Artist Steve Penley

Photo ©2012 Tim McClain, McClain Photography

Steve Penley is one of the most renowned artists in the United States whose work is immediately recognizable and valued by collectors around the world. His subject matter has included historical icons such as presidents, national landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and a mural depicting the 2012 Olympics.  Penley’s art is featured in museums and galleries in Atlanta, Washington D.C., and New York as well as in many public and private collections. He received a 2000 Georgia Author of the Year award for his first book, Penley. His work has appeared in the books Dooley's Playbook, Vince Dooley's Garden, and The Reconstruction of America.

By the time he reached college at the University of Georgia, he had already trained himself to render objects with incredible realism. He later spent time at the School of Visual Arts in New York before returning to Atlanta.  Penley has picked up on pop art’s imagery, but his work lacks that movement’s sarcastic edge. He has chosen subjects familiar to everyone, subjects that are already imprinted in the viewer’s minds. He takes these familiar images and manipulates them with color, brush strokes, and added details to give them a fresh spin.

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