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Penny Gordon-Chumbley
Painter and Cut Paper Artist
"To be an artist is to believe in life."
--Henry Moore
Inspired by the cutouts of Henri Matisse, and being a frugal person, I began to use the leftover pigments from my paintings by brushing the paint onto archival paper. I set the paper aside while I worked on other projects. After the paper dried, I cut and played and considered how I would use these new shapes and color washes.
Trying to describe this new-for-me approach, my husband and I coined the term "fleurage" to describe the marriage of fleurs (flowers) and collage. Primarily botanicals, these pieces use leftover painted canvas, painted papers, candy wrappers, antique letters, tissue paper, fabric, handmade paper or other mixed media.
 Rainbow Series.PinkA mixture of pink toned papers and antique letters. 10" x 10" Mixed Media SOLD |  Rainbow Series.RedA mixture of primarily red papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media $125.00 |  Rainbow Series.PurpleA mixture of violet/purple-hued papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media SOLD |
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 Rainbow Series.BlueA mixture of blue-ish papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media $125.00 |  Rainbow Series.GreenA mixture of green-hued papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media SOLD |  Rainbow Series.YellowA mixture of yellow-y and orange-y papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media SOLD |
 Rainbow Series.OrangeA mixture of orange papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media $125.00 |  Rainbow Series.MultiA mixture of red, pink, yellow, violet and orange papers. 10" x 10" Mixed Media SOLD |  Rainbow Series.WhiteA mixture of white dogwoods and a musical score. 10" x 10" Mixed Media $125.00 |
 Lanceleaf CoreopsisAnother favorite flower from the Missouri native plant series: the coreopsis-on another favorite background color, cadmium red. 12" x 12" Mixed Media $150.00 |  Tickseed CoreopsisPart of a series of Missouri native flowers. 14" x 11" Mixed Media $150.00 |  New England AsterThe New England Aster is a welcome member of the family of Missouri native plants. 8" x 8" Mixed Media $80.00 |
 Summer in MaineFields of vivid wildflowers inspired this piece. 20" x 16" Mixed Media $400.00 |  The DandiesIs it a weed? Or a harbinger of Spring? 5" x 7" Mixed Media on Canvas SOLD |  Kentucky SpringDogwoods against a vivid blue sky. 14" x 22" Mixed Media $225.00 |
 Happy ScrappyFavorite things combined: various hues of blue and zinnias! 9" x 12" Mixed Media $140.00 |  Melinda's MemoriesMy sister-in-law takes wonderful photographs. She gave me permission to translate one of her garden scenes into a fleurage. 14" x 11" Mixed Media on board in floating frame SOLD |  Grace and GloryPart representation, part imagination, this piece shows some of my favorite colors. 20" x 16" Mixed Media $400.00 |
 Awash in PoppiesWhat could be better than Monet's garden full of poppies? 20" x 30" Mixed Media on Canvas $600.00 |  Mon MonetThis fleurage interprets one of the many gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny, France. 20" x 30" Mixed Media $600.00 |  Rose Garden PromiseMy husband's "Paul McCartney" roses inspired this piece. 20" x 24" Mixed Media on Canvas $500.00 |
 PEI PortalNear the entrance to the Prince Edward Island ferry terminal sat the prettiest, little garden, vibrant with color on a bright, summer day. 40" x 30" Mixed Media $1500.00 |  Maine ForrestI looked up into the trees while walking with my granddaughters and was struck by the grandeur and the light. 11" x 14" Mixed Media on Canvas SOLD |  Monstera PatternLively leaves on a black background create a punchy pattern. 14" x 11" Mixed Media $150.00 |
 Not In Any Flower GuideFantasy Flowers on a black background. 5" x 7" Mixed Media $50.00 |  Precarious PositionPart fleurage, part political statement, this bouquet sits precariously on the edge of a table with a vase made of material from a favorite dress of mine. 12" x 24" Mixed Media on Board $300.00 |  Orange You Glad You CameA vivid mixture of warm and cool colors to brighten your day. 8" x 10" Mixed Media $125.00 |
 Love Letter From the HeartUsing an antique letter from the 1920s, I pasted imaginary flower shapes on top to convey the writer's feelings. 5" x 7" Mixed Media Framed $50.00 |  CRM RosesInspired by the Scottish artist and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, I played with the shape of his famous roses. 5" x 7" Mixed Media SOLD |  Homage to Eric CarleHomage to Eric Carle and Dove Chocolates, whose candy wrappers also found a home in this piece. 9" x 12" Mixed Media $140.00 |
 Lovely LantanasSome of my favorite flowers in their warm-colored gloriousness. 12" x 24" Mixed Media $360.00 |  The Last and the FirstThis piece represents a slight shift in color palette towards more muted colors. 12" x 24" Mixed Media on Wood $360.00 |  Flower Fantasies.RedLeftovers scraps create a colorful background which led to a colorful, accompanying fantasy flower. 5" x 7" Mixed Media $75.00 |
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