Penny Popken

I notice color everywhere, whether it’s the purple haze of a field of lavender, yellow mustard blossoms dancing between dormant grapevines, rows of orange pumpkins glowing in the autumn sun or the distinct blue hue of the Sierra Nevada in the Mohawk Valley. I often take a camera with me on walks so that I can capture Sonoma Mountain turning pink and lavender at dusk, cool blue shadows on a snowy field or the western sky streaked with peach and apricot at sunset. In my paintings, I work to capture the mood of the moment and the quality of the light, often exaggerating colors to do so. Painting outdoors – en plein air – allows me to immerse myself in the scenery, and I’m fortunate to have so many wonderful locations in which to paint!