About
Penny Collins was born in Akron, Ohio and is a re-emerging illustrator who has taken the plunge from bohemian housewife/mother-of-5/graphic artist to Studio 566; The Floor Beneath the Beast.
Penny earned her AAB in Graphic Design and BFA in performance. Her Master-level studies were focused towards a future in “Art Therapy” / “Expressive Therapy” with a concentration in Hearing Impairment. In 1992, it is worth noting, that she was also inspired by Reverend Jim Ignatowski (of Taxi fame) to purchase a mail-order reverendship. Penny will undoubtedly continue her education in the school of life with ambitions of also matriculating somewhere to earn yet another degree… in something.
Penny’s art evolved from the world of her own insanity as a need to express emotion, experiences, and map out questionable character reflections in general. Her passion for symbolism and archetypes (specifically feminine archetypes) is mirrored in much her work. Her mediums of choice are graphite pencil (”I love the way a pencil against paper feels”) and damnable computer graphics.
Although she entered the art world later in life as an “outsider” as a literal extension to her recovery program, her pieces have been known to haunt local art fairs, shows, galleries, coffee houses, an occassional library, and therapy offices on and off for the last 10 years.
Penny’s work has garnered awards and recognitions (not to mention an extra year of therapy – don’t ask), most recently in the International Christian Art Competition sponsored by well-known Christian artist, Stephen Sawyer.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
My favorite subjects are portraits of rather untraditional/gritty people. I try to allow my pencil to echo the thousands of stories each face, each hand, each expression conveys to me. The world is also a very crazy place. I use my art to try to make sense of it. It isn’t working.
Feel free to visit Penny’s portfolio at: