Traveling between the Rocky Mountains and desert Southwest, plein air painting, photography or spontaneous field sketches initiate the unfolding creative journey, a collection of visual shorthand, emotions and sensations that are completed on-site or later translated and recast in the studio. A metamorphosis or reconstruction of the landscape evolves through exuberant, tactile brushstroke; the slip-slide, scrubbing, layering and flow of paint that create patterns and pieces of kaleidoscopic color and light.
Whether a 5-day pack trip into Canyon de Chelly; hiking to timberline to capture a painting of late spring snow; braving the desert sun of Saguaro National Monument; or tucked out of the wind behind scraggly, alpine evergreen, high on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, the extraordinary diversity of terrain, climate, seasons and light of the Rockies and desert, provide never-ending sources of adventure and inspiration. And most recently… canoeing, kayaking, biking or hiking the Canadian Rockies, Alaska, California wine country and Sonoma Coast, and winter in Monument Valley will offer stunning raw material for future paintings.
Originally from Oak Park, Illinois, many childhood summers were spent exploring the Chicago Art Institute and experiencing feature exhibits by Andrew Wyeth and Monet. Traveling to Paris offered the opportunity to further immerse Peet in the art of the Impressionists. The teeming color, energy and endless dance of light and atmosphere, remain today as vivid and enduring influences, likewise, the directness and spontaneity of the Plein Air movement in California and the West; the bold light, shadow and architectural form of Caravaggio, Edgar Payne and Carl Rungius; the fresh, fluid work of Russian-American Impressionist, Nicolai Fechin as well as contemporary painters Richard Schmid, Jim Reynolds, Oleg Stavrowsky and C. W. Mundy.
Education and Work Experience
Drawing and painting since grade school, Peet has had a multi-faceted business career in fine art and design including teaching, and positions in the fields of graphic design and advertising. After more than twenty years in advertising and graphic arts, Peet returned to graduate school for an M. A. in Interior Design. Prior to the introduction of C.A.D. (Computer-Aided Design), when development and presentation illustrations were done by hand, here, the intense study of architecture, color, form, composition, scale, spatial relationships and speed drawing left an indelible mark on her painting. Over twenty creative awards have been achieved, including an Award of Excellence from the U.S. Industrial Film Festival for co-production of a documentary film; and she has served as a Project Design Team Member at the Children?s Museum, Denver, Colorado. Many years of volunteer creative and design work have been devoted to various Chambers of Commerce and health care facilities.
B. A. (Fine Arts-Painting): Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado
M. A. Interior Design: University of Colorado, Denver, School of Architecture
Nominated to Who?s Who in American College Students, Award of Scholastic Excellence
Elected to the Honorary Society for Architecture and Allied Arts, Tau Sigma Delta
Additional Fine Arts Education and Study with Noted Artists
- Wayne Wolfe and Ralph Oberg, Juried Masters' Workshop - Ouray, CO
- Skip Whitcomb, George Strickland, Kenn Backhaus, Joe Abbrescia, John Budicin, Howard Carr
- Matt Smith, Jove Wang
- Roger Shimomura (Univ. of Kansas) - Split Rock Fine Arts - Duluth, MN
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (Painting and Art History)
- Fresno State College, Fresno, CA (Painting)
- Carnegie Mellon Institute, Pittsburgh, PA (Drawing)
Affiliations:
Oil Painters of America (OPA) - Signature Member
Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ - Honorary Artist Member
Select Shows and Juried Exhibitions
2012 Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art - Spring Festival Show, San Antonio, TX
2012-2006 Salon International - Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio,TX
2012-2010 Cowgirl Up! Desert Caballeros Museum, Wickenburg, AZ
2012-2010 The Russell: The Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, Montana
2012-2008 Settlers West Gallery of Fine Art - The American Miniature Show - Tucson, AZ
2012-2007 Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art - Anniversary Show, San Antonio, TX
2011-2010 Settlers West Gallery of Fine Art - The Great American West Show, Tucson, AZ
2011-1999 Mountain Oyster Club Western Art Show - National Juried Exhibit, Tucson, AZ
2011 Settlers West Gallery of Fine Art - Summer Show - Tucson, AZ
2011 Featured artist show and painting demonstration - Big Horn Gallery, Tubac, AZ
2010-2009 Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art - Great Impressions Exhibit, San Antonio, TX
2010 C.M. Russell Museum - Masters in Miniature, Great Falls, Montana
2010-2003 Empire 100 Western Art Show and Sale, Tucson, AZ
2010-2004 Summer Round-Up Show - Big Horn Gallery, Cody, WY
2010-2008 Nomadas del Arte - National Plein Air Show
2009 American Impressionist Society - National Juried Exhibition, Denver, CO
2009-2007 Oil Painters of America - National Juried Exhibition
2009-2004 Fall Classic Show - Big Horn Gallery, Cody, WY
2008-2006 Oil Painters of America - Western Regional Juried Exhibition
2008-2006 Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters - National Event - Elk Horn Gallery, Winter Park, CO
2008 Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters - The Seasons Show - Loch Vale Fine Art, Estes Park, CO
2008-2006 Best of Plein Air - Laguna Plein Air Painters Association
2008-2005, 2003 Tucson Plein Air Painters' Society-Juried Show, Tubac and Tucson, AZ
2007 Sedona Plein Air Festival - 3rd Annual - Sedona, AZ
2006-2001 Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Association Juried Members Annual Exhibit
2009-2004 Group show and painting demonstration - Big Horn Gallery, Tubac, AZ
2006 Arizona Plein Air 2006 - Wild Wild West Plein Air Show, Scottsdale, AZ
2006 Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters - 3'd Annual Signature Members Show, Steamboat Springs, CO
2006 Tucson Museum of Art - Ready Set D'Art Benefit-Invited to participate
2005, 2003 Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Plein Air Show-National Juried Exhibit-Tucson, AZ
2005 Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters - Estes Park Fall Colors Paint-Out and exhibit
2005 Miniature Show Invitational-El Presidio Gallery, Ruidoso, NM
2005 Arts for the Parks-Top 100
2005 Two artist show - Cogswell Gallery, Vail, CO
2005 Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters-Feature Artist Show - Snowfire Gallery, Estes Park, CO
2005-1999 4-Artist show - El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2005 Rocky Mt. Plein Air Painters
National juried paint-out and show-Jackson Hole, WY
2005-2004 Two-artist show - Big Horn Gallery, Tubac, AZ
2005-2004 Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters - Invited guest artist - La Mariposa paint-out show, Tucson, AZ
2004 Featured Artist Show and painting demonstration¾El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2004 Vail Wine and Fine Arts Faire-Featured artist and painting demonstration-Cogswell Gallery, Vail, CO
2004-2003 Estes Park Plein Air Exhibition Painting the Parks¾Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
2003 Plein Air Artists Show - El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2003-1999 American Plains Artists Juried Invitational - Midland, TX
2003 Summer Art and Music Show - El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2002-2000 Miniature Show El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2001 Visions of Canyon De Chelly - 5 artist-5 day plein air painting expedition - El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2001-1999 Best and the Brightest-Scottsdale Artist's School Juried Exhibit, Scottsdale, AZ
2001-2000 Plein Air Tucson
2000 Anniversary Show El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, AZ
1999-1996 Solo Show, Upper Midwest Regional Shows - Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, Grand Marais, MN
Recognition, Awards and Honors:
Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ - Honorary Artist Member
Corporate Collections: Arrabelle Hotel, Rock Resorts, Vail, CO
Vail Valley Medical Center, Vail, CO
Pearce Museum, Corsicana, TX, permanent collection
Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ, permanent collection
Salon International, San Antonio, TX
2012 Merit Award for Western Genre
2012-2010, 2008 - 2006 Jury's Top 50 Award
American Impressionist Society
2009 Award of Merit
Arts for the Parks
2005 Top 100
Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
2008 Award of Excellence - Quick Draw
Nomadas del Arte
2010 Honorable Mention
2008 Award of Excellence
Tucson Plein Air Painters' Society - Juried show - Tucson, AZ
2009 Third Place, Honorable Mention
2008 Third Place
2007 First Place and Honorable Mention
2006 Artists' Choice Award
2005, 2003 First Place
Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Association "Best of Plein Air"
2007 Honorable Mention
Rocky Mt. Plein Air Painters - National juried exhibit and quick draw
2008 Award of Excellence-Winter Park, CO
2006 Award of Merit -Winter Park, CO
2005 Best of Show -Jackson Hole, WY
Rocky Mt. Plein Air Painters - Painting the Parks - Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
2004 Artists' Choice Award
2004 Collectors' Choice Award
2003 Award of Excellence
Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Association Juried Members Annual Exhibit
2003 Honorable Mention
American Plains Artists Juried Invitational - Midland Texas
2003 Honorable Mention and paintings selected to travel to the Ellen Noel Art Museum, Odessa TX
2002 One of 27 paintings selected to travel to the Ellen Noel Art Museum, Odessa TX
Plein Air Tucson
2001 Best Floral
Publications:
2012 Western Art Collector, "Cowgirl Camaraderie," p. 189, 191-192, March 2012.
2012 The Vail Daily,, "Artist Darcie Peet Exhibits New Work in Vail at Cogswell Gallery," p. B7, Feb 18, 2012.
2011 Western Art Collector, "40th Milestone," p. 86, 90, Nov 2011.
2011 Western Art Collector, "Tucson Tradition," p. 142-143, Nov 2011.
2011 Western Art Collector, "Genre of Place-Collecting Landscape Art," p. 108, 112, March 2011.
2011 Western Art Collector, "State of the Art: Arizona" p. 67, January 2011.
2010 American Art Collector, "Golden State," p.170-173, September 2010.
2010 Western Art Collector, "COWGIRL UP! Top female artists capture the spirit of the West,"
p. 88, 92-93, March 2010
2010 Art of the West, "Getting There is My Elation," p. 44-49, January 2010
2010 Western Art Collector, "State of the Art-Arizona," p. 69, January 2010
2009 American Art Collector, "National Juried Exhibition of the American Impressionist Society,"
p.90,94, October 2009.
2009 American Art Collector, "Perceptions of Place," p.164-167, September 2009.
2009 The Desert Leaf, "Darcie Peet: A Painter's Journey" p.51, 63, March 2009.
2008 Southwest Art, "Exclamation Points- Darcie Peet," p.86-91, p. 164, July 2008.
2008 Vail Valley Magazine, STYLE: "Darcie Peet: Exploration and Discovery," Style p.62-63, Summer 2008.
2007 Sedona Red Rock News, The Scene,, "Plein air artists paint live and on deadline," p. 3, October 19, 2007.
2007 Cowboys and Indians, "Gallery Tour-Darcie Peet," p. 68, January 2007.
2006 Steamboat Today - 4 Points, "Quick Draw" -
"Plein air painters have one week to capture the Yampa Valley on canvas" p.10-11, July 7, 2006.
2005 Southwest Art, "Peet Wins Top Award," p. 42, October 2005.
2005 Art of the West, "Darcie Peet Wins Best of Show," p. 95, September/October 2005.
2005 Vail Daily, "Cogswell Gallery Hosts Artists, Darcie Peet, Melissa Cooper," B6, August 27, 2005.
2005 Summit Daily News, "Local Artist Wins Best of Show," A10, August 9, 2005
2005 Southwest Art, "Water in the Landscape-Darcie Peet," Feb. 2005
2005 Cultural Times, "Darcie Peet-Plein Air Painter," Jan-Feb 2005
2004 Southwest Art, "On the Scene, Rocky Mountain Plein Air Event," p.30, Nov 2004.
2004 Art Talk, Art Buzz, p. 10, Nov/Dec 2004.
2004 Vail Daily, "Cogswell Shows Darcie Peet," B2, September 14, 2004.
2004 Vail Daily, "Local Artist Garners Big Award," Front Page and B1, September 7, 2004.
2004 Art Life-Arizona, "Artist Profile-Darcie Peet," Key 27-28, Vol. 17.
2001-2002 Art Life-Arizona, Fall/Winter, "En Plein Air," One of a 5-artist group on Canyon de Chelly painting trek.
1997 Lake Superior Magazine, "Five Artists of Vision," p. 21, May 1997.
1997 Lake Superior Magazine, "Five Artists of Vision," p. 21, May 1997.
