“Every once and a while my sense of humor demands something a little out of the ordinary...”
— Penny Hauffe
View a YouTube video of Penny's work including a video she made that you won't want to miss.
Learn more about Penny's work by visiting her website.- For more exhibit images, visit our flicker site.
Penny Hauffe was born in Namibia and educated in England (BA at Oxford University and a Diploma with Honors at The Gemini School of Illustration). She has had the good fortune to travel worldwide, but has her home studio in Leesburg, VA, where she paints and teaches art.
Inspired by bold colors, beautiful lighting and the wonders of nature, she paints for annual group art shows such as Millwood, Aldie, Oatlands and Waterford. Portraiture, mural and faux finishing commissions are a welcome addition, and to keep her from becoming a grumpy hermit, teaching art has become an essential and gratifying part of every week.
Acting provides her a second creative outlet. She has had the privilege of working with a number of inspiring directors and companies, most notably: Meredith Bean McMath's Aurora Studio Theater, now Run Rabbit Run Productions; Mike Minnicino's Pieces of Eight Lab Theater; and Ken Elston's Grey Ghost Theater Co.
Her muse and better half, fellow artist, Phil Erickson, also an actor and fine arts painter, is a continuous inspiration. Joint projects include the short film "Cold Day at Lake Anne", various radio show performances directed by Lori Daly, and the occasional performance art endeavor.
I was once asked by a peer of mine at art school why I didn't try my hand at political cartoons or satirical work and a the time I answered flippantly that I was still trying to make things look good. I realize now that may be close to the truth. Having an optimistic nature and a love for the natural world, I look around constantly searching and finding beautiful images, a misty morning, a smart composition of shapes, a tiny detail in a mass of clutter, a peaceful time of day. My simple goal is to share that view and thereby the feeling I had when I saw it. I'm just not equipped, I guess, to look for the "darker side" or hidden meanings, still trying to make things look good.
Every once and a while my sense of humor demands something a little out of the ordinary and my illustration background comes into play to help me create paintings like "Fish out of Water" or the multimedia piece "Hoarder-a self portrait", meant to put a smile on your face, another feeling worth sharing.
The same could be said for my performances on stage. The most successful characters I've played may be fanciful, outrageous, smart, or thick as two short planks but hopefully also real with genuine emotions, struggles and triumphs…worth sharing.