As one winds their way up the endless hairpin turns ascending Cougar Mountain, one cannot help but know that a visit to the art studio of Pepper Peterson will not be a mundane experience. No…. conformity and commonplace will not be on the horizon and the destination does not disappoint. Over 13 years ago Pepper and her husband Butch moved to this elevated location, high above most developments and near enough the National Park for wildlife encounters to be routine. In moving to this spacious new home Pepper left behind the cramped small bedroom that had served as her first art studio. She now luxuriates in plenty of open space….enough to have 4 easels set up for friends to join in the fun. And those who are fortunate enough to call Pepper a friend know that fun is high on her agenda.
The second story studio where Pepper paints is reached by climbing a gaily painted staircase at the top of which sits a neatly organized bookcase amply filled with art books and magazines. I have to admit to a genuine sense of envy as I gazed across the wide wooden floor and open space. Everything she needs is right here and she claims that if she had a hotplate and a fridge handy there would be no need for her to descend into the world whatsoever. But again….the lure of the social butterfly cannot be denied and descend she does! Pepper has organized her studio to include several major work areas, but it is the leopard spotted chaise divan immediately to the left of the top of the stairs that first catches the eye. This is where Pepper takes her lunch breaks and uses the quiet moment to gaze out upon her little kingdom and critique the creation(s) in progress, sometimes having as many as 3 or 4 paintings in the works. Her working at some aspect of her passion whether itwhether itis painting, framing or the seemingly interminablecomputer work that is required of modern artists.
As the eye moves clockwise around the nearly 400 square foot room, the computer and all the accompanying equipment inhabit an ample desk. An open doorway to the right of this desk reveals a 12’ x 9’ storage room that is neatly organized with shelves holding supplies, tools and such. Below the shelves are 2 more work stations for framing and matting, although Pepper confesses to passing her framing needs on to professionals these days. Back inside the main studio in the corner opposite the stairs sits an easel next to a large table filled to capacity with chalk pastels, a medium that Pepper once worked in quite prolifically, but today she prefers painting in oils. Friends that paint in pastel are urged to not pack along their supplies when joining her for a day of creating. She insists they use her generous supply.
Finishing the orbit of the room and residing in the premier location next to 2 northern lit windows is the oil painting work station. Here resides the largest of the work tables. Outfitted with oil bars and paints, it is ready-at-hand to where Pepper stands at her easel and enjoys the process of conceiving and executing her works of art. A stool sits nearby making itself available but Pepper prefers to stand and dance with her canvases, brush in hand and conducting an orchestra of paint.
