Know Your Neighbor: Peggy Davidson Post, Artist, Chappaqua
Peggy Davidson Post feels fortunate that her parents never tried to persuade her from pursuing what she loved to do most.
From the time Post’s father gave her his oil paints as a child and encouraged her to hone her natural talents, she’s been attracted to a wide variety of artistic outlets from making handmade pieces out of paper to graphic design to what became one of her favorite forms of expression, landscape painting.
Even so, when Post, 59, was growing up in northern California’s Bay Area, there was pressure to choose a career that was safe and solid, not entirely unlike what high school and college students face today. Therefore, when she attended California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College for the Arts), Post’s practical side kicked in.
“I went so far as to protect myself by getting teaching credentials, thinking at least I had something that I was certified to do,” Post recalled. “I just sort of made a pact with myself when I was about college age. Art is not really a very secure profession at all but I will do it as long as I can do it. When I can’t do it anymore I’ll stop. The time never came when I had to stop.”
Post moved to New York about 30 years ago when her husband, whom she met when he attended nearby UC Berkeley, received a nine-month appointment to teach at Vassar College. After that, he chose to pursue journalism and the couple decided to remain in New York. Post began making contacts in the art New York community and started volunteering for a statewide arts organization where she eventually became its membership director.
It was a fortuitous turn of events for Post since it not only provided her with a paycheck but it helped familiarize her with various shows and festivals where she could exhibit her own work. It also opened up teaching possibilities and started exposing her to different media.
“That was a perfect job for someone new to the state because I got to travel all over the state, meeting people who worked in all these different fields,” Post said.
Her love of nature led her to volunteer at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, which later evolved into a paying job where Post helped their nature guides. Post also taught art classes at Teatown.
“My main interest in art is where science and art meet,” Post explained. “I really love nature. I love being outdoors hiking. I love those experiences. I’ve never trended toward abstract art or what you would even consider really contemporary art. That’s just not where my interest is. I’m really interested in the place where nature and art meet, so that’s my direction.”
A trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art more than a decade ago sparked Post’s passion to try landscape art. Using primarily soft pastels or oil paint, she enjoys finding pretty locations where she can create her works.
Juggling multiple jobs and projects throughout the 17-year Chappaqua resident’s career has made for a sometimes hectic but fulfilling experience. She has also branched out into illustration.
“You’re probably going to become a better artist if you stick with one thing and really push it as far as you can,” said Post, who has two daughters, 22 and 29 years old. “But, I don’t know, it’s just not in me to do that and I’ve had a lot of fun with the diversity of what I do. So I don’t have any regrets.”
Post has also been able to fuse working with the more traditional primary materials with modern art techniques on the computer. In the 1990s, Post felt compelled to learn more about the emerging technology.
Although Post enjoys working on her landscape painting in her studio in the basement of her home, she doesn’t bemoan the growing dominance of the computer in artwork. What counts is the finished product, she said.
“I think way back before I got involved in computer art I had a little bit of that phobia people have about machines,” Post said.”But an image is an image and no matter how you arrive at it it’s still your mind driving your hand. It’s still your sense of design and value that is of the utmost importance.”
Although it can be a trying life making it as an artist, she concluded that working at something you enjoy will bring rewards.
“I think if you follow what you’re good at and what you like you’ll have a much better chance at success,” Post said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/