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Kenny McKenna is known for his evocative Western and Southwestern landscapes, rendered exclusively in oil on canvas. His style is somewhat impressionistic, characterized by rich textures and loose brushwork that convey a sense of atmosphere and movement. Viewers often describe his paintings as eliciting a profound sense of warmth and calm. Through his art, McKenna invites the viewer to experience an inherent infusion of sunlight that seems to radiate from the canvas.
McKenna’s formative years were spent living on both the East and West Coasts of the United States. Family road trips through the Southwest introduced him to the vivid colors, desert landscapes, and dramatic canyons that would later define his artistic focus. As an adult, McKenna traveled extensively as a professional musician, continuing to observe and paint the diverse landscapes of the American West.
His work is held in the permanent collections of several prestigious institutions, including the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, and the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio.
Curator
Will Long, Library Specialist I
The University of Central Oklahoma recognizes the university's main campus is located on the traditional lands of the Caddo and Wichita people.
View the full Land Acknowledgement.
