Kelly Pennington creates original oil paintings inspired by rural Oklahoma. Kelly sets up her easel on location and paints directly from life. However, when a subject is hard to catch or the weather isn’t cooperative she prefers to paint indoors. Kelly’s subjects are inspired by nature in a representational style. Her painterly brushstrokes and expressive colors are from the energy she feels. “I hope to remind you of simple beauty in our world. It’s heartwarming when a collector also connects to the same subject.” Kelly grew up in Ada, OK and is an award winning artist well known for her plein air painting. She still lives near Ada and travels often with her husband and two doggos. For more information: kellypenningtonfineart.com My love for the outdoors inspires me to paint. I paint landscapes, animals and structures that capture me emotionally in a representational style. Studying from life is an important portion of my painting process. I am always scouting for interesting compositions along the countrysides of rural Oklahoma. Some places I will revisit to paint in different seasons. When I find a interesting location, I will get out of the car and wonder around to see if it’s a place worth spending time with. If the art principles align with my emotions, I will set up my minimal painting gear: outdoor easel, organized palette, bristle brushes and linen panel. I am organized so that I can freely connect to that environment with no distractions. Through these painting experiences, I have developed a keen eye of what happens to light, color, and values within the earth elements. I am noting accurate color spots, editing what is not important and exaggerating what needs to speak. My brush action has more energy because all of my senses are in overdrive as I pace back and forward to the easel. Oils are my preferred medium because of its thin transparent and opaque brushstroke qualities. When I’m finished painting, I’ll take my studies back to the studio along with photographs of subjects that will not sit still. My outdoor brush mileage has been beneficial to my confidence in painting nature. I have built in a mental file full of outdoor experiences and knowledge. This file allows me to better plan and create larger refined works in the studio. I compare painting outdoors to seeing a live concert. Would you rather see the live concert in person or a concert on tv?