Original Artwork
Gary Penca Studio
Pastels, marine art and other original works inspired by the natural world
View the WorkBotanicals
Last year I began my “Botanical Series”. In my opinion, Orchids are off the charts as a creative subject matter, so why not? In fact, they rank right up there with the diversity of marine life. The "White Moth Orchid" was my first and I will continue to add to this series. With all my Pastels I use, Clairefontaine Pastel Paper and several varieties of soft pastels, pan pastels & pastel pencils for fine detail.
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Balloons
This past year I had one of those waking up with an idea moments at 3 am! Here's the result...Balloons! I wrap the sides with cardboard for an additional 3D effect. More colors along the way.
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Fish Out of Water
My love for scuba diving and marine Life led me to create my "Fish Out of Water" series. For this series I wanted to have some fun with my compositions. Nothing beats a day at the beach with our magnificent Florida clouds, why not combine the three for a surrealistic look.
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Reefscapes
My “Reef” paintings are a celebration of my many years scuba diving in South Florida. They are predominantly airbrushed with gouache. There’s also hand-painted brush work, colored pencil, and assorted sponges to create rock and coral textures.
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Conceptual Art
Growing up in Northeast Ohio, only twenty minutes from the Salvador Dali Museum (now in St. Petersburg Florida), I was captivated by Dali's paintings. My “Conceptual Art"series are inspired by his work. Thay are predominantly airbrush painted with gouache. There’s also hand painted brush work, colored pencil, and assorted sponges to create rock and coral textures.
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Under the Pier
My digital, “Under The Pier” series are all original creations. They're not a captured moment in time. I’ve gathered hundreds upon hundreds of marine life images and elements, from my own underwater photography and video, to screen shots from a live under-the-pier video feed. When capturing these images I have no idea when, or how they'll be used. My creations existed only in my mind's eye. There is no AI in any of these creations.
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Dive Videos
Underwater dive movies and canal-camera clips from my time in and around South Florida waters. Select any video to watch it on YouTube.
Dive Movie 2
Nudibranch
Spotfin Butterflyfish
Juvee Banded Butterflyfish
Moray
Tiny Smooth Trunkfish
About Me
In the days of my youth, my high school buddies and I took a spring break road trip to Daytona Beach. After a few days of enjoying Daytona, my buddy Rocco, while studying a map of Florida, said, “Let’s go to Key West. You know, it’s the southernmost point in the continental United States.” So off we went.
The crystal-clear, turquoise-blue waters of the Florida Keys were like a dream. When we arrived in Key West, we drove straight to Smathers Beach. I couldn’t wait to go snorkeling, and boy, was it beautiful. I came across small coral heads surrounded by brilliantly colored tropical fish. The encounter that stood out most was with a Flying Gurnard. As I swam toward it, it spread its stunning pectoral fins and slowly glided away.
That moment changed my life forever. I would return about every six months to explore more, and the Atlantic Ocean would run through my veins for the rest of my life. Four years later, after finishing my studies at Cooper School of Art, I packed my car, gathered my portfolio, and headed for South Florida and its amazing Atlantic Ocean.
Building my freelance illustration career gave me the freedom to pursue another passion: scuba diving. During downtime, I couldn’t wait to get back in the water. The ocean and its marine environment naturally became the subject matter of choice for my own personal creations. It was a no-brainer.
Over the years, I’ve created paintings of reef scenes as well as conceptual pieces. My medium was gouache, and my technique was predominantly realistic airbrush, combined with hand-painted brushwork, colored pencil, and assorted sponges to create texture. I am now working in soft pastels and continue to explore a variety of subjects. From my botanical art and Fish Out of Water series to my Balloon series, I hope there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Contact
Please feel free to email me at garypencastudio@gmail.com I'll look forward to your comments.Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy my web site.