Artist's Biography
Born in Austin, Texas, Brenda feels like her life has been entwined with art for as long as she can remember. She has always been fascinated by the art world. As a child, she spent countless hours drawing and studying art books on the works of the great artists around the world. She was particularly impressed by the paintings of Vemeer, Chardin, Fantin-Latour, William Merritt Chase, Sargent and Emil Carlsen.
Brenda’s love of art continued into her adult life and was one of the many qualities that drew her to her husband, Mark Pettit. She has enjoyed watching and encouraging Mark in his successful career as an internationally known landscape and still life artist. They have traveled extensively on painting trips across the United States, Canada and Europe. It was on one of those trips in 2002, while in Tuscany, that she decided to start painting in oils. She was amazed to find out just how much she enjoyed the whole process. Painting put her in the moment, she felt part of the landscape around her and time vanished. It has been a passion ever since.
Traditional still life is now the primary subject matter for Brenda Pettit’s oils. Many of these paintings contain objects from her eclectic personal collection mixed with the natural beauty of flowers and other organic materials. Although her work is representational, she strives to combine realism with personal expression. She paints directly from life for the deeper intimacy and connection with the objects she selects. Brenda is inspired by the contrasts and complements, colors and textures and the play of light on the subject and surrounding atmosphere. She arranges these diverse elements to create an overall sense of balance and to highlight the beauty by means of comparison and contrast.
Pettit also enjoys plein air painting while on trips and near her home in Ridgway, Colorado where the beautiful San Juan Mountains provide ceaseless inspiration. She feels extremely fortunate to live in a world filled with art and artists who encourage each other and know the happiness that comes from the appreciation of the beauty of nature.
