Alumna portrays her roots using bold techniques

Christian Portilla/Contributing Writer

Whether it’s dipping a brush into paint, using a palette knife or wood burning, Katey Penner is a local artist infusing her Miami roots and love for music with artistic endeavors.

According to Penner, with the exception of a couple of marketing classes, there was rarely ever a dull moment during her education at the University. Penner worked while she was in school, but always made sure to put time into the pool since she mostly attended Biscayne Bay Campus.

Penner majored in Marketing and enjoyed a colorful education from “some sharp and amazing advertising, marketing, public relations, and journalism professionals.”  According to Penner, she learned a lot about working with groups, creating good group dynamics, and resolving bad ones.

Using her bold colored technique, she brings to life artists such as Celia Cruz and puts one into the middle of a tropical landscape. Projects reflect her inspiration from living in South Florida, the colors and the portraits she paints all being representatives of her home town.

The FIU alumna recognized her passion for art at a young age.

“I loved all my required art classes growing up,” Penner said. “My work was often singled out during art classes when I was young, so I knew I had some artistic talent, and I knew I loved it because I spent so much of my spare time drawing.”

Music is another influence to Penner’s art.

“I have no musical talent at all and can’t carry a tune to save my life, so I express my love [for] music by trying to paint it through my musician series,” she said. “People inspire me. I first started painting portraits of people that were close to me: family, friends. Now I also paint actors and musicians that I like and respect.”

Penner also makes sure to stay involved with the community and attend art shows showcasing her paintings. Recently, the artist was at the Carnival on the Mile art festival. She is also heavily involved with Viernes Culturales, the Calle 8 Hispanic version of Art Walk.

Photo by Christian Portilla

Moving forward, the artist would like to explore different techniques from what she usually paints. Sculpture is a medium which she has not tapped into yet. Also, she would like to revamp her landscape series using the same bold colors but using only palette knives, unlike her usual style with a brush in hand.

In one of her paintings, Passion of Tango, the artist manages to translate the “gaze” of a couple dancing tango onto the canvas effortlessly. The couple in the painting is Jerimiah and Mariel. The actual couple still dance for a company out of Miami.

“I saw them perform a few times a week for over a year and never failed to get goose bumps when I watched them dance,” she said.

When asked about what is more important, the subject of her paintings or the way it was executed, Penner said, “Definitely how it was executed. I have been asked to paint many objects that don’t seem extremely exciting but turn out to be pleased with a colorful new version of it that I created.”