It took only one visit to Hawaii in 1976, for Peggy to fall in love with the flowers, the land and the people. Each time she returned to Hawaii she found it more and more difficult to leave and so she decided to bring a little of Hawaii home with her. She started with Plumeria cuttings and then began cultivating orchids. a€?The exotic Cattleya, graceful Phalaenopsis, and mysterious Paphiopedilum made me feel like I always had the spirit of Hawaii with me,a€? she says.

Other than a few college art courses, she is self taught and first experimented with oils in 1980 while taking groups lessons from a local artist in Southern California. After two years she gave up painting to focus on being a single mom and to pursue a career as a computer programmer.

She started making annual trips to Hawaii in 2000 and after receiving paint brushes, canvases and an easel as a gift in 2004, began to paint again for the first time in 20 years. a€?My greatest desire was to paint orchids, to capture their elegant beauty, the wonder of their dramatic colors, the ruffle of their petals, and their essence of Hawaii,a€? she says.

In 2008 she finally realized her dream, making her home on the Big Island of Hawaii, also known as the a€?Orchid Islea€?. Now the beauty of Hawaii surrounds her every day and inspires the art that brings her such joy. We hope that you too will find joy in her art.