Penny Verdich is a contemporary artist from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Inspiration for her abstract paintings is taken from landscapes both close to home and further afield. Drawing and painting on location is central to Penny’s practice, providing the foundation for work completed in her home studio.

“I aim to create a feeling of place through colour, tone, line and shape, drawing the viewer into the work and offering them a sense of the landscape that has so stirred my imagination,” she says.

“I have spent the past twelve years sailing on the waters of the glorious Sydney Harbour. From our mooring in Manly Cove, we often head for Quarantine Bay, just a few minutes sailing away. We anchor here and I draw the scene before me, the rocks, the golden sand and the jumbled bush as it cascades down the cliff face towards the water below.”

“The patterns in the scene grab my attention and I strive to capture the lines and markings so that, back in my home studio I can translate them into a vibrant painting on canvas. In Cockatoos Over Quarantine Bay, I can hear the squawk of these sulphur crested birds as they head to their favourite tree.”

Penny Verdich, 2024

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