Daily Inspiration: Meet Peach McComb

Today we’d like to introduce you to Peach McComb.

Hi Peach, We are so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to the Nashville area just in time to experience the ice storm that briefly crippled the region. I started living in Bellevue, then moved to Old Hickory Village in 1995, where I found a cheap house to buy! Therein lies the tale! I met commercial artist Mary Field Neville in dance class. I had not drawn or painted since I was a child when I decided to paint an abstract mural on a bedroom wall to disguise a bad plastering job. Mary toured my house, saw the mural on the wall, and then said, Miss Peach, I think we have found a new profession for you! Mary became my close friend and artistic mentor. Shortly after, I began taking the occasional watercolor class and workshop, never thinking it would go anywhere. I was very busy working full-time in my corporate job, and was also in the TN Air National Guard, so there was never a dull moment!

I painted whenever possible and had my first one-artist show at the Tennessee Art League Gallery in downtown Nashville in July 2009 and another two-artist show with Mary Field Neville at Gordon Jewish Community Center the following September. I painted when I had time, which was rare, and joined some art groups to help hone my skills. I continued my art education when I met Joel Knapp, an excellent plein air artist and teacher. Learning from Joel was a revelation! I learned much about painting outside from Joel and Roger Dale Brown, another excellent teacher. I experimented with different media and started painting outside whenever possible. I went from, oh my gosh, awful to not too bad.

Fast forward to 2016, when I retired from the corporate world early so I could paint full-time. I also started teaching and sharing as much information as possible with other artists and students.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Learning to see, drawing, sketching, and painting all take practice, practice, practice! It took me a long while to understand how to use the paint properly, draw, and use perspective to lend an in-depth appearance to my work. Painting is making two-dimensional objects or scenes look three-dimensional! Like any skill, it takes time to learn these things. Having said that, if you can learn to drive a car, you can learn to paint. Period! You start slowly, and then things make more sense as you paint. Along the way, I have been extraordinarily blessed to have many mentors who helped me develop my skills. I have always felt that any day in the studio or outside, painting from life, is a great day! That does not mean every painting drops off the ends of my brushes quickly! They do not. I have successes, and I have failures. I have learned that I gain far more from my failures than my successes, and I also gain a lot from my students and artist friends. We critique each other’s work, and that is very helpful. I am still learning and expect to continue to do so until I croak! That is the beauty and the challenge of being an artist. You always discover something new and exciting! I credit several people for helping me, and I try to return that gift to others.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I paint mainly from life, whether it’s still life, outdoor scenes, or figures. I love to do it, and it helps enormously when I paint from photographs because I know that the camera and one’s eyes see differently. I paint with water-soluble oils, acrylics, and watercolors, and occasionally with pastels. I am known for painting fast and loose, sometimes melting edges and objects into the background. I also paint many local scenes, including several views of the ever-changing Nashville skyline. I sketch frequently in watercolor and enjoy painting whimsical subjects, birds, flowers, and bugs. Yep. Bumble bees, butterflies, and dragonflies, among others. I print my greeting cards using water media and oil painting prints, and people seem to enjoy them.

One of my proudest achievements is being an active part of Nashville’s vibrant art community. I’ve had the privilege of making many friends, and their presence enriches my daily life, just as I hope I do theirs. I’m not known for my tact and diplomacy, but I am known for my honesty and integrity. Some may consider me outspoken to the point of rudeness, but I believe in speaking the truth as I see it, without intentionally offending others.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I am retired military and having that background helps in that I have never concerned myself with peoples’ looks, politics, religion, or background. Back in the day, our mantra was always, “Can you do your job?” The mission was all that mattered. That was true then, and it is true for me now. It does not matter what that ‘job’ is, whether I am painting alone, in a group, or working on a team to create an art exhibition. It is essential to get the job done and do it well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.peachmccomb.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peachmccomb/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peach.mccomb.7/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peach-mccomb-art-with-attitude-34494711/
• Twitter: https://x.com/PeachMccomb
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CovCYzx-t1U&t=146s

Image Credits
Brandon Jackson, Michael Gustafson, Peach McComb