Voices of Experience
Derek Penix
Sanibel Seagulls 33 x 36″ Oil
The fresh, energetic performs of Derek Penix invite us in to check out them—and the extra we examine, the much more we explore as our eyes travel from corner to corner. The designs and colours typically defy the tradition of a central focal position and in its place guide us to commit time identifying treasures throughout the canvas. Penix has received awards in nearly 100 national competitions in the last twelve years. He teaches art workshops all-around the state and now lives in Laguna Seaside, California. We asked Penix to publish us about his inspiration, his capacity to combine technological ability with suggestive gestural picture-producing, and his way into the summary. He started off by telling us about growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
My mother and grandfather painted. I under no circumstances experienced fascination in it till soon after graduating higher faculty however. My parents inspired me to paint and just one working day on a excursion to Laguna Beach front, California (in which I dwell now), I walked into a gallery with my dad and observed the paintings and considered “I could do this!” Shortly right after that trip I painted my very first painting and my mother took it into a regional gallery and they bought it straight away. Following that I was hooked. I am nevertheless with that gallery nowadays (Royce Myers Artwork Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma). I am grateful he gave me a chance and thought in me in the beginning and all of these several years later.
Flamingos 8 x 16″ Oil
I truly understood nothing at all till Quang Ho. He served me with some of the essentials, like blocking in a painting and comprehension how the eye can move all-around a portray. I by no means went to higher education or any faculty to learn art strategies. C.W. Mundy has been a shut pal and mentor to me for the previous 10 or so many years. I have appreciated his friendship and that we connect with and chat about almost everything from particular subject areas to whatsoever we are at this time painting.
Outdated Harbor in Cap Ferrat 24 x 24″ Oil
Into the Blue 36 x 36″ Oil
Would you tell us a thing about your process and your products?
I have hardly ever actually been a plain air painter as I tend to not like my do the job when I paint outdoors. I really do not make thumbnails. I commonly just uncover a image that I took that I like and paint it. I mainly paint in the studio. Having said that, I approach likely forward to paint much more simple air parts now that I are living in Laguna Seashore, California. I really like it below and really don’t at any time want to leave.
I at the moment just use a uncomplicated pallete of warms and cools of the primary and secondary hues. I mostly commonly paint on
Claussens 13 oil primed canvas.
This is my workshop offer list:
Filbert brushes dimensions #10 #8 #6, #4, #2, #
Rosemary Shiraz Filbert brushes (what I mostly use)
Pallete knife
Gamsol
Gamblin Neo Megilp (optional)
I are likely to use the next colours.
Titanium White
Cadmium Yellow Light
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Pink Light-weight
Long term Rose
Cerulean Blue
Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian Eco-friendly
Yellow Ochre
Vandyke Brown
Have you explored other mediums in addition to oils?
Indeed, watercolor, one particular time and I gave that up a couple of minutes later on. I make too a lot of errors and have learned to embrace them in oil portray. I am not confident if watercolor would ever do the job for me.
Koi Oil
Would it be proper to say that lots of of your paintings have pretty strong visible pathways all through them, sometimes devoid of a singular focal issue? Can you explain to us a little bit about this and how you are ready to structure them to be so engaging?
I believe I’m far more of an equalization painter by mother nature. I just am captivated to that style and like the eye to move all over. But I do hope to experiment in my compositions with dominant focal points.
Peach Orchard 20 x 20″ Oil
Any terms of knowledge you may well give to starting artists?
Learn how you see as a human being. and fully grasp believability more than realism. Master what’s important to paint and what is not wanted.
And, just for enjoyment, if you could sit down and have a long dialogue in excess of meal with an artist from the past, who would you choose, and why?
Richard Diebenkorn—probably since he is my favorite painter now. I would want to recognize what he would say about coloration concept and style as I am starting to be more fascinated in the abstract.
To see a lot more of Derek Penix’s paintings,
go to:
All artwork copyright Derek Penix

Copyright Hulsey Trusty Types, L.L.C. (except where noted). All rights reserved.