Artist's Biography
Brenda grew up in Salisbury, NH and has been an "artist at heart" all of her life. She began drawing and painting as a child, attended art classes throughout high-school, and at Plymouth State College.
She worked for several years as a part-time commission artist, specializing in oil and graphite pencil portraits and house portraits. Her commissioned pieces are represented in dozens of homes in NH, and several other states across the country.
During that time, she and her husband also (literally) built their own home in Boscawen, and ran their own propane business. For a short time, she taught pre-school, and ran a small gift shop. In 1996, they decided to sell the propane company, and in 1998, they moved their family to Pittsburg, NH, a town with a little slower pace, and an endless supply of subjects for Brenda's work. Brenda continued to accept commissions, while they again, built their own home, and settled into their new life in the north country.
Surrounded by the beautiful scenery and wildlife in northern NH and VT, Brenda is now working as a full time artist. She continually strives to develop her creative skills in painting, with a unique artistic style. Working primarily in oil, she encompasses many subjects, including images of the beautiful north woods, wildlife, still-life, architecture, florals, portraiture, sea-scapes, etc.
Brenda is a member of the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire, NH Made, Inc., NH Pleinair, WREN, International Plein Air Painters, Manchester Artists Association, and the Mt. Washington Valley Arts Association. She also has a profile on Facebook, and authors an arts and history Blog, called ArtRECreation.
She recently launched a new series of paintings called The Blue Butterfly Series, a collection of paintings created for community support. Each of the paintings has a hidden blue butterfly, symbolizing its inclusion in the series. 40% of the proceeds from the sale of these paintings is donated to a local community cause or worthy charity.
Brenda has exhibited her work at the Hopkins Center Gallery, Hanover, NH (1981), the Great North Woods Gallery, Stewartstown, NH (2004), the Ammonoosuc Artists Gallery, Littleton (2005-2007), the New London Inn, "My Favorite Things" Exhibition, New London, NH (2006), the Interpretive Center, Colebrook, NH (2006-2009), and the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital (2005, 2007/08, & 2008/09), etc. She exhibits her work at several regional art shows, and participates in or exhibits her plein air paintings at various NHPleinAir scheduled events.
Her original paintings, prints, and note cards may also be viewed and purchased at www.brendakenney.com. Brenda's matted prints and several of her original pieces are available at Fiddleheads, in Colebrook, NH. Her note cards are available at the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, in Concord, NH.
Artist's Statement
"The Arts have always been my passion, and a defining factor in who I am. Whether it's been through painting, music, theatre, or writing, my life has always been enhanced and influenced by my participation in the Arts. My creativity sustains me."
Painting is a wonderful means of expression, and I love the way it allows for my own creative influence in interpreting the world around me. My home is in Northern NH, where there is beautiful scenery, interesting people, abundant wildlife, and a very short season for painting "en plein aire". Much of my time is spent working in the studio. But, I love going out to paint or sketch on location, or to take photographs, whenever the weather permits. These images are often used in future painting compositions, as I use only my own images as references."
"I'm fascinated with the effects of light and shadow, and I like to incorporate strong contrasts, shadow effects, or mystical effects by applying thin layers of color, one over the other. My medium of choice is definately oil. The longer drying time and consistency of oils, allows me to blend soft color tones, and create a quiet feeling of peace in my images. Many viewers have commented on the serenity of my work."
"I'm also interested in preserving the hidden story-line, and historical mystery of my subjects. Whether I'm painting a landscape, a still-life, or a portrait......there is always a story to tell. The title of a piece is usually a very important part of the process, and may be determined long before I've even begun work on the painting. The final result is usually meant to be much more than an image. If I can cause someone to stop, question, and take the time to look deeper, I have been successful in preserving the mystery."