Penney Bidwell was born, but not raised, into the traveling carnival. Her mother had been an accomplished ballerina and carnival showgirl, while her father was a third-generation carnie on one of the largest traveling carnivals. Her great- grandmother was the tattooed lady in the early 1900’s. She makes art to better understand herself, and she shares art to make emotional connections with the viewer. Bidwell's artwork can be found in galleries throughout the US and in collections worldwide.