Brenda Rentfro

Being born into a creative family helped ease the road to artistic glee for me. I grew up familiar with creative zones, obsessive projects, and egad deadlines. Very early in my blooming career, I found mom's flame red lipstick made wickedly durable floral inspired murals. The marginal years — school lecture notes and tests that I augmented with illustrations — garnered my first exposure to critical attention. My first sale, a commission at 15, sealed my destiny.

After earning a Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in studio art from the University of Arizona and traveling, I set up my studio and currently live in the Tucson area. Workshops from Robert Bateman, Daniel Smith, Terry Isaac, and Paco Young filled in the information I've sought after graduation. I continue to learn and the most captivating subjects to me include wildlife. Their colors, textures, and expressions are breathtaking and challenging. I begin a painting from life sketches that capture the initial impression of the subject. I shoot reference photos during the observation stage and later refer to these in the studio to double check details as I strive for realism and naturalistic representation. I volunteer for wildlife rehabilitators and support their tireless efforts with artwork donations for fundraisers and from the proceeds of my sales. Organization memberships include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Colored Pencil Society of America, The Hummingbird Society and The Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild.

email me at: RENTFROAZ@aol.com

Got Mice?
acrylic
16" x 16" framed
$250

Northlight Bookclub Cover Competition Honorable Mention

Into the Desert - Bobcat
watercolor
18" x 22" framed
$300

New Neighbors
watercolor
14" x 18" framed
$250

Renovations - Gila Woodpecker
watercolor
24" x 20" framed
$375

Sandhill Crane
acrylic
5" x 5" framed
$80