Local Artist Wins ‘Best of Watercolor’ Award

By KARINA EID  |  Intern

After dedicating time and effort to learn a new craft, one Castellammare-based artist has now reaped the benefit in the form of an award.

Palisadian artist Shirley Peppers recently took home first place in the Splash 23 art competition for Best of Watercolor for her piece “The White Dahlia.”

The competition hosted over 900 artists from various corners of the world, such as China, South Africa and Mexico.

Since her last interview with the Palisadian-Post in February 2020, Peppers has dedicated much of her time to working on developing her painting skills. Experimenting with planes and space, she has created a medley of new art pieces over the past year.

In regard to winning this award, Peppers shared that she feels grateful and slightly “in shock.” She specifically appreciated the recognition from the judge, Mary Whyte, who she described as a “brilliant,” “world-renowned” and “influential” watercolor artist.

Peppers also conveyed her gratitude for four supportive art teachers who have guided her through the realms of the art world: Joseph Cibere, Hayley Quentin, Ken Bracken and Jill Douglass. When asked about significant influences on her work, she quickly listed these instructors. In fact, Cibere was the first person who encouraged Peppers to enter her artwork into competitions.

Finally, an additional motivating force in Peppers’ life is her husband and “cheerleader,” Roger Fox. His “support has been fundamental to [her] growth as a painter,” she shared.

Peppers listed many plans for future artwork, too, deriving inspiration from a wide range of places.

First, she noted how, during the 1930s economic depression, the Library of Congress hired writers to interview the last of the surviving slaves, mostly in the South. Alongside these narratives were photographs of the slaves, and Peppers shared plans to fashion artwork based on these images. Above all, she wants to honor those who endured the horrors of slavery.

Additionally, Peppers said that she considers herself a “flower painter,” as she loves to garden and capture florals in her work. In terms of mediums, she primarily employs water colors but will occasionally shift into different areas such as acrylics or pastels.

Peppers also said she plans to continue experimenting with “word poems,” which she first tried her hand at in an art class. For instance, as of late, Peppers has been working on a piece with the words “Mood Indigo” spelled out, hoping to evoke “Nina Simone’s version of that song in the back of your mind” while also “playing with colors” like blue to add volume to the individual letters.

Although Peppers—currently 74 years old—has produced an impressive portfolio over the past few years, she is not a lifelong artist. Prior to pursuing art full-time, she worked as an educational fundraiser for 28 years at Harvard University and University of California, Los Angeles.

After retiring in December 2018, Peppers enrolled in a couple of art classes and quickly discovered her own talent. As she kept taking more classes—at the Brentwood Art Center, UCLA Extension and Studio Channel Islands in Camarillo—she realized art was what she wanted to pursue during the “next stage of [her] life.”

In her previous interview with the Post, Peppers expressed a desire to show her fellow elders and people of color the possibilities that may await them. She explained she hopes to achieve this objective by simply reminding them of their potentially-forgotten talents. Peppers said she believes the best time to hone old skills is when “you’re old, observing the ‘freeing’ aspects of maturing.

“Life isn’t over ’till it’s over,” Peppers noted.

In essence, Peppers said she believes creating artwork is her own creative way of contributing to the community, yearning to leave a “positive impact on the world.” In the future, she shared hopes of putting her paintings on the market, displaying her expertise to a wider, public audience.

In the meantime, Peppers will continue making efforts to encourage other people to pursue their passions, just like her own instructors motivated her.

For more information or to contact the artist, visit shirleypeppersart.com.