By JOAN C. LAWLER
For Brentwood Home Page
The Friends of the Brentwood Library feature the artwork of Rhonda Polen Wernick on display on the library’s Gallery Wall for the month of May.

Rhonda Wernick quotes Souza “Happiness is a journey, not a destination” as part of her artist’s statement. “Throughout the years, I have always tried to paint the life experiences that have made me the happiest – my family, my dancing, the beauty of nature and friendship.

From early childhood Rhonda was encouraged to express her artistic instincts in both the visual and performing arts. Her parents exposed her to art, dance and music for much of her childhood. Her mother was an artist and a pianist, so it is no surprise that Rhonda wanted to emulate her. Rhonda was in art classes before she even started kindergarten and she won her first award for a painting during one of those classes. She started studying piano and dance at age 6.

After years of piano, art, and dance lessons, she decided on a career in art with a degree in Commercial Art from Central State University in Oklahoma.

Rhonda’s early career included being an illustrator for newspaper ads for a national furniture store, art director, and advertising director for a hardware and tool distributor, and a being a free-lance artist.

She also taught classes in drawing and painting, and she traveled demonstrating for fine art paint and brush companies. She has written two books of instruction on painting techniques, “Sophisticated Touch” and “Contours.”

Throughout her career Rhonda has been able to combine her love of dance with her love of painting. She has traveled the U.S. displaying her artwork and novelty items. Her work has appeared in numerous dance publications, on book covers, and CD covers, and in a set design for the MGM movie “A Guy Thing.”

In 2007 Rhonda decided to get back to painting a broader spectrum of subjects. This new phase of her art “blossomed” -- reflecting her love of flowers, which she photographs on location and grows in her garden. Friendship and pets are also frequent subjects of her latest works.

“My subject matter dictates my brushstrokes -- the movement of dance, the beauty of nature, the innocence of a child or pet. A dance coach once suggested that I approach the floor like I paint, and now I paint my canvases like I am dancing. After years of painting on canvas and drawing I am now enjoying using canvas, wood, and glass, and adding a new dimension (literally!) to my work.  I am also introducing the use of the glitz and glamour I enjoyed during my ballroom dancing by adding Austrian crystals, broken glass and mosaic pieces to some of my creations.”

The Friends of the Library invite the public to view the art works in the Glass Showcase during regular business hours during the month of May at 8209 Concord Road. For further information call 371-0090.