Grady H. Pennington
For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in art. People who are familiar with my work would probably be surprised to learn that my first love was pen and ink. I chose to draw because, at the time, I did not have a true understanding of how color works.
Through the years, I acquired formal training, attending The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where I studied advertising art. I then went to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena California concentrating in illustration. At this point in my life, I needed to pursue a career, so I received training by attending audio/visual, photo retouching, and illustration software classes at Houston Community College.
My formal training in college dealt with realism, drawing, design, painting, and some three-dimensional work. I gradually developed my own style.
At the age of 29, the world of color opened up to me when I was fortunate to study with Leo Davis, a professor at the University of Arkansas. It was there that I experimented with silkscreen, calligraphy, watercolor, and graphic design.
Because I am somewhat colorblind I use the color straight from the tube mixed with water onto the watercolor paper and let the colors blend by lifting the paper up and down and right to left, allowing the colors to flow into one another, creating pure color blends.
I use watercolor on yupo paper as well as the traditional watercolor paper. I have experimented with alcohol inks on yupo paper as well. I also enjoy computer graphics and programs designed for painting on the computer.
Watercolor is truly an exciting and rewarding medium to work with.
