Growing up
in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Stacey L. Peterson gained an
appreciation for nature that influences her artwork today. Peterson
paints
mostly mountain landscapes and portraits, and strives to capture not
only the
physical likeness of the scene she is painting, but also the atmosphere
or
personality of the subject.
While Peterson’s professional background is in the field of
environmental
engineering, she has always been interested in drawing and painting.
She took
up oil painting after graduating from college, concentrating on
portraiture at
first and then turning her focus to the landscape. An avid backpacker,
hiker,
and triathlete, Peterson draws upon her time outdoors to provide the
inspiration for her oil paintings. She often works on location, and
uses her
plein air studies as reference for studio works that typically depict
locations
in the wilderness areas of Colorado.
"I feel privileged when I have the opportunity to view some
of the more
pristine landscapes of the West. As an artist, my main objective is to
communicate a sense of place to the viewer – to capture the beauty of a
moment
through brushwork and color.”
At age 29, Stacey is already an
award-winning painter, most recently honored with awards of excellence
at the
Oil Painters of America’s 15th and 16th
national
exhibitions. She was featured as one of Southwest Art Magazine’s “21
Under 31”
in 2006, and her work was featured in American Artist
Magazine in March
2007. Primarily
a
self-taught artist, Stacey’s art education includes coursework at the
Rocky
Mountain College of Art and Design, and workshops with nationally
recognized
painters Dan Young, Jay Moore, and John David Phillips. By way of
formal
education, Stacey holds a B.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering and
Environmental
Science from the Colorado School of Mines. Peterson is a member of Oil
Painters
of America (OPA), and Plein Air Artists of Colorado (PAAC). |
