Meet Renee Peterson | Artist, muralist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Renee Peterson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Renee, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
I didn’t think much about the word legacy until I had my daughter. Becoming a parent put so many things in perspective for me. Even though things have been very difficult for me I want my daughter to look back and see that great things and happiness can come from a desperate situation. I hope that it will give her the courage to follow her passions. Art is my medium but I want the pursuit of it to be my legacy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The main art I create is murals. There is something fun and mischievous about painting walls. I love big bold colors. I love art that is in your face and makes you stop to take it in. It’s in that moment of pause that I find the most peace. I would love to explore more instillations incorporating murals. That will be one of the next jumps I make in my art career. Being a single mom and an artist I don’t always get the opportunity to create a piece that embodies what I want. Some may call it selling out but I call it selling up. I don’t have the luxury of painting my own style all the time. I’m in the process of paying my dues and learning as much a I can about my craft. So if someone wants a logo painted, sure! That helped me pay my rent for the month. I am grateful for every single time someone pays me to color their walls, and I hone my craft with each one.
Getting to the point I’m at now was not easy. I’m a big believer in that the universe will point you in the direction you are meant to be. Only I wasn’t following the directions very well, so the universe basically made it so being a full time artist was my only choice. With in the span of one year I became a mother, lost my father, lost my job, and my marriage fell apart. To say I was lost was an understatement. I turned back to art to cope. I had barely drawn in 10 years but I found myself drawing everyday. Some friends of mine checked in on me and asked if I could do a mural . They remembered me saying I did one when I was a teen, and they took the chance on me. Sometimes a chance all we need. I did the mural for their restaurant and then I got another offer…then another… Before I knew it I had done 3 huge murals in 3 months.
During this time I had my daughter full time and child care was difficult. So with some more help from friends I was able to work 2 days a week and pay my bills. I borrowed equipment until I could afford it and slowly it grew and grew. It would have been easy to give up and get a 9-5 but I wanted to do this for my daughter as much as for myself. To show her how to be a strong independent woman who made her own way. Even though I didn’t feel that way at the time I can look back and see that’s what I did/am still doing.
What I hope people could learn from my story is that there will never be a “right time” to start your business. We are on borrowed time. Don’t waste it on not doing something you love.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There is no way to do CO in a week. So I’ll stick to northern CO. Estes park is the 1st place we go. I take the to Poppy’s for a smoked trout pizza and to the gondola for the best views I’ve ever had. Grabbing a drink at the Stanley is a must, if they aren’t chickens. Spending an entire day in Fort Collins is a must. You can throw a rock in any direction and you will find good food, good drinks, and entertainment. If they have kiddos the Fort Collins Children’s Museum is the best! I may be a little partial to the painted pianos that are all around Fort Collins. (Pssst.. the one I painted is hot pink with black designs).
I love to hike and there are so many local places that done disappoint. My favorite place is Devil’s Backbone in Loveland. It’s an easy hike and has such stunning rock formations. Other hikes I like are, Gem Lake, Horsetooth falls, and anything in Estes.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my success to my father. He was my biggest supporter of my art. As a child I remember having so much encouragement and praise for my skills. I think back on it and realize I was at the same skill level as any other child. Because my father saw how much I enjoyed drawing he decided to encourage me and that confidence grew to become a skill I coveted. I believe it is true that anyone can become an artist. It just takes practice and a desire to create. My father added a much fuel as he could to that fire. He passed away in 2020 and it was his passing that jolted me into making art my full time career. Grief is a powerful emotion and while I grieved my father I also grieved the potential he saw in me that I wasn’t living up to.

Website: Peachiequeenart.com

Instagram: @peachie_queen_art

Other: TikTok @peachiequeenart