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Peg’s Artist Statement
My artwork is inspired by the vibrant critters, landscapes, and people of the coastal lowcountry of South Carolina. I am captivated by the brilliance of the colors and the quality of light that fill this region, and I strive to capture the joy and emotion I experience through my creative process. As a fiber artist, I work primarily with fabric, thread, and quilting, combining these traditional materials with fiber paint and photographs printed on fabric to create mixed media pieces. My color palette is usually bright, and I seek to convey motion and emotion in my work.
When selecting subject matter, I rely on photographs I have taken myself or have permission to use. The key factor in my choice is an emotional reaction; if an image or subject stirs something within me, I am compelled to explore it further in my art. Whether the attraction comes from the critter or person depicted, the story or action unfolding, or the emotion evoked by the scene, I am drawn to capture its essence and communicate that feeling through my piece.
Technically, I use a variety of approaches to best serve each piece. Fabric, thread, and quilting are always central to my work. Often, I create fabric collages using raw-edge applique techniques. Other times, I employ a whole cloth approach, using photographs printed on fabric as the base. I frequently add details with fabric paint and thread painting. Sometimes, I combine both methods, incorporating photographic fabric elements alongside fabric collage in the same artwork. This blend of techniques and materials helps make my work unique and allows me to express the depth of feeling that drew me to each subject.
PeG’s Biography
Peg Weschke’s artistry is a vivid tapestry woven from life spanning New York City grit to the lush serenity of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Born on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Peg grew up against the backdrop of a tough, vibrant neighborhood evocative of *West Side Story*, buoyed by the resilience of her German immigrant mother after the early loss of her father. The middle of three spirited sisters, Peg’s formative years were marked by family solidarity, resourceful determination, and an abiding respect for hard work—a philosophy instilled by her mother that would echo throughout Peg's life and creative journey.
Art emerged as an early passion—her favorite childhood gift: a paint-by-numbers set. In grammar school, she was the girl recruited for every bulletin board, and her keen eye was recognized by the traveling art teacher who taught her the rudiments of drawing and oil painting. Yet, academic achievement steered her down a more conventional path: her advanced placement in high school and her mother’s insistence on pragmatism saw Peg prioritize education and financial stability over a dream of painting, ultimately earning a BA in economics and mathematics.
The next phase of her life began at the dawn of the computer revolution; Peg built a rewarding career with IBM, rising from programmer trainee to the executive ranks. Art receded into the background as she balanced work, marriage to a Vietnam veteran-turned-artist and businessman, and motherhood to two sons. Yet the promise to herself to return to the arts never faded, and when the “empty nest” stage finally arrived, Peg seized it, plunging into creative exploration with the same enthusiasm that marked her business career.
Relocating with her husband to Hilton Head Island, Peg was captivated by the marshes, forests, ocean, and the shifting, saturated light of the Lowcountry. The scenery became her muse, and her fascination with storytelling scenes—charged with emotion and motion—shaped her emerging practice. After exploring oil, watercolor, and pastel in numerous workshops, Peg discovered her medium in textiles, quilting for her grandchildren and evolving a technique that combined art, photography and fabric. Her breakthrough piece—a quilted tribute to *Where the Wild Things Are*—garnered local accolades and catalyzed her deep commitment to fiber art.
Peg’s rich, labor-intensive process employs bold color, emphatic contrasts of light and shadow, and intricate detail to achieve striking realism. She collages fabric, paints, and thread to forge tactile, illusionistic scenes that provoke double-takes—what at first seems painted or photographed is, on second glance, a mosaic of carefully stitched textiles, sometimes merging with painted surfaces or photo fragments. The result is work that is as immersive up-close as it is from a distance; a celebration of the landscape and life of the Lowcountry, refracted through her distinctive artistic lens.
Her development as an artist was further nourished by a vibrant community of creatives. Membership in the Art League of Hilton Head, the Palmetto Quilt Guild, the Studio Art Quilters Association, and the Art Quilters of the Lowcountry has been central, affording both camaraderie and continuous technical growth. Within these circles, Peg has mentored and been mentored, regularly exhibiting her work and contributing to the evolving dialogue of textile art. Her pieces have been hung monthly at the Art League Gallery, featured at the Coastal Discovery Museum (a Smithsonian Affiliate), and won her a succession of ribbons and “Best of Show” honors at regional quilt and craft shows. She was the subject of a feature on The Quilt Show, a national platform, sharing her techniques with a wider audience.
The collector base for Peg’s work is wide and eclectic; her art appears in homes across the United States and internationally, perhaps most notably in the collection of a former U.S. Textile Representative. Viewers are often struck by the trompe l’oeil effect of her quilts—works that defy traditional boundaries between painting, photography, and textile.
Even with artistic success, Peg’s life remains centered on family and community; her two sons, their wives, and four grandsons are a continued source of joy, and her relationships within the Art Quilters of the Lowcountry are as important as any exhibition or accolade. These values—tenacity, authenticity, connection, and perseverance—are stitched into every piece she creates. For Peg, art is more than craft; it is a way to share beauty, foster connection, and offer solace and inspiration amid a turbulent world. It is evidence that the most resonant art often grows from the fusion of hardship, hope, and an unbroken promise to oneself.