Center displays work of Penny Cruickshank

When I was in the first grade, I drew a picture of an open window and the curtain was flying out of the window."

This was how Penny Cruickshank began her lifelong love affair with sketching, painting and quilting.

Penny has always enjoyed painting portraits, but does not limit herself to only faces, as can be seen in her work on display at the Moorcroft Senior Center. The oil on canvas of the cabin in the woods is a rendition of a picture she saw many years ago.

"I thought, 'I think I could paint that' and I did," she says.

The Moorcroft resident also creates quilts, runners and bags with patterns, both whimsical and rich.

"My mother was a quilter, but I took that on myself and learned all I could," she says.

These days, Penny considers quilting her true passion, saying, "It's what I do if I have any spare time; painting has gone by the wayside for a while." Her quilts are often patterned with a theme, like the "Attitudes" on show.

"I think my quilts are beautiful, but I try not to brag on it," she says.

She has sold many pieces of her work over the years and plans to show one of her quilted wall pieces at the NEW Show in October at the Camplex in Gillette.

A number of Penny's works in different mediums are currently on display at the senior center in Moorcroft. People are invited to drop by between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to take a look.