Peg Belcastro

Although Peg Belcastro was born and raised in south-central Pennsylvania, living in Alaska from 2002 to 2012 deeply influenced the way she approaches her art. It was in those extraordinary surroundings that she discovered the significance of letting go and getting out of her own way that is so vital for tapping into the creative flow. "The people who live in Alaska have a particular way of thinking which is essential for surviving in the far north. It's the attitude of courage to be true to yourself, to honor your passions and to live life to the fullest - no matter what anyone else thinks," she says. Peg knew as a young girl that she would follow a path in the arts, and she sold her first painting at age fifteen. She earned an Associate’s Degree in the arts at Harrisburg Area Community College. Later, she studied ceramics at Bloomsburg University and enjoyed creating pottery and sculpture for a number of years. But it was during her time in Alaska that she once again returned to her love of color and painting. Bold brushstrokes, exuberant colors and fresh mark-making became the hallmarks of her pieces. Over the last 23 years she has participated in juried shows as well as solo, group and invitational exhibitions in Pennsylvania, Alaska, Virginia, New Jersey, Michigan and Vermont.

Color is everything! I love how the palette of a painting sets the mood for the narrative within. I really enjoy mixing colors and I have many paint swatches that I’ve created using a limited palette; it’s amazing how many hues can be invented by using just three or four bottles of paint. I usually choose a color palette before I begin a painting which creates harmony in the finished piece.

In my recent figurative paintings, I begin with a loose drawing on the canvas. Most of them are taken from thumbnails I draw in my sketchbook. Ideas for paintings come to me any time of day or night so I always keep my sketchbook handy. Most of my ideas relate to an event, person or situation in my life. We live in a peaceful woods with a fairly extensive garden so our homegrown goodies and flowers can sometimes be found in my work as well. I consider my paintings to be visual musings, elevating even the mundane to charming colorful stories.

PA