Penny Cerling (American, born 1946)
Since moving to Houston in the mid 1970s, Penny Cerling (b. 1946) has been an active artist of the Houston art scene. She is deeply respected amongst artists and printmakers for her years spent working as a collaborative printmaker, first at the print studio Little Egypt Enterprises from 1980-1989, and then continuing with her own print studio (Cerling Etching Studio). As a collaborative printmaker, she worked with Lucas Johnson, Charles Schorre, Michael Tracy and Robin Utterback among many others. She meanwhile continued her own artistic practice, centered on drawing. Her work is in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi and the Museum of Texas Tech, Lubbock,TX.
Selected Biographical and Career Highlights
EDUCATION:
1995 Houston Community College, ADN
1979 Glassell School of Art, Intaglio
1972 Iowa State University, BA, Graphic Design
EXPERIENCE:
1998 Monoprint workshop, guest artist, Del Rio Council for the Arts, Del Rio, TX
1999-2001 Tembo/Cerling Print Studio, Collaborative Printer
1995-2013 Registered Nurse, Memorial Hermann
1990-2005 Cerling Etching Studio, Houston, owner, Collaborative printer
1980-1989 Little Egypt Enterprises, Houston, Collaborative Printer, Manager
1979-1982 University of St. Thomas, Houston, Instructor, Graphic Design
1975-1980 Graphic designer with Ann Fromen
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
Glentzer, Molly. “Taking the Plunge into Art” Houston Chronicle, Zest, June 15, 2014
Glentzer, Molly. “Living a Life of Needles and Pens” Houston Chronicle, E1/3, June 27, 2013
Glentzer, Molly. “Printmaking takes the Stage” Zest magazine, Houston Chronicle, June 9, 2013 Deliso, Meredith. “Lucas Johnson: A Print Master @ Moody Gallery”, Houston Press, June 7, 2012 Smith, Geoff. “Printmaking in Houston: Then and Now”, Arts & Culture magazine, June 2012 Hardy, Michael. “Clint Willour’s Unlikely Eye”, Houston Chronicle Zest magazine, August 14, 2005 Smith, Mark. “Way out Here - Printmaking in Texas”, Artlies Magazine, Spring 2005
Van Ruzin, Jeanne Claire. “Penny Cerling at Flatbed Press”, Artlies Magazine, Fall 1998 Berry, S.L. “Heart”, The Indianapolis Star, July 21, 1996 Chadwick, Susan. “Huevos Artistas”, Houston Post, May 18, 1994
Brody, Jacqueline. “Mel Chin, Combo Club”, Print Collector’s Newsletter, May-June 1994 Brody, Jacqueline. “Robin Utterback, untitled (1992)”, Print Collector’s Newsletter, Sept.-Oct. 1993
Johnson, Patricia. “Folkman, Artist and Technician”, Houston Chronicle, November 15, 1993
Johnson, Patricia. “Master Printer Counting..” Houston Chronicle, Sept. 7, 1989
McBride, Elizabeth. “Houston Letter”, Artspace Magazine, Fall 1988
Berryhill, Michael. “Art Scene”, Houston Business Journal, Dec. 22, 1986
Johnson, Patricia, “Printmaker Combines…” Houston Chronicle, Jan 10, 1982
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:
City of Houston, TX
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX
AP/RC, Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, TX
Museum of Texas Tech, Lubbock, TX
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2023 Book Arts of Houston, The Printing Museum, Houston, TX
2020 Cycles, solo exhibit, Redbud Gallery, Houston, TX
2019 Installation of “Charting the Unseen” at Houston’s Intercontinental Airport, Houston, TX
Prints & Ceramics from Little Egypt Enterprises & Related Studios, Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX
2018 40 Years of Discovery: Gifts of Clint Willour, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX
Bur Clover: Penny Cerling, Solo, Houston Baptist University, Houston, TX
2016 Kaleidoscope: Approaching Nature, including Penny Cerling, Janice Freeman, Dixie Friend Gay, Allison Hunter, Williams Tower, Houston, TX, curated by Sally Sprout
2014 Print Houston: Penny Cerling & Marco Villegas, Zoya Tommy Contemporary, Houston, TX
2013 Penny Cerling & Toby Topek, Zoya Tommy Contemporary, Houston, TX
2009 Lines, Solo, Nau-Haus Art Space, Houston, TX
2009 The Starving Artist..., Solo, Methodist Hospital Lobby, Houston, Texas
2007 The Starving Artist & The Art of Nursing, Solo, Art League of Houston, Houston, TX
2003 The Grasses, Solo Adair Margo Gallery, El Paso, Texas
2002 The Grasses, Solo, Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Houston, Texas
On the First Day, Grass, Solo, College of the Mainland, Texas City, Texas
2000 Teeny Weenie, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, TX; curated by Greg Donner
1999 From Sundials to Black Holes, Solo, Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Houston, TX
1998 Gardens: Genetics & Geometry, Solo, Flat Bed Press, Austin, TX
1996 Genesis, Solo, Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Houston, TX
1995 Articulation, Solo, Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Houston, TX
Drawings, Solo, O’Kane Gallery, University of Houston - Downtown, Houston, TX
Prints & Drawings, Solo, El Palomar Café, Houston, TX
1993 Four of the Best, Dishman Gallery, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX
1992 From Within, From Without, Solo, Transco Tower Gallery, Houston, TX
Working Surfaces, Solo, Galveston Arts Center, Galveston, TX
PRESENTATIONS:
2024 - August “The Menil Print Club” - Noontime Talk @ Menil Library 2024 - July “The Menil Print Club” - Arts Forum @First Unitarian Universalist Church
2024 - March - “Fossil Lucy & Medicine” - Paleo Preppers Zoom HMNS
2023 - “Evolving Lines” - Arts Forum @ First Unitarian Universalist Church Houston 2012 - Presentation with slides“History of Printmaking in Houston: Little Egypt Enterprises” at Printing Museum, Houston 2014 - Five minute presentation with slides “Pecha Kucha” May 21 - DiverseWorks, Houston TX
CATALOGUES:
“Bur Clover Series”, 2018, Houston Baptist University Contemporary Art Gallery
“Art Museum of South Texas”, 2006, Corpus Christi, Texas
“Cerling Etching Studio - First Five Years 1990-1995” Text by Barry Walker, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
“Contemporary Printmaking in Texas”, James Fisher, 1990, Museum of Modern Art, Fort Worth, Texas pages 6-7
“ Another Reality” produced by Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Houston, 1989, curated by Surpik Angelini and Burt Long, Text by Thomas McEvilley, p.16
BOOKS:
“The Starving Artist and the Art of Nursing” by Penny Cerling, 2007 “Houston/Houston” by Artis Bernard. Artwork by Penny Cerling and Helen Orman, 2006
“Discovering Advanced Algebra” by Murdock, Kamischke, Kamischeke, 2003, “Big Bang and Black Hole” from Sundial Series, page 573
2143Westheimer
713.521.7500 www.foltzgallery.com
MoonflowerTriptych-Stem,Seed,andFlowerBud,2009 penandinkonpaper 22x90in
Framed25x99.75in
TheBeginning,fromTheBurrCloverSeries,Quadtych,2018 pen,ink,oilonwoodpanel 24x65in $5,600.00 3.
FromQuarkstoQuasars-MeasuringOurImagination,Diptych,2025 pen,inkandoilonpanel 23.75x56in
FourElements:Earth,Air,Water&Fire,2022 pen,inkandoilonpanel 16x15in
Jacob'sLadderwith...Sundialand...WorkingouttheDetails,Triptych,2013 pen,inkandcoloredpencilonpaper 21x61.50in
Framed21x20.50in
$4,250.00
ChartingtheUnseen#2,2011 pen,inkandoilonpanel 32x32in $4,000.00
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PennyCerling
PrimRose,1990 pen,inkandpastelonpaper
37.50x25.50in
Framed45x32.25in
$3,500.00
PennyCerling
Artichoke,c.1990 pen,inkandcoloredpencilonpaper 42x29.50in
$3,500.00
PennyCerling
Derecho,2024 pen,ink,andoilonwood
28.25x25.50in
$2,800.00
PennyCerling
WitchHazelandLigularia-Joe'sContest,1990 pen,inkandpastelonpaper 22x30in
Framed25.50x33.50in
PennyCerling
Pipevine-SeedPodFormation,2000 pen,inkandoilonwoodpanel
30.50x16.75in
$2,000.00
$2,000.00
PennyCerling
Petal,1981 inkonpaper
30x22in
Framed33x25.25in
$2,000.00 13. PennyCerling
PassionFlower,1989 ink,pen,andpastelonpaper 30x22in
Framed33.50x25.25in
PennyCerling
Past&PresentAffectFuture,Diptych,2024 pen,inkandoilonwoodpanel 19x24in
$1,800.00 15.
PennyCerling
SkateEggStudy,1981 inkonpaper
15.50x12in
Framed18.75x15.50in
$1,700.00
MoonflowerTriptych-Stem,Seed,andFlowerBud,2009 penandinkonpaper
22x90in
Framed25x99.75in
$5,800.00
PennyCerling
TheBeginning,fromTheBurrCloverSeries,Quadtych,2018 pen,ink,oilonwoodpanel 24x65in
$4,600.00
PennyCerling
FromQuarkstoQuasars-MeasuringOurImagination,Diptych,2025 pen,inkandoilonpanel 23.75x56in
$5,500.00
FourElements:Earth,Air,Water&Fire,2022 pen,inkandoilonpanel 16x15in
$5,000.00
PennyCerling
Jacob'sLadderwith...Sundialand...WorkingouttheDetails,Triptych,2013 pen,inkandcoloredpencilonpaper
21x61.50in
Framed21x20.50in
$4,250.00
PennyCerling
ChartingtheUnseen#2,2011 pen,inkandoilonpanel 32x32in
$4,000.00
PennyCerling
PrimRose,1990
pen,inkandpastelonpaper
37.50x25.50in
Framed45x32.25in
$3,500.00
Artichoke,c.1990 pen,inkandcoloredpencilonpaper 42x29.50in
$3,500.00
Derecho,2024
pen,ink,andoilonwood
28.25x25.50in
$2,800.00
PennyCerling
WitchHazelandLigularia-Joe'sContest,1990 pen,inkandpastelonpaper 22x30in
Framed25.50x33.50in
$2,000.00
Pipevine-SeedPodFormation,2000 pen,inkandoilonwoodpanel 30.50x16.75in
$2,000.00
Petal,1981
inkonpaper
30x22in
Framed33x25.25in
$2,000.00
PassionFlower,1989 ink,pen,andpastelonpaper 30x22in
Framed33.50x25.25in
$2,000.00
PennyCerling
Past&PresentAffectFuture,Diptych,2024 pen,inkandoilonwoodpanel 19x24in
$1,800.00
PennyCerling
SkateEggStudy,1981
inkonpaper
15.50x12in
Framed18.75x15.50in
$1,700.00
