Gloria Jean Pennington | New World Primitivism

Featured artist at Gallery Eleven for September is Gloria Jean Pennington, long time co-op member and retired art teacher. Her stylistic dot paintings have evolved from a teaching method into a popular signature style, expressing a fresh and joyous energy with color and wit.

A 25-year member of Gallery Eleven’s co-op team of artists, Gloria Jean Pennington also taught art in area schools for 17 years before her retirement. Her dot painting technique has evolved from a teaching method into a signature style, which she uses to interpret any image or collection of images that come to mind.

Her recent works on display at the gallery include multilayered collages of familiar imagery with universal icons. Each canvas conveys its subject in linked patterns of boldly colored dots. In some of these works, Jean’s painted inner frames emphasize her intriguing juxtaposition of focal and background images.

Several gallery visitors have remarked on the stylistic similarity of Jean’s dot paintings to the ever-popular art works of the late Charly Jupiter Hamilton, whose massive Wonder Mural can be seen from the gallery’s windows at W. Washington St and Charly Jupiter Way in Charleston. Artist Hamilton referred to his own style as “New World Primitivism.,” which provokes a fresh and joyous energy with color and wit.

Birds of a Feather, acrylic on canvas, 26 x 36, $600.

A public reception at Gallery Eleven to celebrate Gloria Jean Pennington’s latest works is scheduled for Friday, September 11 from 3-7 pm. We are now at 205 Washington St. W. in the Elk city Historic District of Charleston WV.

Join us for wine, food, music while you browse among intriguing displays of paintings, prints, sculpture, pottery, artisan jewelry, wood and glass works for sale.

Yellow Fan, acrylic on canvas, 20 x 30, $700.