A Maine native, Peggy began her career in art with pencil drawings at the age of five. Not one to necessarily color inside the lines, Peggy enjoyed being creative and letting the pencil lead the way. As a teen, Peggy took an interest in oil painting, so she took a series of lessons from local artists. As a young adult, she took additional oil painting classes at Skowhegan Area High School (SAHS). She developed a real talent in oils, and she has been teaching classes at SAHS for the past twenty years. Peggy loves to help others develop their artistic talents, and she even offers lessons in her home.

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Peggy has never been shy of an artistic challenge, and she particularly loves to paint reflections, something that not many artists even attempt. She marvels at the way reflections can be seen in puddles of water or in glass. Her favorite works are typically the ones that required the most work and struggle to complete. The Antique Onion Lamp and the Portland Headlight reflection are two she found the most challenging and that are favorites in her collection. She recently completed a steam engine train to give to her son, a work of heart indeed. Peggy uses the example of struggling to complete a work to encourage her students to embrace struggles and challenges in life, for in the end, one has a masterpiece. Her best advice when one is facing an obstacle—in art and in life—is to step back from your work every now and then for viewing too closely may skew your perspective. Ultimately, never give up.

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Visit Peggy Riley's website.