Growing up in New York City, Orenda started drawing at age 5 and began journal writing at age 13. She graduated junior high school one year early, with an Achievement in Arts Award, a college reading level and was chosen to illustrate the student handbook. Graduation from Manhattan's prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and the Arts followed in 1982, during which the movie "Fame" was being filmed. By 1985 Orenda majored in graphic design at the Art Institute of Seattle, followed by attendance at Highline College for interior design studies. Her influences are Peter Max (artist), Annie Liebovitz (photographer) and Janice Erlbaum (memoirist).
Synesthesia is the rare ability to see sounds and in 2003, Orenda began visually interpreting music through her abstract acrylic paintings. These canvases were initially displayed at Renton's Healing Arts Center. By 2004, Orenda had her 1st solo exhibit in Bellevue's Crossroads Community Center and contributed her visual talent to Seattle's 107.7 The End' "Art for Peace Project". As an Activity Director for Seattle's Saint Cabrini Hospital, Orenda utilized her love of art and writing by creating articles, poems and artwork for the in-house newsletter which catered to a geriatric population.
Since 2007, many of Orenda's award-winning paintings have been viewed and purchased through various organizations including Arts Unlimited, Allied Arts, Soco Culture, Maple Valley Arts, Poverty Bay Artists and other Puget Sound venues. The pinnacles of Orenda's art career include the sale of a piece to the City of Renton and the honor of serving as Juror for the Renton Annual Juried Art Exhibition. She has a metaphysical article published for The Venus Moon (on line) and is currently shifting her focus towards writing. Orenda has judged student art for the Washington State Reflections Program. She serves as a volunteer Member for both Arts Unlimited of Renton and Allied Arts of Renton. In 2013 Orenda became a Pacific Northwest Writers Association Member and in 2015 she was accepted as a regularly shown artist at Seattle's reknown Gallery Onyx.
Life Is Art In Progress
(An Artist's Statement)
Peter Max was the first artist to inspire the style of visual art that I enjoy painting. My compositions include social realism, synesthetic depictions of music, abstracts and dream imagery. Regardless of subject, I utilize bold color, graphic elements and exaggerated shapes to create worlds which are both whimsical and exciting. Dots, circles and stars are signature elements consistently incorporated in my pieces. I never copy from photos.
Every idea originates from within.
Intriguing photography can inspire thoughts about people, places or moments in time. Although Annie Liebovitz and Carrie Mae Weems are my favorite artists behind a camera, I don’t subscribe to any particular technique. There’s delight in choosing the right subject in the right light, and in enhancing those images with digital editing.
Akin to film producers Steven King, Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino playing characters in their own movies, I occasionally star in my own works.