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Peggi Habets, a portrait and figure artist from Bethel Park, says she loves painting visual stories.
"Painting people and pets is like creating family history," she says. "You are capturing a moment in time and adding your artistic approach to it. It's very important to get a likeness in a portrait, but it's equally important to let your style and creativity shine through."
Ms. Habets reveals the stories and personalities of her subjects through color, composition, background detail and clothing. She says that all of these components allow her to complete a portrait that illustrates not only the likeness of her subject but also the personality.
Her favorite medium for portraits is watercolor.
"Portraits can be done in any medium, but the great thing about watercolor is that it is very fluid and spontaneous, making it perfect for capturing fleeting expressions," she says.
Ms. Habets, 46, started painting at age 12 but grew fonder of graphic design as she entered college and started her career. After spending more than a decade as a graphic designer, she fell back in love with painting in part because of Kathleen Zimbicki, a local art instructor and current president of Associated Artists of Pittsburgh.
To mark its 100th year, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh is presenting bimonthly pieces spotlighting emerging and established artists and AAP programs. The organization promotes the visual arts in the region and is celebrating an ARTrageous year of art with more than 70 exhibitions in museums, galleries and institutions.
"When I first returned to painting, I painted all subjects, trying to find what clicked with me. Once I discovered portraiture, I realized that this was the direction I wanted to go," she says. "I find that drawing and painting the human form is fascinating and challenging. I strive to capture a likeness but, more important, I want to tell the person's story and show their unique character."
Ms. Habets believes that her paintings appeal to young people because each subject is like a character in a story.
"Children especially enjoy hearing and telling stories, and portraiture is a visual way to do that," she says.
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Celebrating 100 Years.
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