We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Penney Bidwell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Penney below.
Hi Penney, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Finding my purpose was mostly through trial and error. I’ve tried out jobs from financial analyst, to family therapist to bee keeping until I finally honored the artist within. Since I was a child, I loved arts and crafts. In particular, I loved working with my hands. For several years I lost my way. Through self-exploration and personal therapy, I became interested in Psychology and earned a Masters degree. However, it was the arts I was always drawn to and I realized that this was both a vehicle for self-expression and a way for me to discover subconscious motivations and desires. I had a generous sculpting instructor who encouraged me and even gave me my first gallery experience. Following my bliss and trusting my instincts, I continued sculpting. The more I pursued joy and curiosity, the more success I began to have both personally and professionally .
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I came into the world on April Fools’ Day, 1968 and was born, but not raised, in the traveling carnival. My mother had been an accomplished ballerina and carnival show girl, and my father was a third- generation carnie on one of the largest traveling carnivals. My great-grandmother was the tattooed lady in the sideshow during the 1930’s.
I sculpt ceramic figures to better understand myself. I rely on my subconscious and emotions to guide the process. By creating work through emotions, I hope to build a deeply human connection with the viewer. My carnival background helps inform the general aesthetic of my artwork. I’ve spent much of the past year processing the emotional grief and healing from the death of my brother. It was a complicated loss and brought about complex feelings of guilt, joy, shame, sadness, and pain. These pieces all contain symbols and metaphors to convey my emotions and have helped me cope and heal from the grief.
Along with sculpting, I am creating an oracle deck of cards based on Jungian Archetypes. The deck is comprised of collages incorporating my sculptures. I am enthusiastically hoping to launch my Kickstarter next year.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Self-reflection, trust, and connection are the areas most impactful in my journey. Personal therapy and connecting to my inner-world helped me realize deeper ambitions and hidden resources within myself. I began to practice listening and trusting my intuition. Self-reflection guides my artistic practice and is what helps me connect with others. Trust in the therapeutic process, my instincts, my dreams, and my hands all contribute to my success. Along these lines, connection is a constant theme in my journey as well. Connection to the different parts of myself and to my community, other artists, and techniques all contribute to my personal and professional career. I’ve never been afraid to ask for help or advice and have landed jobs, commissions, and galleries through asking. Being a part of a community enables me to have several connections. My advice to those early in their journies is to spend time reflecting on your experiences,trust yourself and your inner voice, and to meet as many people as you can.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
I attribute much of my success to my community. My art community has provided resources and networking opportunities. Other artists have referred me to gallery and exhibit opportunities. as well as technical assistance in realizing my artistic vision. My social media community has led to new collectors and new friendships and collaborations with other artists. My neighborhood community supports one another on all kinds of levels. In short, it is through my various networks that I have been able to launch and maintain my career.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.penneybidwell.com
- Instagram: @Penney_bidwell
- Facebook: Penney Bidwell, Bidwell studios LLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penney-bidwell-9155249/
Image Credits
All photos by Artist, Penney Bidwell
