above: Venus Dreams, 1963

13 pennies are used as miniature canvases for oil paintings titled “Tondi Observations” by Indiana artist Jacqueline Lou Skaggs.

Hand-painted Pennies

above: The Plastic Magician, 1984

In the artist’s own words:
“This small body of twelve works consist of images painted on found, discarded pennies. These pictures pay homage to, not only, the binding ideologies that define our family, religious, social and political worlds- but also to the resonating mythological powers of traditional painting and miniature picture making- much like the Dutch oils on copper from the 17th century. Paid tribute no less on the face of discarded coins these iconic images transcend the coins value while, to some extent, defacing it.

“Abe’s Millennium” is a portrait from a found thrift-store photograph (regrettably sold at a yard sale). The title comes from my knowing that we still have a long way to go.

above: Abe’s Millenium, 1973

“Kisses and Ghosts” is from a portrait of my mother as a child standing next to a bird bath with her brother. I once read a report in which children were asked what they feared most. The two most popular answers were “kisses” and “ghosts”.

above: Kisses and Ghosts, 1951

“Four Witches Stand” is a line in the Pledge of Allegiance.

above: four Witches Stand, 1978

“The Unburning Bush” is a bush that never burned.

above: The Unburning Bush, 1992

“The Field of Sleeping Peasants” is waiting for Picasso.

above: Field of Sleeping Peasants, 1971

“The Baptistery” honors the rain Gods for suburban birds.

above: the Baptistry, 1980

“Through carelessness…” is a random line chosen with my eyes closed from the Chinese book of chance, I-Ching.

above: Through Carelessness He Loses His Cow, 1944

“A Pile of Burnt Wood” is just that, in the approaching evening light. “A Still Life” is too still… and so on.

above: A Pile Of Burnt Wood, 1983

above: A Still Life, 1976

Initially these coins were going to be spent- nestled with other coins in an exchange of goods. Or tossed back to the sidewalks from whence they came. Nice thoughts. However, these works remain hoarded as art rather than currency or discarded, valueless copper.”

above: The Last Supper Table, 1990

Jacqueline is currently represented by SUGAR,

jacqueline lou skaggs

brought to my attention by the Global Art Junkie