About the Artist
Barbara Pence
Contemporary Realism: Still Life, Figurative, Portrait and Narrative Painter
I came to painting a little later in life. Following a few years out of college living in Madrid, Spain, I was an economist for the Federal Reserve Bank, then an executive with a large national bank while pursuing painting as a serious hobby. When I moved to Colombia and Bolivia in Latin America for a few years I finally became a full-time professional artist. Until 2008,I was a "self-taught" artist. From 2008 -11, I took a hiatus to study finally study formally at the Jeff Hein Academy in Salt Lake City.
Over time every artist learns, if not overtly plans, what kind of artist she or he is becoming. Early on I knew that realism was my style. In recent years I realized that within the realist style, my greatest tendency is toward the narrative. The more I'm into doing expressive heads and other paintings, like "That's nice, dear", "Two guys and three beers", or "Happy Hostess", the more I realize how influenced I am by Norman Rockwell's illustrations of our daily mundane existence. I see my narrative work as both a little humorous and serious at the same time, Generational tensions can be humorous yet poignant or saddening for both sides, One could almost say the same about conversations with friends over lunch. Life is about both pleasure and pathos, and I'm drawn to trying to depict both aspects.
BIO
Awards:
2020 - One of 25 finalists with A Room of One's Own painting in the Artists & Selfies Competition, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine
2019 - 4th place award, Tri-State Portrait Society of America competition, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2012 - Peoples Choice Award and Award of Merit, Springville Art Salon, Springville, UT
2005 - Best of Show, UTAH IMAGES 2005, Equitable Insurance Co., Salt Lake City, Utah
2003 - Best of Show, Utah County Art Guild Exhibit
- 3rd place, Utah County Art Guild Exhibit, County Courthouse
2005 - Honorable Mention, Utah County Art Guild Exhibit, March 2005
1999 - Honorable Mention, Homage to Velazquez, Spanish American Foundation, Cali, Colombia,
1997 - Best of Show, Louisville Women's Club Show, Louisville, Ky.
Articles:
- Oct./Nov. 2016, International Artist Magazine, "Master Painters of the World, Barbara Pence, Conceptual Ideas"
Individual and Two-Artist or Group Exhibitions:
2018 – Two Group Shows, Davis Art Gallery, Austin, Texas
2017 – Three-person show, Davis Art Gallery, Austin, Texas
2014 – One-woman show, Meyer Gallery, Park City, Utah
2007 - Rose Wagner Theater Gallery, Salt Lake City
2001 - Los Tajibos Art Gallery, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
1999 - Club de Ejecutivos, Cali, Colombia
1995 – 1997 "Side by Side" joint shows with Sally LaBaugh at Bellarmine College McGrath Gallery, Fine Arts Center Madisonville, Ky. and the E.B & Irma C. Ball Center, Ball State University, Indiana
Juried Exhibitions:
2021 - Quest for the Modern Figure, Poets Artists, Contemporary 33 Gallery, Chicago, Ill.
2016 - Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2015 - Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2014 - Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2013 - Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2008 - Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2007 - Emerging Artists Show (only three artists) Helper, Utah. Arts Festival
- Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2006 and 2007 – SLCC President’s Show, Salt Lake City
2005 - Utah County Art Board Spring Show
2004 - Springville Museum of Art, Spiritual and Religious Show
- Utah AAUW Women’s Art Exhibit
- Bountiful Art Center, Utah, Winter Art Show
2003 - Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Provo, Utah
- Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah
2002 - Springville, UT Museum of Art Spiritual and Religious Art Show
- Utah 2002 Exhibit at the Kimball Art Gallery in Park City, Utah
- Santa Cruz, Bolivia, 2002 Biennial, Museum of Contemporary Art
(one of only fourteen works accepted for the exhibit)
2001 - Breakfastworks, Louisville Visual Arts Assn., Louisville, Ky.
1997 - Southern Watercolor Society, Annual Show
Collections:
Utah County, Utah, Permanent Collection
National City Bank, Louisville, Kentucky
Bellarmine University, Louisville, Kentucky
Club de Ejecutivos, Cali, Colombia
Hotel Los Tajibos, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Various private collections
Galleries:
Davis Gallery, Austin, Tx
