Rick Pender


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 Pender Studio Kinston North Carolina

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, commissioned by the Winston-Salem Journal for the feature, “Tarheel Sketch,” were enjoyed by 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 shares that the most gratifying fortune of his career is having had the opportunity to study painting with artist Allan R. Banks, founder of the Atelier of Plein-Air Studies in Florida and President of the American Society of Classical Realism. Banks possesses a direct lineage of training back to Jacques-Louis David.

 

Rick was commissioned to paint oil portraits of the late Bing Crosby and his wife, Catherine. The portraits were presented at the Annual Crosby Pro Am Charity Golf Tournament held in Winston-Salem, NC. Rick is shown with Catherine, the tournament host, at the unveiling.

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