Ronna Pernell, Pernell Images
Artist Statement
"The essence of creativity is an interest and knowledge base that I started to embrace as a young child. Even though I received an introduction to art in elementary school and later had exposure to artistic techniques, it wasn’t until I learned about stippling that the idea of defining myself as an 'artist' became a reality.
The literal connection of charcoal and pen to paper allowed me to begin to tell the stories of people – primarily people from the African Diaspora, their challenges, their joys and their every day experiences. With every piece of work, I was able to expand my creative message to tell a story of hope, of empowerment and to allow the viewer to understand the culture of those that have achieved success through faith and determination.
For the young faces that I draw, the viewer is invited to see the future of those that will make decisions and lay the foundation for a better tomorrow. The pictures of the elders remind us of the wisdom and courage that has been embraced to make the accomplishments today real.
The stippling technique allows me to connect the past to the present and allows the viewer to envision the future. Every day I give thanks for the gift that the universe has sent me to share with the world knowing that creativity and innovation are the key to one’s growth and development."
@pernellimages
Ronna's work was featured in our exhibition, SideStories, June - September, 2017.