Featured Artist – Peggy Abbott Chin

Our featured artist this week is Peggy Abbott Chin who has created a fabulous window display from her gorgeous textile arts.   Peggy believes that art is medicine and can be used as a verb.  You are not just making something – you are arting – and when you are, God can come.  She realizes that is a tricky word to use so feel free to substitute spirit, universe, source, a higher power, inspiration, etc.  To Peggy, creating becomes a beautiful space of communication.  Art making becomes your teacher, your journey.  Making art takes you someplace inside yourself.  Art can be a direction, a finger pointing, a map.  It is giving you a sign.  It can be about what’s going to happen – a forecast – or it can be a nowcast that tells you what shape you are in.

Peggy was in good shape that early, rainy Saturday morning that led her – due to a literal “detour” sign in the road – directly to the intersection in Culver City that is home to her beloved The Word Is Art Gallery (TWIA).  Her adrenaline started pumping when she looked over and saw words like “hand-made gifts” and “fine art” and she thought, “This “detour” is no accident!  I make fine art and hand-made gifts and I am ready to share them with my local community, and not just on-line anymore.”  She decided to visit the gallery (several times!) to see if they would be a fit. Before she knew it, Peggy was welcomed as a new member to TWIA family.  

She says it is a lovely and diverse group to be amongst and a great reason to keep arting and evolving in art and as a human.  She loves the connections as well as the fun and beautiful art of all the other artists.   She says,  “Everyone is supportive.  We are all comedians and we love to laugh!   (Or is that just me?)   Renee is like our wonderful “mother” at the gallery.  She looks out for all of us.  And we all reciprocate.”

While Peggy loves mixed media art and watercolor painting, her main focus at TWIA is on making art from rich, deep, delicious textiles which is why they are the focus of her window display.  She remembers loving and combining fabric scenarios as far back as middle school on the east coast, where she dressed more “creatively” than the rest, and got constant comments.  When Peggy moved to California for the first time in 1990 she was thrilled with the relaxed view and acceptance of creativity that is stronger – or at least more visible – here on the west coast. 

Peggy says even though there is much stress and sadness in the world, there is even more beauty than that to focus on, look for and find in the details of everyday life.  We are all free to choose what we want to focus on.  She chooses beauty.  It is in these details and daily interactions with the places and people around her that serve as Peggy’s inspirations.  And you can truly see that in the beautiful and inspired pieces that she creates.