It is a rare talent indeed to be able to paint a face, eyes, and, when looking into the eyes of the portrait the viewer feels an instant connection to the person. RL Fine Arts Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by New York artist, Jeremy Penn, who truly does have this ability. “My work explores the initial feelings of a single gaze and the preservation of that moment in time. The immediate reaction can be completely different for each viewer, making the relationship with my paintings intense and personal. I spent many years researching primordial instincts and the unspoken language of control through the gaze. They say the eyes are the gateway to the soul because the eyes emote truth in their submissiveness and seduction in their dominance. Either way, the eyes are always telling our secrets.”

The genre of portrait painting has been a constant throughout the history of art, in many different cultures. Our interest to view other human beings seems never to waver, as if we are continually searching for clues as to our very own being. How else to explain the fascination with depicting others, whether in painting, sculpture or photography? Artists who have the ability to capture the essence of the person seem to have a special ability, not shared by many. Jeremy Penn was born in 1979 in New York and studied Fine Art at both the University of Maryland and Pratt Institute. His works have been exhibited internationally and received honors from curators at museums such as The Museum of Modern Art, New York and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. In 2009, Penn was honored as the “Featured Artist” for New York City’s Freedom Week. In 2010, Penn’s art was awarded ASFD’s Pinnacle Award, ADEX Gold Medal in Design, and the Peace Maker Award for his painting “War Child”. In 2011, Penn was the artist selected to represent the United States during Rosafest, a global art exhibition celebrating the Pan-American Games.