Susan Penfold fell in love with the vibrancy and texture of pastel during her first class in 2016. In 2020 she held her first solo exhibition at Darwin Visual Arts, won the Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival's Jetty Art prize and received a highly-commended in the Katherine Art Prize. Since then she has won a variety of awards including the Royal Adelaide show, the 2023 non-professional's prize at the outdoor painting festival Plein Air Down Under, and the Hanger's Prize at the Royal South Australian Society for the Arts' 2026 Summer exhibition.
Statement
Susan Penfold's works explore the unique character of place through an impressionist and expressive realist approach that balances observation with emotional response. Drawing inspiration from the vast landscapes, seasonal changes, and cultural layers of Australia, her paintings capture both the physical presence and the atmosphere of remote environments. Through rich colour, dynamic pastel strokes, and a strong sense of connection to country, her work invites viewers to experience the resilience, beauty and complexity of Australia's landscapes.