HAL PENROD, Southwest Painter

Born in Twin Falls, Idaho, in 1922, Hal Penrod moved to the Los Angeles area at a young age. In the 1950's he made a bold decision and moved his young family to Forest Falls in the San Bernardino Mountains. When his kids were grown he moved to the Yucaipa / Calimesa area where he taught oil painting, managed a gallery in Oak Glen and owned an art gallery and framing studio in Yucaipa. The constant throughout his life was art.

As early as high school Hal Penrod won awards for his drawings. Later in life he drove trucks all over the western US and that is when he began using oils to paint and focus on putting the various landscapes of the west on canvas. His favorite subject was the deserts of the southwest including Indians and the old west lifestyle. He was especially noted for the skies featured in his paintings.

Wanting to live in the landscapes he painted Hal moved to the Payson area of Arizona north of Phoenix where he lived for nearly 20 years. There he taught oil painting and drawing at Eastern Arizona College. He was a founding member of Art Group 12 - a professional group of well-known artists.

After his second wife Nell passed away he moved back to the Hemet area to be closer to his kids, friends and old friend and fellow artist Colin Peterson. Hal became very active in the Hemet Valley Art Association where he won Artist of the Year in 1998, 2001 and just recently in 2007. He also was a favorite for his many painting demonstrations and helped with judging art shows.

Source:  Obituary published in San Bernardino Sun from Dec. 13 to Dec. 14, 2007