Though Penny currently lives in the midwest with her husband Ben and two dogs Bigfoot and Wendi she and Ben love exploring Northern New Mexico & Southern Utah on their Goldwing hauling a trailer filled with art materials and camping gear. It is in the red rocks and big blue sky of the Southwest she gathers much of her inspirtation. She hopes to return to the Chama Valley permanently within the next few years.
After several years of caring for her dying parents and aging grandparents Penny now focuses on her professional and artistic life. "After my mother died I had no idea of what I could do with myself. When she was diagnosed with cancer I was completely immersed in her care and living with her until she died with me, at my home, April 02, 2004. It is a scary thing to know the most meaningful experience of your life is behind you. I promised my mom I would get back to my art and photography. To my amazement the digital technology had democratized the industry and now every photographer and photoshopper out there has a photography business. At first this was devastating to me, but in the end it saved me. I realized what makes me special is my vision and perspective".
Her faith in that vision and dedication to work has paid off. She works professionally as a freelancer and owns Familiar Faces Photography, an event/portrait/commercial/graphic and fine art photography business that provides opportunities for female artists, designers, and photographers to work on creative projects as freelancers.
Penny loves being involved in the community and continues to work as a freelance photojournalist for Sun Publications, a local community paper.
Current topics of interest/paintings/Works in Progress
Self Portrait Series
Figure/Ground relationship studies
figurative studies
life/death/aging
detatchment
In addition to the familiar history of her clients, Penny has photographed contemporary visual art & aritsts, photographers, musicians, sports figures, and documented historical events. She has also used her gift of photography to connect with struggling hospice patients and their families as grapple with the dying process and stages of grief.
Recognition, Published Works & Current Endeavors:
Fine Art Award/Scholarship, JCCC, Spring 2008
Mind's Eye, JCCC, Literary Publication, 1st place, 2008
Member of the Kansas City Artist's Coalition, 2008
Accumulating Absence article, The Ledger, 2008
Sun Publications, 2005-present
Light the Night 2004-2007
Sun Publications, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art Opening, Oct. 2007
Jewish Life Magazine, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Winter 2007
Dean's List, Honor Roll, JCCC Spring & Fall Semester 2006 & 2007.
The Wedding Channel since 2005
Member of Pictage since 2005
Breakfast With the Champions 2005
Jeff and Tina Montgomery LLS 2005
Current Photographic and Literary Projects
Zig Priede, The Master's Hand (Biographical project/The Myth & The Man) 2/2008-present
JCCC Art students (still photo documentary)2007-present
Death and Living, 2004-present
7th St. Casino 2007-present
BVHS After Prom 2004-2008
and frequents the front page of various editions of The Sun throughout the Johnson County area.
Her artwork includes, painting, printmaking, ceramics, photography, digital imaging, and sculpture.
She is currently studying painting and digital imaging with Larry Thomas at JCCC.
She uses Familiar Faces Photography to donate services to organizations such as The Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Blue Valley High School (After Prom), Beheadstrong, animal rescue, and Hospice.
While majoring in painting at the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts Penny also studied printmaking with John Talleur and Ceramics with Dave Vertacinik.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's she studied drawing, painting, and ceramics at JCCC with
Jean Howard, Zig Priede, Sergei Davydov, and Ron Hicks.
She earned two board of trustee talent scholarships.
Her favorite artists are Georgia O'keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Henri Matisse, Willem Dekooning, Ansel Adams and Michael Fatali.
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