B R E N D A H O W E L L

C a n y o n s & W e s t e r n L a n d s c a p e s

A b o u t t h e A r t i s t

Brenda Howell was born in Oklahoma and also grew up in New Mexico and Southern California. Her mother was an artist and art teacher and began training her daughter to draw in early childhood. Being included with her mother?s outdoor sketching classes was the beginning of a lifelong love of exploring and depicting the natural world. “She instructed me in drawing and painting in watercolor and oils before I was five years old. She enabled me to look at the world with the eyes of an artist, noticing colors and shapes and teaching me drawing skills.”

In college Brenda's interests were wide ranging and she earned a B.A. in Sociology at Cal State Fullerton, but always studied art: in high school, and at Orange Coast College, Fullerton College, Philbrook Museum School, Tulsa Community College and Scottsdale Artists School.

Her love affair with the Grand Canyon began in 1970 when she and her sister first hiked five miles down the Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden. “I am fascinated by landscapes that reveal the earth’s rock layers. The American West and the Grand Canyon offer colors and shapes and magical light like no other landscapes. I am just as intrigued by this in my seventies as I was in my twenties.” Moving to the South Rim of Grand Canyon and working there for several years she hiked the trails, sketching, painting, and observing the seasons. Becoming attuned to the natural rhythms of the Canyon's changing light and atmospheric nuances helped develop her intimate knowledge of Western landscapes.

Howell left Grand Canyon in 2003 to pursue painting full time. Nationally known for her paintings, winning awards from Oil Painters of America, National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, American Women Artists, Salon International, and Art Renewal Center’s International Salon, among others, Howell was invited for solo shows at Pearce Western Art Museum in Texas, Sangre de Cristo Art Museum in Colorado, and was also chosen by the National Park Service as Artist-in-Residence at Badlands National Park. Her work resides in the permanent collections of public and private collections throughout the U.S. and abroad.

“For me, painting is exploration. My art is about my fascination with and spiritual connection to the natural world and its awesome power. Light is the miraculous key that makes simple things awesome and affects color in stunning ways. My work also explores the relationships of symbolic elements in the landscape. When I am outside painting and experiencing these wild places the process involves long, careful seeing and visually absorbing the complexities of shapes and color. I rely on my memory to evoke the lived experience along with my sketches and photographs to create my studio work.

"What keeps me going to the easel every day is the mystery and anticipation of what will evolve there. What I want to bring about is a painting that represents a bit of the magic, beauty, strength, and weight of the world and says “Celebrate nature!”

Solo and Group Exhibitions

2025 — Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition, Illume Gallery West, Philipsburg, MT

2024 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Best of America Small Works Exhibition, Sugarman-Peterson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2024 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Spring International Online Exhibition

2024 —Oil Painters of America Annual National Exhibition, Mark Arts, Wichita KS

2023 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Best of America Exhibition, Principle Gallery, Alexandria VA

2022 — Finalist in Landscape, Art Renewal Center’s International
ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

Nov 20, 2022 —Mountain Oyster Club Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ

Sept 15, 2022 — American Impressionist Society 23rd Annual National Juried Exhibition, Mary Williams Fine Arts, Boulder, Colorado

July 15, 2022 — Women of the West, Santa Fe Trails Fine Art, Santa Fe NM

Nov 2021 — Mountain Oyster Club Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ

Sept 2021 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Best of America Exhibition, Dana Gallery, Missoula, MT

July 2021 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Associate Members Online Exhibition

Aug 2020 — Oil Painters of America Western Regional Virtual Exhibition, Illume Gallery, St George, UT

Aug 2020 — Oil Painters of America 29th Annual National Exhibition, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX

Feb 2020 — Representing the West: A New Frontier, Sangre de Cristo Art Center, Pueblo, CO

Nov 2019 — Mountain Oyster Club Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ

July 2019 — Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Small Works Show, Taos Museum at Fechin Studio, Taos, NM

Nov 2018 — Mountain Oyster Club Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ

Sept-Oct 2018 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society,
28th Annual Best of America Exhibition, Eisele Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio

Nov 2017 — Plein Air Painters of New Mexico,
Annual National Juried Exhibition, Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

Nov 2017 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society,
Small Works Exhibition, Cathy Kline Gallery, Parkville, MO

Oct-Nov 2017 — National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society,
27th Annual Best of America Exhibition, Castle Gallery, Ft. Wayne, IN

Jan-Feb 2017 — New Mexico Art League,
Biologique Juried Exhibition, NM Art League Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

Nov 2016 — Plein Air Painters of New Mexico,
Annual National Juried Exhibition, Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

Sept 2016 — Oil Painters of America,
Salon Show, Castle Gallery Fine Art, Fort Wayne, IN

May 2016 — Oil Painters of America,
25th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Southwest Gallery, Dallas, TX

2015 — Art Renewal Center’s International
2014-2015 ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

2015 — California Art Club "Landscapes of the West II"
Olaf Wieghorst Museum, El Cajon, CA

2014 — Oil Painters of America Western Regional Show
Mountainsong Galleries, Carmel, CA

2014 — Art Renewal Center’s International
2013-2014 ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

2013 — Holiday Treasures Salon
Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, CA

2013 — 4th Annual 6 inch Squared Exhibition and Sale
Randy Higbee Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA

2013 — Beyond Boundaries
California Art Club - Orange County Chapter,
Randy Higbee Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA

2011-13 — May Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

2013 — Oil Painters of America,
22nd Annual National Juried Exhibition, Insight Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX

2013 — Art Renewal Center’s International
2012/2013 ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

2012 —International Guild of Realism Annual Exhibition
Jones & Terwilliger Gallery, Carmel, CA

2012 — 3rd Annual 6 inch Squared Exhibition
Randy Higbee Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA

2012 — 10th Annual Holiday Small Works Show
Segil Fine Art, Monrovia, CA

2012 — Something Superbly Small Show, Brea Art Gallery, Brea, CA

2011 — Oil Painters of America Western Regional Show
Lee Youngman Galleries, Calistoga, CA

2011 — Arlene Siegel Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2005-2011 — Windrush Gallery, Sedona, AZ

2010 — Pearce Museum Artist-in-Residence Solo Exhibition:
The Big Picture: Paintings of the Western National Parks
Pearce Western Art Museum, Corsicana, TX

2009 — Dodson Galleries 26th Anniversary Group Show
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK

2008/2009 — Art Renewal Center’s International
2008/2009 ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

2008 — Two Artist Show,
Hueys Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

2008 — Open Hands, Open Hearts,
Nussbaumer Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

2007 — An Evening in Santa Fe Invitational Show
Gallery on Glassell, Orange, CA

2007 — Salon International 2007,
National Juried Show, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX

2007 — Oil Painters of America,
16th Annual National Juried Show, Whistle Pik Galleries, Fredericksburg, TX

2007 — National Society of Artists,
23rd National Juried Show, Houston, TX

2006/2007 — Little Gems,
Alla Prima Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL

2006 — Night Visions,
Coconino Center for the Arts, Flagstaff, AZ

2006 — Inspiration from the Forest,
Ghost Ranch Visitor Center Museum, Abiquiu, NM

2005 — American Women Artists Annual Juried Exhibition,
Texas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX

2005 — Arts for the Parks Mini 100 Exhibit,
Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park, WY

2004 — Artists of the Grand Canyon,
Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2004 — Flagstaff “Open Studios”,
Historic Monte Vista Hotel, Flagstaff, AZ

2004 — Celebration of Fine Art,
Scottsdale, AZ

Publications

Oct/Nov, 2020 — Western Art & Architecture, Illuminations

Nov, 2013 — Southwest Art Magazine, Artist to Watch

June, 2013 — Grand Canyon News, Williams, AZ

June, 2013 — Fullerton Observer, Fullerton, CA

May, 2010 — Explore Magazine, Corsicana, TX

Apr, 2010 — Art News DFW, TX

Mar, 2010 — Corsicana Daily Sun, Corsicana, TX

Feb, 2009 — Pinyon Press, Grand Canyon, AZ

Sept, 2007 — New Mexico Woman Magazine, Albuquerque, NM

August, 2007 — Southwest Art Magazine, Boulder, CO

April, 2004 — Mountain Living Magazine, Flagstaff, AZ

Sept, 1997 — Tulsa Woman News, Tulsa, OK

Awards and Honors

2023 — ARC Staff Award, 16th Art Renewal Center’s International
ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

2020 — Peoples Choice Award, Representing the West: A New Frontier, Sangre de Cristo Art Center, Pueblo, CO

2017 — Second Place Award, National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society,
27th Annual Best of America Exhibition

2013 — Realism Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America 22nd Annual National Juried Exhibition

2010 — Artist in Residence, Badlands National Park

2008/2009 — ARC Staff Award, Art Renewal Center’s International
2008/2009 ARC Salon™, www.artrenewal.org

2007 — Southwest Art Magazine Award, Salon International 2007,
Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX

2007 — Phillip G. Paratore Jr. Memorial Award, National Society of Artists,
23rd National Juried Show, Houston, TX

2005 — Merit Award, American Women Artists Annual Juried Exhibition,
Texas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX

1992 — American Artist Magazine Award, Louisiana Watercolor Society 22nd Intl Juried Exhibit, World Trade Center, New Orleans, LA

1991 — Juror’s Award, Kansas Watercolor Society Five-State Juried Exhibition, Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, KS

1990 — Best of Show Award, Tulsa Community College, Tulsa, OK