Peggy Banks

Being an artist is who I am. It is how I see and what I do. Even when not creating, the spirit of artwork is within me.  As a young child, I was driven to create. I have many childhood memories sitting at my art table drawing and painting my daily experiences and imaginative mark making.

I majored in Fine Art in College and went on to develop a body of work showing my art on the Art Festival Circuit. I traveled extensively throughout much of the U.S., showing my art for 43 years, selling, making art, winning awards, and immersing myself in the art scene.

Later, as my three children grew, the need to travel less became paramount. I started teaching art part-time, and before long, it was a full-time gig. This was an incredibly busy time as I balanced motherhood, with teaching and traveling to Art Festivals on the occasional weekend. This chapter of my life deeply shaped who I became as I fused all of this while simultaneously inspiring my students to discover their artistic journeys. Each day had its own rewards and challenges and has created lasting memories I will forever cherish.

During this period, I led my art students on tours to Europe every summer. Talk about fun!! It was so remarkable it was beyond cool. My own children and husband took turns traveling with us as we explored Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona, Amsterdam as well as many more exciting destinations. These travel experiences began to weave their way into my approach to art-making. Though I create abstract or nonobjective pieces using handmade paper, my art began to capture fleeting moments and memories alluding to the unique experiences I encountered. These early travel experiences exposed my daughter to the core, and to this day, she is a nonstop pursuer of any travel opportunity . Like me, she is planning her next adventure even before she returns from wherever she went. It’s wild to hear of all her escapades.

Since I have retired from teaching, as well as doing outdoor art shows, I am focusing on showing my art in museums, art centers and galleries. Currently, I am the exhibition coordinator for BEAUX ARTS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. I specialize in getting our group of 50 professional award-winning artists exhibitions around the state. We have been featured in some outstanding venues, such as The Ormond Museum of Art, The Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences, The Hand Museum at Stetson, and The Mount Dora Center for The Arts, as well as many, many more. I am also a member of the Prestigious FLAG Artists Group, The Daytona Art League, and The Artist Workshop in New Smyrna Beach. Each of these groups offers venues to show my art, keeping my art calendar completely full.