Padgett McFeely

After earning a BA in Psychology at UC Irvine, Padgett discovered her creative expression in a photographic darkroom in the late 1970s.

Wanting to enrich her images, she began hand painting her black and white silver gelatin prints, primarily with oil.

When the world of photography radically altered and digital became the norm, she resisted the change findings other ways to express her artistic voice. It was a natural evolution for her to extend her painting techniques to “canvas” as well as working with collage.

Some of the paintings on display were created in the interim between her analog photography days and her current digital manipulation photographic work. The 3 large paintings were created in the last 2 months of 2024.

Reference photos for the cowboy pieces were photographed, in black and white, on a ranch in New Mexico during their branding.

“Whether working with my photographic art or my paintings, my intent is to impart a message and elicit an emotional response in the viewer. I love creating thought-provoking art that speaks to the viewer.”