The Creative Force Behind Windstone
At the heart of
every piece created by master sculptor M. Peña is the
artist's passion for living creatures. This passion, coupled with
a lifelong study of animal behavior and anatomy, and an
astonishing gift for three-dimensional art, results in sculpture
so intriguing and lifelike it is without equal.Growing up in California, Peña surrounded herself with animals. Keeping more than two dozen aquariums in her childhood bedroom, a pet toad in a wastebasket, and a chicken in a bucket, her collection of pets soon became the subjects of her artwork.
In college, Peña studied biology and zoology in addition to painting, drawing, and sculpture. Working from her original observations, imagination and natural ability for design, she continues to study and experiment in the creation of her artwork. The result has become the unique and distinctive look of sculpture and prints by
M. Peña.
Today, the artist is never far from her animals. Her glass-walled studio is surrounded by a veritable nature preserve: from parakeets and ponies, to iguanas, tortoises, and llamas. These creatures are the living
well from which
Peña draws inspiration... the models for the incredibly
accurate detail in her work.