Seattle - Bainbridge Island Flowers

The flowers on Bainbridge Island were so beautiful.  Luckily, my sister-in-law is also a shutterbug, so she was patient with me.  I couldn't stop taking pictures.  Here are just a couple of the lovelies.  I know this will be hard to believe, given my love of photo enhancing software, but these photos are unretouched.  I have not altered the color or enhanced them in anyway.   In this case, nature can't be improved upon.

All images by Peggy

Found Art

Art is omnipresent. It is everywhere I look. I am a lover of graphic design. Things like logos, business cards and promotional postcards always catch my eye. I often pick up little gems of graphic art that have been carelessly thrown on the street. I keep them in a folder and sometimes they become collages. Here are a few of these found objects.

Sometimes I discover fab local artists this way. Like the "Warrior of Light" Donald Black, Jr. His business card caught my eye. I checked out his website, his art is nothing short of profound.

Derek Hess is another fab local artist. His work perfectly represents the complexity of dichotomy. His diabolical angels disorient me, I find them alluring and disturbing at the same time. They are tragic and yet strong, as witnessed by their incredible muscles. There is a somber romance in his work that I find compelling and impossible to ignore. And hot damn, he sure can draw. I am always on the look out for his postcards.

See more of Derek's work here.

A gift card and coaster from Starbucks. I don't know who the Starbucks' artist is, but I'm going to find out, their work is so cute. Starbucks should start selling posters. Wouldn't that tangerine coaster be too cool rasterbated? Love those letters. I could see it as pop art, printed on a very large canvas and hanging in an all white dining room.

I don't smoke, but this logo caught my eye. I was fascinated, because I had no idea clove cigarettes existed.



Random promotional postcards, labels, buttons. All fine examples of graphic art. When I travel, I love to pick up promotional postcards. I need to find a way to display my postcard collection creatively.

A piece of styrofoam. May steal this, would be a cool geometric painting.

These aren't really art, and they don't make me feel happy nor inspired. But, I've gotten enough of them that I could wallpaper my bathroom. Too bad they're not pink.

When I run out of canvas (which is often), I paint on found pieces of cardboard. Here's a painting of mine from 2005 of a graphic flower on a piece of cardboard.


Untitled, 2005, 8" x 8", acrylic and marker on cardboard.

My sister-in-law loves my big flowers the best

So this one's for you, sweetie. Thanks for always being so supportive of me as an artist.


White and Orange Flowers, 2007
24" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas

They're Not for Sale, Not in that Way

When you're a creative type you get used to people thinking you're crazy. Well maybe you don't get used to it, maybe you just come to expect it. Someday you hope someone will understand you, but until then, you create because you must. And you don't always know why you create. You just know you have to.

Last weekend I watched the movie Must Love Dogs. I fell madly in love with John Cusak's character. He was miserable and broke and a bumbler, in other words, he was perfect. He made wooden boats. He made them in a way his heart called him to do. His closest friend couldn't understand because he hadn't sold any.

I think all artists understand this. Somehow your art is not real to your friends because you haven't sold any. Or a friend thinking they are being understanding, says, wow, you could sell that shit. Don't get me wrong, money is nice. And lots of money even nicer. Of course artists want to be recognized, but an artist creates because he or she has to. Without creation, they suffer. I know when I have neglected my creativity for too long, it is like dying and my soul withers and droops.

John's character is finally offered money for his piece of art. But the character wants to cut it in half. John says to the guy, "It's not for sale in that way." He turns him away even though he is broke. His friend is mystified.

I know the feeling. I love my art. My paintings are like my children. I am sure most artists will tell you they love their art. A couple of years ago I was unemployed. I sold almost everything I had to survive. Luckily, I had a lot of stuff. I hard yard sales, I sold books, CDs, pottery, lamps, my sofa, and paintings. For cheap. My apartment was empty. But hey, I was grateful. I was determined to keep my roof. Better to have a roof with no stuff than stuff with no roof.

Three little paintings I did not sell. They were influenced by milk glass. I'd post the pics of milk glass that inspired them, but I sold it all. Milk glass is very collectible and can be found for cheap and it looks great juxtapositioned with modern pieces.

At one of my yard sales, a woman bought one of my paintings and several of my framed photographs. She really loved my art, but didn't want to cough up much money. That's ok, I know the deal with a yard sale. She had blisters on her feet so I went to my apartment to get some bandaids. She asked if I had any other paintings to sell. I brought more paintings down with a heavy heart and the bandaids. She wanted all of my paintings. I began to feel like I was being taken. Then she said to me about the three pieces inspired by milk glass, "I think I will take those home and finish them." "Finish them?" I was aghast. "Yes, they need more paint applied," Now granted, I often add more paint to a painting later, sometimes even after I have thought it was finished. But I would never alter anyone else's artwork.

I was broke, but I told her they were not for sale. Not in that way.

Paintings Inspired by Milk Glass
2005, 14" x 18", acrylic and pencil on canvas board