships, The Graduate School, University of Washington, Seattle
1994
Full scholarship, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington
Special Project Grant, School of Art, University of Washington
1988
Emerging Artist Grant, 200+1 Corporation, Seattle, Washington
1984
Artist in Residence, Ucross Foundation, Wyoming
1975-1979
Miller Art Scholarships, Wichita State University, Kansas
1973-1978
Kansas State Board of Regents Scholarships, Wichita State University, Kansas
1973-1977
City of Wichita Art Scholarships, Kansas
1963
Wichita Board of Education Scholarship, to study at Wichita Art Association (now MARK Arts)
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITS
2026
The Sanctuary: Coming Full Circle, MARK Arts, Wichita, Kansas.
2025
Mandalandscapes, University of Michigan Medicine main gallery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Into the Garden, Reuben Saunders Gallery, Wichita, Kansas
Cosmic Spirits, Tim Stone Gallery at The Commerce Club, Wichita, Kansas
2000
Denita Benyshek, Hope Collection on Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1999
The Return of White Horse, Gallery Oscar, Sun Valley, Idaho
1997
In the Red Year, Anderson Glover Gallery, Kirkland, Washington
1995
Windows to the Past, Continuous Spectrum Gallery, Tacoma, Washington
1991
My Soul The World, Bell Gallery, Seattle, Washington
1990
Visionary Paintings, University of Alaska - Anchorage, national competition
1989
New City Theater, Seattle, Washington
1988
New Work, Bruskin Gallery, Port Townsend, Washington
Solo Benyshek, Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle, Washington
1987
I Tell Stories, Bruskin Gallery, Port Townsend, Washington
1985
From My Garden, Century II, Wichita, Kansas
1984
Paintings from Wyoming, Big Red Gallery, Ucross Foundation, Wyoming
1981
Inscapes, Century II, Wichita, Kansas
1977
Recent Work, McFarland Gallery, Wichita State University, Kansas
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITS
1999
Northwest Women in Glass, American Art Gallery, Tacoma, Washington, in conjunction with International Glass Museum
The View from Here: 100 Artists Mark the Centennial of Mt. Rainier National Park, Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, Washington
1998
Northwest Expression of Landscape, Coos Bay Museum, Oregon
1996
Pacific Northwest Annual, Bellevue Art Museum, Washington
16th International Northwest Art Competition, Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham, Washington
1995
Paint & Glass: The Expressive Connection, Philabaum Gallery, Tucson, Arizona.
International invitational exhibit, Robert Carlson, curator, President Glass Art Society.
1993
The Elements, Washington Center, Olympia, Washington
1992
Spirtuality in Art, Washington Center, Olympia, Washington
1989
Redefining Visionary Art, SoHo Doma Gallery, New York City, New York, Suzi Gablik, juror
1987
Salute to the Arts, Seattle, Washington, juror LaMar Harrington, Director, Bellevue Arts Museum, and Glenn Weiss, Director, 911 Media Arts Center, Seattle
Past Presence: A Circle of Women's Visions, Corvallis Art Center, Oregon
1984
Intimate Images, Westin Crown Center, Kansas City, Missouri, juror Lynn Warren, assistant curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois
Women's Caucus for Art '84, WCA's first national juried exhibit, Wilson Gallery, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, jurors Joan Marter, Joyce Kozloff, Audrey Flack
1983
Aqueous, Museum of Fine Arts, Owensboro, Kentucky
1979
Aqueous, Museum of Fine Arts, Owensboro, Kentucky
Womenart 2, Century II Gallery, Wichita, Kansas. First place award.
Please contact to request CV.