Vicky Penfold

VICKY PENFOLD (Krakow, 1918- Tenerife, 2013).
Untitled, 1971.
Oil on canvas.
It has slight damage to the frame.
Signed and dated in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 62 x 46 cm; 72 x 57 cm (frame).
This artist, painter and sculptor, had a life marked by exile, mobility and a constant dedication to art. Born in Eastern Europe, after the death of her mother she moved to Berlin, where she began her artistic training. She later returned to Krakow and completed her studies at the Institute of Fine Arts. During World War II she was arrested and deported to a labor camp in Siberia for refusing to accept Ukrainian nationalization. Released after the German invasion of the USSR, she undertook a long journey through Asia and the Middle East until she reached Africa, where she settled and resumed her artistic activity.
In Kenya she began to develop an intense production of portraits and local scenes, and started sculpture. After separating from her first husband, she organized exhibitions in Nairobi and married photographer Harry Penfold. She lived in several countries, including Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, the Congo and Rwanda, before settling in Paris, where she attended classes with Oskar Kokoschka and exhibited in prominent galleries.
In 1964 he moved to Tenerife, where he became fully integrated into the local artistic milieu. From his studio in Tacoronte he gave classes and participated in exhibitions of the group Nuestro Arte and, later, in those of the Agrupación de Acuarelistas Canarios. His expressionist and energetic style contributed to the renewal of watercolor in the Canary Islands, consolidating his role as a key figure in the island's artistic scene.