Meet Peggy Erickson

Peggy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started as a portrait and wedding photographer in 2001 and continued growing my style and brand in that genre until around 2015. At that time, I was wanting to move in a new direction with my art and started learning to paint and to pursue photography in a different way than I previously had.

Around this time, I was looking for large scale equine art for my home and was not able to find pieces that I loved, so I started to focus my photography on horses rather than people. I have had a love for horses that began when I was very young and kept on throughout my life. While growing up in Auckland New Zealand, I was surrounded by idyllic scenery and plenty of horses, and I began photographing them as a teen. That background made me feel very comfortable when I began to photograph horses in recent years!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Soon after starting to photograph horses, my vision of Equine Art started morphing into a business of being commissioned to photograph someone’s horse. I quickly realized that to create a fine art piece, it needed to be my vision and my connection to the horse, rather than the owner’s vision.

That’s when I decided to re-focus my mission and let go of that business model (and the money that went along with it). The next few years were spent creating a look that was my own and making pieces worthy of hanging in a home, business, or gallery.

Peggy Erickson Fine Art – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Through my photography, I bring the image of the horse inside for the viewer’s enjoyment. I create for those wanting simple, modern, and emotive art. From wild horses to show horses, I find a raw beauty in every horse that I work with.

Working with such a majestic animal is exhilarating. I love to explore new places in search of more horses to photograph. My images are from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. I am influenced by Joe Andoe and appreciate the simplicity of his horse paintings.

How I choose to edit the image is key so that the final look expresses my connection to the horse. By using a limited palette and a strong composition, I have a unified body of work that shows my unique style.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Being at the right place at the right time has been important in this venture!

It’s so exciting when I drive through a remote area and find a wild herd that allows me to photograph them and get a once in a lifetime shot. Other times… not so lucky.

It’s important that I put my work out there so the right representation and buyers can find me, sometimes that’s just having your work at the right place and the right time.

1 Comment

1. 

   Jeff Sweeney

   September 21, 2019 at 2:13 am

   I’ve known Peggy since the mid-80’s, watched her evolve into an amazing photographer and artist – gaining experience through real life situations along the way all captured in her work – simply stunning!

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