Rick Pender Studio

Artist Rick Pender works in the traditional style of the Old Masters, primarily in oils on canvas. All work is representational. His forté is portraits and figurative work. Available for portrait or fine art commissions. Rick Pender is a painter in the Classical Realist manner. His canvases show his ability to capture subjects truthfully, while imparting a strength of feeling that transcends the visibly tangible. His work reflects an esteemed regard for the baroque style of painting practiced by artists beginning in the late 1500s, as well as those of the later Dutch "Golden Age" painters, continuing through the Neoclassical and Naturalist painters, to the Romanticism of 19th century English and French painters. Embracing their genius, Rick is devoted to preserving age-old methods of picture making, while employing his manner of the Classical Realist style. Rick says, "Reverence for history''s unequaled pioneers in painting is what keeps me grounded. Theirs is a proven order that has survived the ages. As fads come and go, their greatness is still rarely achieved in our post-modern world. I feel like there's no more noble aspiration than to emulate these masterful innovators. Painting is for me a daily celebration of their brilliance." Rick's passion for figurative painting and portraiture keeps him immersed in the search for new and fresh views of the human condition. Residing in Kinston, North Carolina with his wife and family, Rick's noteworthy honors include multiple national first-place awards and more than 40 state and regional awards for his art. His graphite portraits of famous North Carolinians for the feature, "Tarheel Sketch," were enjoyed by newspaper readers for years. His work can be found in corporate and private collections in the US and Canada, including The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the Wells Fargo Collection. He studied painting with artist Allan R. Banks, of the Atelier of Plein-Air Studies in Florida.