- Penner's works are based on his photographs, digital video stills,
and his experience of the rural landscapes of Texas and New Mexico-
Penner's hyper realistic technique meticulously records both the iconic
imagery and the beauty in the ashes of these once-prosperous streets and
neighborhoods that still endure- 268 color platesThe abandoned and
forgotten landscapes of rural southwestern towns are the favored
subjects of Rod Penner's paintings. The artist's keen eye combines
photojournalism and photorealism to create images of small-town America.
His deft use of contrasts in his images -- despondency and hope,
isolation and nostalgia -- evokes memories of The Last Picture Show and
elicits complex responses from viewers. "I'm interested in the look of
things and the quality of being there," he says. "A moment that is
completely frozen with all the variety of textures; rust on poles,
crumbling asphalt, light hitting the grass." Penner's works are based on
his photographs, digital video stills, and his experience of the rural
landscapes of Texas and New Mexico. He depicts desolate, often deserted
locations, the character of old houses and abandoned buildings, weather,
and unique geography. His chosen scenes are infused with a cinematic
quality that is the result of the exquisite light that he captures with
his meticulous process. "The finished paintings should evoke contrasting
responses of melancholy and warmth, desolation and serenity," he says.
