About the artist:

The values and attitudes of every generation are reflected in its art. This generation is definitely no exception. There is a battle being waged between world views which are diametrically opposed to one another. This polarization is visible in politics, entertainment and culture. In today’s post-modern world, God has been removed and secularism seeks to fill the void. Once God is out of the equation, all objective truths are out with him. Any standard of beauty or aesthetic value is gone. Once objective standards are lost there is no longer any definition of what constitutes art. Historically art ennobles and seeks to reflect a greater good, but today’s art reveals something much darker. The post-modern world is seeking to discredit and destroy any truths which it thinks inconvenient. A small minority of intellectual elitist are attempting to force a sometimes unwilling public to accept it’s hopeless and demented world view as the norm. Many today who want to be accepted by this clique only consider artwork which is cynical and negative to be important. I have chosen uncomplicated subjects such as historical icons because they are something we all have in common. Each of these subjects has meanings which are imprinted in the back of our minds. By manipulating these images, I hope to bring the viewer into a new way of seeing familiar subjects. In today’s world we have a tendency towards deconstruction. Today’s heroes seem small and insignificant compared with those of the past. There is no question that many icons of our culture are less than perfect. But there are plenty of other outlets in art and culture to expose their real or imagined weaknesses. I would rather search for the ideal in these subjects and if possible give them a new dignity. These paintings are not documentaries of their respective subjects per se, but simply representations of the common bonds we all share with them. These formal and sometimes stoic images are a great contrast with bright colors and expressionistic brush strokes. And, hopefully this will give familiar subjects new life. Biography 1964Born in Chattanooga, TN 1983-85/86-88University of Georgia, Athens, GA 1985/86School of Visual Art, New York, NY Exhibitions 2011 Coca-Cola Pop Art Gallery, The History of Coke, Atlanta, Georgia 2011 Dana Gallery, Icons of the West, Missoula, Montana 2010 Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Cradle of American Music, Macon, Georgia2009 Matre Gallery, Cowboys, Atlanta, Georgia 2009New York Mercantile Exchange, Recent Works, New York, New York 2009Federal Reserve Board, Fine Arts Program, Forty-four Presidents, Washington D.C. 2008The World of Coke, Pop Art Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia 2008Matre Gallery, The Red Show, Group Show, Atlanta, Georgia 2007Fine Art & Artists, Reinventing the American Icon, Washington, D.C. 2007Matre Gallery, 12th Anniversary Group Show, Atlanta, Georgia 2007Matre Gallery, Fresh Air, Group Show, Atlanta, Georgia 2006Albany Museum of Art, Faces, Steve Penley and Comer Jennings, Albany, Georgia 2005Matre Gallery, Recent Work/Book Release Party, Atlanta, Georgia 2005New York Mercantile Exchange, Recent Works, New York, New York 2004Anthem Gallery, “Landscapes”, New York, New York 2004Matre Gallery, “Recent Works”, Atlanta, Georgia 2004Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, Georgia 2003Anthem Gallery, “The City”, New York, New York 2003Matre Gallery, “Works on Paper”, Atlanta, Georgia 2003Fine Art & Artists, “Warhol & His Influence”, Washington, DC, Group Show 2003 Anthem Gallery, “Southern Fried”, New York, New York, Group Show 2003Matre Gallery, “Frontiers”, Atlanta, Georgia 2002Matre Gallery, “New York City”, Atlanta, Georgia 2002 Fine Art & Artist, “Hot New Painters”, Washington, DC, Group Show 2002Meridian International Center, “True Colors: Meditation on the American Spirit, Washington, DC 2002Matre Gallery, “Giants”, Atlanta, GA 2001Matre Gallery, “Americans”, Atlanta, GA 2001Matre Gallery, “The Photography Show”, Atlanta, GA, Group Show 2001Matre Gallery, “May Flowers”, Atlanta, GA, Group Show 2000Matre Gallery, “New Paintings”, Atlanta, GA 2000Matre Gallery, “Postures Concerning the Nude”, Atlanta, GA, Group Show 1999Matre Gallery, “Recent Paintings”, Atlanta, GA 1999Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Juried Exhibition, St. Phillips Cathedral, Atlanta, GA 1999Georgia Music Hall of Fame Museum, Macon, Georgia 1998Matre Gallery, “Flower Paintings”, Atlanta, GA, Group Show 1998Spotlight on Southern Artists, Juried Exhibition, Trinity School Benefit, Atlanta, GA 1998Art Care, Juried Exhibition, Aid Atlanta Benefit, Atlanta, GA 1997Matre Gallery, “Postures”, Atlanta, GA, Group Show 1997Smith Gallery, “New Work”, Atlanta, GA 1996Smith Gallery, “Images of Influence”, Atlanta, GA 1996Southern Arts Federation, “Benny Andrews, Howard Finster & Steve Penley”, Governor’s Mansion, Atlanta, GA 1995Smith Gallery, “Recent Work”, Atlanta, GA Literature 2011 Danielle Fowler, “Portraits of American Icons” Libertas September 2011 2011 Brian Bolduc, “Steve Penley, Patriot” National Review Online, February 2011 2010 Glenn Beck, “American Art that Inspires” Fox News Insider, July 2010 2009 Lauren Sherman, “The Fed’s Art Gallery, The 44 Presidential Portraits” Forbes, January 20092008Rachel Bianco Tribble, “Something to Believe In” Southern Distinction, September 2008 2008Emily L. Foley, “Penley’s Way” Tuxedo Road, Winter 2008 2007Emily L. Foley, “The Power of Penley” Jezebel Magazine, December 2007 2006Jamie Caraway, “Changing Faces of Steve Penley” Address Macon, April 2006 2006Stephanie Davis, “Steve Penley, Lives a Color-Full Life” Skirt Magazine, May 2006 2005Elizabeth Baggatt, “The Art of Carrollton’s Steve Penley” Lifestyles Magazine, July 2005Joe Kovac, Jr., “Former Maconite makes a splash with portraits of the famous” The Macon Telegraph, July 2005 2004Andrew Wardlow, “Tom Nielsen & Steve Penley” Times-Georgian, May 2004 2004Katie Hofstadter, “Politics & Art” Artlanta Magazine, May/June 2004 2004Liz Hampton, “Artist Adds Golden Isles Touch to G8 Summit” Times-Union, June 2004 Mildred Huie Wilcox, “Life, Liberty & Art” Coastal Antiques & Art, July 2004 2004Seth Hopkins, “Atlanta Artist Steve Penley Inspired by History” Booth Western Art Publications, February 2004 2003Penley, Longstreet Press, December 2001 1999Brett Lockwood, “Painting Penley” Bluemilk Magazine, 1999 1997Susanne Fletcher, “Portrait of a Not-so Starving Artist” Art & Collecting, 1997 Awards/Honors 2007Capital Arts Standards Committee, Appointed by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue 2006The Patrick Henry Award, National Guard Association of the United States 2005Georgia Council for the Arts, Appointed by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue 2004The Flourish Award, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia 2002Geogia Author of the Year – Specialty Category, PENLEY 2005Official Painting and Commemorative Print, The 2004 G8 Summit, Selected by G8 Host Committee, Atlanta, Georgia 2002Georgia Author of the Year: Specialty Category, The Georgia Author’s Association Corporate Collections Ashe Rafuse & Hill, Atlanta, Georgia Federal Reserve Board, Washington, D.C. Coca-Cola Company, New York, Atlanta, Shanghai The World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, Georgia Chick Fil-A Headquarters, Atlanta, Georgia King & Spalding, Atlanta, New York, London, Washington D.C. Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia Luntz Global Media Research Council, Washington, D.C. The Booth Museum, Cartersville, Georgia Tellus Museum, Cartersville, Georgia Breitbart.com, Los Angeles, California AirTran/Southwest Airlines, Southwest Headquarters, Dallas, Texas Kaiser Permanente, Corporate Headquarters, Atlanta, Georgia Five Guys, Corporate Headquarters, Lorton, Virginia Houston’s Corporation, Texas ESPN Zone, Atlanta, Georgia Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Macon, Georgia The 2004 G8 Summit Host Committee, Sea Island, Georgia The Georgia Museum, Athens, Georgia Kilpatrick Stockton, Atlanta, Georgia Capricorn Records, Macon, Georgia Georgia State University, Statesboro, Georgia Mercer University, Macon, Georgia Morgan Keegan, Memphis, New York Twelve Hotel, Atlantic Station and Centennial Park, Atlanta, Georgia Barry Real Estate Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia Sea Island Company, Sea Island, Georgia Private Collections Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Andrew Brietbart Frank Luntz Sean Hannity Lawrence and Kathy Ashe Governor Mitt Romney Governor Sonny Perdue Governor Haley Barber Estate of Former Attorney General Griffin Bell Former White House Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan Former White House Chief of Staff Jack Watson U.S. Senator Zell Miller U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson Pete Correll Neil Cavuto Robert Mondavi Estate Vince Dooley Tommy Tuberville Robert L. Steed McGraw and Mrs. Faith Hill Ron Gant Neal Boortz Ferrol Sams Kevin Rathbun