DenneryDesign-art

While taking a class with the artist James Rosenquist, I learned to apply new techniques to those I had honed over the years for my final piece, I Feel (Cancer). From this painting, I decided to make an entire series based on the zodiac signs.

The focus of these paintings was to take the commonplace symbols for each sign and abstract them.  I wanted to create paintings with a double-entente: an ethereal representation of the zodiac sign and the formalist abstraction that would stand on its own.

Each zodiac sign has its own key phrase, lending to the title to each piece.

These are also available in limited 18"x24" framed giclee prints and greeting cards.

I first started painting penguins after seeing the documentary "March of the Penguins."  I was instantly attracted to their simple shapes and colors, and they have allowed me to experiment with different artistic techniques such as collage and drawing. I continue to be inspired by them and uncover endless possibilities celebrating these fun and captivating birds. 

Through this work, I explored colors, forms and abstractions to create intimate scenes that reveal soothing simplicity in a complex world.  I often use animals as a source of inspiration because they are always true to themselves and it is the beauty that comes from understanding their essence that I try to convey in my pieces.

"There are only two worlds - your world, which is the real world, and other worlds, the fantasy.  Worlds like this are worlds of the human imagination: their reality, or lack of reality, is not important. What is important is that they are there.  These worlds provide an alternative.  Provide an escape.  Provide a threat.  Provide a dream, and power; provide refuge, and pain.  They give your world meaning.  They do not exist; and thus they are all that matters."

- Neil Gaiman (The Book of Magic)

I am interested in the lines that make up an image and how they create forms.  In this series, I was inspired by 20th Century paintings; I used them as a model and abstracted from them lines to create new shapes.  Ultimately each piece loosely resembles the original painting, but has become its own interpretation.  My process begins with creating the cloud-like background.  This background is not meant to distract from the image, but rather set a mood and provide a foundation from which the lines can speak for themselves.