Penny Otwell Fine Art
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Artist Statement

Penny Otwell - Painting in Yosemite

 I have had the privilege of living in and around Yosemite since 1964 and through hiking and drawing in the park and the Eastern Sierra, have learned through my art that these natural places are held close to my heart.  I never leave the studio without taking a sketch book to stop and record interesting images I see outside. I paint "en plein air" and also in my studio from detailed drawings done in the field. And lately, I paint a lot from my imagination!  But more often you will see me outside painting on my portable easel or off the back of my "easel-truck."    


Painting full time, I work in acrylic, acrylic-collage, oil, and watercolor,  with either a palette knife or large brushes.  I like to change from one to another  as it keeps my mind fresh and it results in enthusiastic work.   When I get too comfortable, I change mediums. Occasionally I paint from my own photographs of animals and birds and am known for the Yosemite Blue Bear which you can see on this site.  

My art making allows me to express my delight in land forms, capturing the play of light, and then sharing a moment in time with others.   Beauty is everywhere -- it can be found in the ordinary and the mundane or the extraordinary -- it is all just a way of seeing.  Collectors say they respond to my use of color and design.  I like to work as large as possible and strive for a sense of rhythm with the shapes found in nature. Making art allows me to express my love of nature with the hope that it brings others solace, humor, or delight in a fast and busy world. Enjoy the site! 

   2009

   The Miniature Show -- First Street Gallery, Turlock, CA
Invitational group show  Nov. 10 - December 10, 2009

   Dia de los Muertos      Invitational Show
Day of the Dead exhibit Pacific Saloon Building, Hornitos, California (near Mariposa)
Opening reception:  Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009   exhibit through November 10
   Art Trails -- 
Open Studio tour in Mariposa, Oct 3-4, 2009.  I'll show work and do demos.
Juried show.
   Yosemite Renaissance XXIV   -- two paintings accepted into show, "Igneous Profile," 30 x    30" and "Triangulation, North Wall," 24 x 24" which won an honorable mention from the judges. see www.yosemiterenaissance.corg       

2008

Open Studio Canyon Wren Studio -- 8 Artists, El Portal, CA December 13, 2008 see:  www.pennyotwellpaintings.blogspot.com    for more information

The Miniature Show, First Street Gallery, Turlock, CA November 10 – December 12, 2008

Sierra Art Trails Artist #7 in the Catalog, October 11 & 12, 2008, Mariposa

First Street Gallery, Turlock, CA, Still Life Show Invitational, March 1 – 30, 

First Street Gallery, Turlock, CA, Great Central Valley Show Invitational, June 

The Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite Two-Woman Show, Penny Otwell & Sally Owens.  July-August 2008

Yosemite Renaissance XXIII, 2008 International Juried Group Show, February 29, 2008 – February 29, 2009

2007   

The White House, Washington, D.C., The Yosemite Ornament.  Otwell Painted the ornament for Yosemite for the Official White House Tree displayed in the Blue Room.  Otwell traveled to Washington by invitation to the White House Reception hosted by Ms. Laura Bush. The National Parks throughout the U.S selected artists from all units.

Two-Woman Show -- Penny Otwell & Leslie Hurst, First Street Gallery, Turlock, CA., November 

 National Park Service Visitor Center, Yosemite Valley.    Otwell's photograph, artist statement, and replica of  The Lake of the Shining Rocks painting is featured in the permanent exhibit depicting people working in Yosemite. 

 Weekend in the Country May 5-6    Plein air painting and demos at JJ’s Bakery, Mariposa, CA.

 Mariposa-Yosemite Rotary Club June 10, Art and Wine Festival.  Otwell's Mariposa Vines painting was featured on the announcement poster advertising Festival. 

 Artist in Residence, Manzanar National Historic Site, Independence, CA.  March 14 – April 5. Otwell completed twenty paintings and donated the use of her images to benefit the              National Park Service at Manzanar.  She also donated one original painting.  The artist continues to be influenced by this residency in her current work. 

 Scenes of the Sierra, The Vault Gallery, Sonora, Group Invitational Show, March 2- April 30

 2006 

Painting Yosemite, The Ansel Adams Gallery, Two Artist Invitational, Yosemite Valley, October 22 – Dec. 2

Sierra Art Trails, Juried Participant, Mariposa, California, October 14-15

The Miniature Show, invitational, First Street Gallery, Turlock, California, October – November 

Autumn Invitational, First Street Gallery, Turlock, California, August 1 – September 15

Plein Air Paint Out & Show, 3rd Place Cash Award, West Main Art Gallery, Turlock, California, 

June 3

Great Central Valley Landscape Show, invitational, First Street Gallery, Turlock, California, 

June - July

Yosemite Renaissance XIX, juried participant, Honorable Mention Award, February 2006 – March, 2007

2005                  

Group Show 2005, The Mono Inn at Mono Lake, October – November, Mono Lake, California

Spring Symphony, National Juried Show, Ironstone Vineyards, 2nd Place Cash Award, March 1 – May 15,  Murphys, CA

Yosemite Renaissance XIII, juried participant, February 2005 – March 2007

Plein Air Paint Out & Show, 3rd Place Cash Award, West Main Art Gallery, Turlock, California, June 

        

2004                  

Recent Paintings - Penny Otwell and Sally Owens, The Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite Valley, November 3 – Dec. 19.

Penny Otwell Paintings, The Mono Inn at Mono Lake, May 12 – July 30

Yosemite Renaissance XX, juried participant, February 2004 – March 2005

Yosemite Here and Now, invitational, The Vault Gallery, Sonora, California, August 1 – September 10

Foothill Perspectives:  Clay, Paint, Camera, Otwell-Mendershausen-Peck, Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Mariposa, California, September 12 – October 12       

 2003                  

Yosemite Renaissance XIX, juried participant, Honorable Mention Cash Award, February 2003 – March 2004

Still Life Show, invitational, The Vault Gallery, Sonora, California, April 1 – May 1

 Featured Artist Series, Mariposa County Arts Council, September

 2002                  

Yosemite Renaissance XVIII, juried participant, February 2002 – March 2003

Innerscape, The Women Artists of Yosemite, Mariposa County Arts Council Gallery, Invitational, October 1 –November 1

2001                  

Yosemite Renaissance XVII, juried participant, 2nd place cash award, February 2001 – March 2002 

2000                  

Yosemite Renaissance XVI, 2000, juried participant, 3rd Place Cash Award, February 2000 – March 2001

Local Color, four-artist show, The Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite Valley, April 1 – May 1

1999                  

Spring Symphony, juried participant, Ironstone Winery,  Murphy’s, California

The Ahwahnee Hotel Gift Shop - Featured artist, July 1 – August 2 (also 1998 and 2000)

Wilderness Spirit, one-woman show, Mariposa County Arts Council Gallery, Mariposa, California

Feathers, Fur & Scales Show, Award of Excellence Cash Award, Mariposa County Arts Council, Mariposa, California

 

Corporate Collections

                   PATAGONIA, INC.

                        Four Art Designs for Products  to be released in 2010

                   Delaware North Parks & Resorts Co., Inc., 2005-2008

Purchased three paintings for The Lodge At the Falls.  One image reproduced for Mountain Room Restaurant menu cover. 

 

The National Park Service, 75 giclee framed gift prints for individuals who worked on the Merced River Plan, 2005

 DNC at Yosemite, Parks & Resorts  –Mountain Room Restaurant purchased two paintings to display in restaurant foyer, 1995.   Both used for menu cover.

 

Gallery Representation

The Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite Valley

Williams Gallery West, Oakhurst, California

The First Street Gallery, Turlock, California

On Line:  www.pennyotwell.com   www.pennyotwellpaintings.blogspot.com

 

Publications

                  2007 Rotary Art & Wine Festival, June

                   Mariposa Vines painting selected for poster

                  Manzanar National Historic Site-Artist in Residence

                  Otwell donated use of images to this NPS Interpretive Center.  

                  American Artist Magazine, June 2002 – Reproductions of five paintings in an article about using a cold wax oil medium.

·       Parson’s Lodge Summer Series, Tuolumne Meadows Poster cover and postcard art for 2001

·       A Yosemite Cookbook, 2000 – front & back cover artwork

·       National Park Service, Yosemite Wilderness souvenir pin design 1998

·       Sacramento Bee, Mariposa Gazette, Mariposa Tribune –          Political cartoon showing parking garage in the future plans for Yosemite Valley.

·       Yosemite Guide Newspaper – 1984 through 1989 – drawings and illustrations.

·       Dr. Carl Sharsmith Memorial service program artwork – well-known Yosemite botanist, 1985        

·       40 Book Illustrations - A Winter Day in Yosemite by Ardeth Huntington, 1981 –

·       Yosemite Field Seminars catalog, Illustrations - 1979

·       El Portal School Russian Student Exchange Logo design

 

Teaching – Lectures

Balanced Rock Foundation - painting in Yosemite, August 2009

Yosemite Western Artists -- demo & lecture Oct. 25, 2008

                  Workshops at the Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite Valley 2008

                  Williams Gallery West, Oakhurst, Artist Demos 

                   Yosemite Art Center, Teaching 2005 – 2006 - 2007

Meet the Artist  – Mariposa Art Council, 2003

Lecture & painting demo, Parson’s Memorial Lodge,    Tuolumne Meadows Summer Series, 2002

Week-long teacher, Yosemite Art Activity Center, 2001, 1988

Painting demos, Mariposa County Arts Council, 2003,1995,1990

 

Memberships        

·       American Impressionist Society

·       Yosemite Western Artists

·       Mariposa County Arts Council 

 

Otwell paints with acrylic, oil and watercolor. She is known for her palette knife painting in an ala prima style of thick paint. Her use of color is what collectors say they like best about her work.    She is a self-taught painter whose Mother was a professional artist in Canada at the same time as the well-known “Group of Seven.” 

Otwell lives 14 miles from Yosemite Valley in El Portal.  She paints full time, having previously worked in High Sierra Camps, ran several Valley gift shops, and for many years directed Yosemite Field Seminars, an outdoor educational program in the Park.  She has acquired a thirst for learning about natural history of the Sierra and shares this knowledge by leading occasional naturalist walks in the area.  

 

Penny Otwell          PO Box 246, El Portal, CA 95318           209/379-2856