Marylou Butler Freelance Writing and Photography

Kendra Bidwell Ferreira in SO Rhode Island Magazine

At the tender age of 5, Kendra Bidwell Ferreira announced to her mother her intention to be an art teacher when she grew up. True to her word, Ferreira graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts and a minor in printmaking. Forgoing teaching at first, she concentrated on graphic design and worked for newspapers and printing companies. In 1996 she made the leap to pursue her art work full time and enjoy raising her three sons. Although Ferreira works in watercolor, pastels and oils, her favorite medium is colored pencil.

The precise points of the pencils allow Ferreira to render astonishing detail in her work while other techniques and her amazing ability to create light give the finished drawings a painted feel. She starts many of her pieces outdoors, finishing in the studio by way of a photograph. Ferreira, a signature member of the Colored Pencil Society of America and President of the North East chapter, explains that because the pencil process is so slow the light changes too rapidly, even while working on still life in the studio. Drawn to the natural beauty in Rhode Island she is fond of the organic subjects of beach, shells and rocks. In the studio fruit and food come deliciously alive on the textured papers or Gesso board that she favors. Just viewing her sold out candy apple series (see her website) conjures up anticipation of sticky hands and faces. Along with landscapes and scenics, Ferreira is concentrating on smaller slices of scenes such as her current project of the rock, shell and seaweed tangles found on the local beaches. One such piece, Flotsam & Jetsam, was accepted for a juried show at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in New York City this month.

Ferreira is a member and exhibiting artist of the Spring Bull Gallery in Newport and also takes on commissions. There are only about 80 artists in the North East who work in colored pencil making it one of the rarer mediums. Now teaching adult and children's classes at her studio, Beach Studios, in Middletown as well as through community programs, Ferriera has fulfilled the dream of that 5 year old little girl.

For more information on classes or to view more of her work, visit www.kjfdesign.com or call Ferriera at 401-682-1915