PEG HURLEY: BIO

Paintings shaped by nature and memory

Peg Hurley is a mixed-media artist whose work explores the connection between the natural world, memory, and the experiences that quietly shape our lives. Blending recognizable imagery with abstraction, she creates layered paintings that feel both familiar and unexpected.

Wildlife, birds, open skies, mountains, gardens, and movement frequently appear in Hurley’s work, not simply as subjects, but as symbols of instinct, resilience, freedom, tenderness, and finding one’s way. Her paintings are built through layers of mixed media and finished in oil, combining expressive mark-making, stenciled elements, softened edges, and areas of quiet resting space. Symbols are often woven subtly into the composition, inviting the viewer to look beyond the first impression and discover something more personal.

Color plays an important role in her visual language. Rich blues, greens, jewel tones, and unexpected accents are balanced by quieter neutrals, allowing moments of energy to exist alongside stillness.

At the heart of Hurley’s work is storytelling. Whether inspired by a fleeting encounter in nature, a remembered landscape, or a personal story, each painting begins with something recognizable and moves toward something felt.

Rather than telling the viewer exactly what to see, Hurley leaves room for individual experience. Her paintings are meant to hold memory, spark recognition, and offer the feeling that somewhere within the layers, there is a story the viewer already knows.

ART EDUCATION:

• Milan Art School March 2025- October 2026

EXHIBITIONS-JURIED SHOWS:

• 26th Annual Juried Art Show- Belton, SC November 2024
• 27th Annual Juried Art Show- Belton, SC November 2025
• 51st Annual Juried Art Exhibit, Anderson Arts Center- Anderson, SC April 2026
• Art on the Town, Anderson, SC April 2026
• Anderson Artists Guild Membership Exhibit, Anderson, SC June 2026
• The Art Gallery on Pendleton Square, Pendleton, SC August 2026

ARTIST STATEMENT

My paintings are inspired by a lifetime of memories and adventures, using hidden symbolism and layered imagery to invite discovery with each viewing. Through abstract realism, I hope to evoke wonder while transporting viewers back to a time and place where they felt safe, preserving memories that might otherwise fade with time.