about the artist.Wisconsin born, the artistic career for this “Polish Princess” began in a small house built by my non English speaking Grandfather. Mom, eager to keep me occupied, taped a piece of butcher paper onto the living room wall, handed me a small box of crayons, and said “stay on the paper”. Not sure of my age, but it was long before the word ‘school’ was ever introduced to me.
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Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” |
– deb penk – |
Many years have zipped by and here I am, still drawing on large pieces of paper, or rather canvas. Always believing life is a ‘bowl of cherries’, just dig in and start enjoying the fruits of our endeavors. Life is art and personalities are explosions of color and motion. Just like snowflakes, no two people are alike and everyday life activities express monuments of emotions. Through the years of doodling in notebooks, drawing subjects on my theme papers, through formal art education, teaching art and selling art as an amateur, I always saw people as the tool of expression. Always camera near, I photographed the scenes around me and marveled how interesting the product was. Now I paint as if I’m Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol welded together.
Over the years, largely exposed to the freedom of revolt through the 70’s, I developed my own style, ‘Contemporary Graphic Realism-With a Twist’. People labeled it “Fun Stuff”, and later, Contemporary Americana. Of course, this didn’t happen overnight. From crayons on the wall, to pencil drawings in the borders of Math papers, I traveled through the world of higher education starting with Western Wisconsin College in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, graduating with an Associate Degree in Commercial Art. The thoughts of sitting at a desk stagnate, designing pages for Trane Company, persuaded me to take it a step further. Took a leap and moved to Menomonie, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout receiving a Bachelors of Science in Art Education. After teaching for 10 years, finishing this career at Natrona County High School, Casper, Wyoming, I sauntered into business adventures and began the pursuit of a Professional Artist. My best friend and mentor, ViVi Crandall, once told me, ‘all good artists wear their hearts on their sleeve’. She wore a heart pin on her shoulder, daring people to knock it off. In my mind, she was perfectly amazing in every way. I couldn’t imagine her having a minute of self doubt. In actuality, that’s how it is for most artists. Often I label myself as ‘diseased’, as I can’t stop thinking and mentally creating. Constantly seeing the possibility of something great to communicate through shapes and colors with brushes and paint. So here it is, myself exposed, Deb Penk art through the ages. The following pages are a tribute to my family and friends (as I have never met a stranger), for motivating me towards what possesses me. During those times of self doubt, it was you, who brought (and bought!) me back up to create again. Thank you all for supporting my addiction. |
exposure.
PUBLICATIONS Cowboy and Indians Southwest Art Western Collector American Collector The Luxury Wildlife Art InformArt Art News Country Journal Art of the West NEWSPRINT Phoenix, AZ Republic Prescott, AZ Daily Courier Jackson Hole News & Guide Casper Star Tribune Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier |
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS (not limited to...) David Cooper, VP Campbell Soup - Pennsylvania Senator Wallop - Wyoming Zook’s Harley Davidson - Des Moines, Iowa Virginian Bar and Convention Center - Jackson, Wyoming James Fink, VP Tootsie Toy Corporation - Chicago, Illinois Garry Snook, President, Performance Bicycle Inc. - Chapel Hill, NC Bill & Joan Andrews, Author International - Hollywood, CA Sharon and Lyle Waggoner - Hollywood, CA Dr. Richard Largay - Portland, ME Rancher Bar, Roadhouse Cafe - Jackson, WY Bubba’s Bar-B-Q, Bend, Oregon - Jackson, WY Nicolaysen Art Museum - Casper, WY Steamboat Springs Art Depot Museum - Steamboat Springs, CO University of Wyoming Art Museum - Laramie, WY John and Bobbi Barasso - Washington, D.C. & Casper, WY |
SHOWS (not limited to...) Mountain Artist Guild, Prescott, AZ Cowgirl Up! Wickenburg, AZ Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, Chelsea, NY National Wildlife Art Museum, Jackson, WY Wild Horse National Art Gala, Wild Horse Winery, CA Charles Russell Show, Great Falls, MT Kansas City Southwest Showcase, KS Cheyenne Frontier Days, WY Sturgis Art Museum, Motorcycle Art Invitational, SD CES, Annual Celebrity Extravaganza, Jackson, WY |