Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Penny.
Will, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was raised on a farm in Southern Ontario without much exposure to art. I aspired to become an animator, but once I got to college, I started taking classes in Fine Art and was introduced to the aura and authenticity that painting holds, and there was no turning back. I transferred to the Savannah College of Art and Design where I received a BFA and MFA in painting. I moved around between my degrees working in New York and Toronto, but over time I realized that the South felt like home and it was where I wanted to develop my studio practice.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My work has always started with an interest in painting. The construction of space, form and light within painting is what drives most of the work that I do. Over time, I started to incorporate different mediums and processes into my work, including CAD design and fabrication, animation, projection mapping, and recently game design, so that I could investigate properties and qualities of painting, illusion and pictorial space through a variety of different lenses. I approach using different mediums and technologies in the same way that I would constructing a painting, with careful attention to how they can employ methods of manipulating space, form and light.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
On a personal level, success is sustainability and keeping my studio practice moving forward. I have a long list of projects I’d like to continue developing. Being permitted to research, experiment, question, fail and try again is both a privilege and a luxury. It’s hard to pin down one specific characteristic that helps an artist succeed, but from my experience, I think that openness and generosity can go a long way. As a creative person, it’s easy to get mixed up and trapped in your own head, and it’s good to let other people in to help you find direction and clarity.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have an upcoming exhibition that will be opening mid-September at Laney Contemporary in Savannah, GA.
http://laneycontemporary.com.
I’m also represented by The Rymer Gallery in Nashville, TN, Circuit 12 Contemporary in Dallas, TX. My work is also available through SCAD Art Sales and ShopSCAD in Savannah, GA.
Contact Info:
- Website: will@willpenny.com
- Email: will@willpenny.com
- Instagram: @willpennyart
Image Credit:
Portrait by Cedric Smith.
All other images courtesy of the artist.
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