Dressel_the Red Balloon

About Peggy Dressel

Peggy Dressel is both a fine arts artist and illustrator. As a watercolor and pastel fine artist, she has exhibited in galleries, museums and juried exhibitions where she has won many awards. Her paintings,  palette and knowledge of color were featured in the 2007 spring issue of Watercolor Magazine, The Basics of Watercolor Paints I & II. She is an elected member of the New Jersey Watercolor Society, The Degas Pastel Society, the American Artist Professional League and the Art Center of Northern NJ Watercolor Association.  

Peggy has illustrated picture books, posters, book covers, chapter books, ads and magazines. Companies such as Marshall Cavendish, Dial Soap, Macy’s and Vogue have published her work. She has recently finished illustrating two children’s chapter books by Daniel Oliver, plus Grandmothers’ Lullabies, The Stories, Songs and the Science of Soothing, by Licia  Clair Seaman that includes 30 of her illustrations which are currently being published. 

She has been teaching drawing, watercolor and pastel for the past 25 years, before that she worked in an illustration studio and a design studio. Currently, she is an instructor at the Art Center of Northern NJ, the Ridgewood Art Institute, the Mahwah and Oakland Senior Center and the Franklin Lakes YMCA.  

Peggy Dressel studied at the Pratt Institute, NYC, Institute, NYC, AOS, the National Academy of Design, NYC and Moore College of Art, PA.    


Artist Statement

“I love painting with watercolor. It is the perfect medium to create beautiful and colorful paintings. I use transparent washes of changing complimentary colors. This helps to vibrate the color and produces a luminosity and glow in my work.   The sense of light and value in my paintings is also important to me. It conveys mood,  place and time of day. “

-Peggy Dressel

2023 NBAS – Watercolor and Mixed Media “See the Forest for the Trees.”

2022 NBAS – Watercolor and Mixed Media “After the Charm: In the Name of Autumn.”

Education

  • Pratt Manhattan, NYC Degree,  AOS, 1985 
  • Moore College of Art, PA 
  • National Academy of Fine Arts, NYC 

Museums

  • The Belskie Museum of Arts and Science, 2017, ’16,’ 14,’ 13,’ 12, ’11  
  • Bergen Museum of Arts and Science, 2004, ’03 
  • Morris Museum,  The Artful Table, 2013 

Galleries

  • The Clifton Art Center, 2019 
  • Pine Gallery Fairlawn, 2019, ’13 
  • The Riverdale Art Center, Bloomingdale, 2016, ’11 
  • Livingston Gallery, 2015, ’11 
  • MPAC Mayo Performing Arts Center, 2015. 02 
  • Riverside Gallery, Hackensack, 2016, ’14, ’10 
  • Atrium Gallery, Morristown, 2019,’18,’17,’16,’15,’14,13,’12,’11,’10,’09’08,’07,‘06,’05,‘04,’03, 
  • Art Center of Northern NJ, 2019, ’17,’ 15, ’13, ’11 
  • Ward-Nasse Gallery, NYC, 2003 
  • Nexus Gallery, NYC,  2002 
  • Intermission Gallery, John Harms, 2000 
  • Lena DiGangi, Totowa, NJ 
  • Gallery One Main, High Bridge, NJ 
  • Nathans, West Paterson, NJ, 
  • Drue Chryst Gallery, Sparta, NJ 
  • The Legal Arts Gallery, Goshen, NY 
  • Essex Fine Arts Gallery, Montclair, NJ 

Solo Exhibitions

  • Library of the Chatham’s. 2022 
  • NECA, Parsipany, NJ,  2004 
  • Franklin Lakes Library, Franklin Lakes, NJ 1999 
  • Louis Bay 2nd Library, Hawthorne, NJ 1999 
  • The Interchurch Center, NYC 1998 
  • New Your Theological Seminary, NYC, 1998′ 
  • ADP Inc, Roseland, NJ. 1995 
  • Dow Jones & Co, Inc. Princeton, NJ 1994, ’05 
  • Children’s Specialized Hospital, Mountainside, NJ 1995 
  • Ringwood Manor, NJ State Park, Ringwood, NJ 1994 
  • St. Peter’s Church, NYC 1992  

Exhibitions (Two-Person Show)

  • Mayo Performing Arts Center Gallery, 2005 
  • Kurth Cottage Gallery, Valley Hospital 
  • Gallery of U Frame It, 1995 

Juried Exhibitions

  • NJ Watercolor Society, 2021, ’20, ’18, ’15, 
  • Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, 2021, ’20, ’19, 1994 
  • Ridgewood Art Institute, Juried, Regional 2022, ’21,’ 19’18,’ 17,’ 14’10, ’09, ’05, ’04, 03, ’01, 1995, ’94, 92, 91 
  • The Art of Healing, Englewood Hospital, 2017  
  • AAPL, National, 2016, 2004, 1997 
  • Pascack Art Association, Tri-State, 2015, ’14 
  • Ridgewood Art Institute, Juried, Regional 2022, ’21,’ 19’18,’ 17,’ 14’10, ’09, ’05, ’04, 03, ’01, 1995, ’94, 92, 91 
  • Journey, ASMGT, Montclair, NJ. 2017 
  • Childhood Memories, Zufall Health, Dover,2020, 2015 
  • AAPL, National, 2016, 2004, 1997 
  • April Arts. Arts Council of Morris County, 2010, 08, 06, 04, 02 
  • The Modern Family, The Interchurch Center, 2010 
  • THE Art of Giving, Benefit Table to Table, 2001 `  
  • Paint the City, Art Auction, Society of Illustrators, 2001 ` 
  • Skylands’ Art Exhibit, National, 2005, ’04, ’03, ’02, 01,  1999 
  • 2004 Skyland’s Art Show by  Popular Request 
  • Mountain Art how, Bernardsville, NJ 2004, ’03, ’02, ’01, 2000, 1999, ’95, 94′ 
  • CAA National Juried Exhibition, 2004, 03, 02, 1999, ’98,97, 96 
  • Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council, Old Lafayette Village, 2003 
  • Ridgewood Arts Council, Juried, Lambert Castle Museum, 2002, 2004 
  • Degas Pastel Society, National  Biennial 2000, 1992 
  • The Wilson Gallery, Exhibition and sale,2009, 2008,07, 04, 03, 02, ’01 
  • Center for International Art & Culture, NYC 2000 
  • Oregon Pastel Society, National 2000. 1992, ’91, ’90 
  • Nabisco Foods Co, 1999, ‘94 
  • Newark Museum Artist Night, 1999, ’96 
  • Watchung Arts Center, 1998 
  • Ringwood Manor Assoc. Open Juried Exhibition, 1999, ’94, ’93, & ’92 
  • AAPL of NJ, 1997, ’96, ’95 
  • Southeastern Pastel Society, 1993, ’92, ’91, ’90, ’89  
  • Northwest Pastel Society, National, 1992, ’91 
  • Patel Society of North Florida, National 1992, 91, 90 
  • Pastel  Society of the West Coast, National, 1991 
  • Kansas Pastel Society, National 1991 
  • The Society of Illustrators, Student Show, 1985 

Awards

  • Best in Show: Bergen Museum Outdoor, CAA Inserria Corporate Show 
  • First Place: CAA’s National Juried Show 
  • Second Place: Ringwood Manor, Watchung Art Center,  
  • Special Awards: Purchase Award, Degas Pastel Society  
  • Special Awards: Cynthia Goodgal Memorial Award, Ridgewood Art Inst. 

Merit Awards:

CLWAC, NJWCS, Degas Pastel Society, Oregon Pastel Society, Inserra Corporate Show, Kansas Pastel Society, Southeastern Pastel Society, Pastel Society of  North Florida, Northwest Pastel Society, Salute, Salutes the Village, Nexus Gallery, Salute, Intermezzo Gallery, Ridgewood Arts Council, Community Arts Association

Elected Memberships

Current:

New Jersey Watercolor Society,  Degas Pastel Society, Art Center of Northern NJ Watercolor Affiliates, President, American Professional League

Past:

Southeastern Pastel Society, Oregon Pastel Society, Pastel Plus, President

Collections

Marsh, USA Inc, Morristown, NJ, People’s Bank and Trust Co. Tupelo, MS, Private Collections

Honors

  • Paintings and palette featured in an article in Watercolor Magazine, May 2007 
  • Selected for Art-Strings, NJ Symphony Orchestra 2005 
  • Twill NJ Featured Artist Fine Artist Poster collection and 1998 Calendar 

Artist Website: https://childrensillustrators.com/PeggyDressel/portfolio

Artist Contact: pegdartist@aol.com