|
Derenda J. Keating was
born and reared in southern Louisiana and studied art at the University
of Northeastern Louisiana in Monroe. She has also studied under some of
America’s finest contemporary artists such as Judy Crowe, Bill Kalwick,
Kevin Macpherson, Robert Moore and Ron Rencher.
Her works have received
awards in juried art competitions sponsored by the Houston Civic Art
Association and the Zigler Museum of Art. Her work is currently showing
in prestigious art galleries across Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and
Louisiana. While in Louisiana, Derenda served on the board of directors
of the Friends of the Zigler Art Museum in Jennings, Louisiana. Derenda
currently resides in Houston, Texas.
In 2005 her painting
“Denim and Sax” was selected as the subject of the official poster of
the Straight and Smooth Jazz Festival of Houston, TX. Subsequently, she
was commissioned to paint a series of twelve portraits of contemporary
American Jazz performers.
Derenda’s style is “loose
realism” that emphasizes the values of sunlight and shadow. Most of her
work begins with plein air studies to capture the subtleties of the
direct and reflected light, followed by studio work that combines the
plein air study and photographs taken on location.
Works in progress include
a series of the treasures of New Orleans’ unique and colorful history
including the Pelican Stadium, Pontchartrain Beach, the Fairgrounds, and
the many beautiful subjects of the Vieux Carrie. Most recently, Derenda
has begun a series of works depicting the beauty and charm of the Texas
Hill Country in and around Fredericksburg titled, “Under the Texan
Sun”.
|