Tuesday, December 18, 2007

New Paintings


"Grounded" is the name of this new painting. It is 19 x 19 inches, oil on canvas. I've been very interested in painting big cloudy skies again, rain seems like a novelty in Southern California, so I've been running around with my camera looking for interesting light and cloud formations. This particular view is out at Montgomery Field here in San Diego. It has a flight school with a number of smaller aircraft. I was excited when they allowed me to have the run of the place, it was an inspired moment. I've often thought of painting an airplane on the ground. Thinking of it as a metaphor of my career, waiting to take to the air.



This is "The Mark Twain Hotel", 18 x 24 inches, oil on canvas. It's an old Hollywood haunt, located between Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard. I imagined that upon their arrival to LA, an army of optimistic would-be actors, writers, and other artists would have stayed at this place over the decades. All in hopes of making the big time, working in the industry.

And finally, this is a piece that I recently re-worked. It's called "Morning in Pasadena", 16 x 20 inches, oil on canvas. It's in a neighborhood in Pasadena that's by the Arroyo, just off of Orange Grove Avenue. I liked those high hedges protecting the back yard of the house and the harmony of morning light in a neighborhood where Greene and Greene would have worked, or Frank Lloyd Wright... Wright once told his students that they ought to plant ivy or large hedges around their early architectural designs, so that in years to come their mistakes would be unseen as the foliege grew.

20 comments:

Kim VanDerHoek said...

Thanks for leaving such a nice comment on my blog.

Your work is amazing Tony! I really love "Grounded" and the meaning behind it. "Stockton Landscape" is a favorite of mine too.

I'd love to do a reciprocal link on my blog if you're interested. Let me know.

tonypetersart said...

Hi Kim, as I'm getting older and experiencing all the ups and downs of 8 years in the career of an artist, I feel like it's evermore important to find meaning with my work. More than just technical proficiency, I want my work to contain an inspired intention. Thanks for your comment!

william wray said...

Hey Tony! I like all of three, but the plane one has a nice simple feeling. Funny I just did two Jet paintings. Small world.

tonypetersart said...

Thanks Bill, your jet painting was great. I like the new direction you're going with your work.

PleinEric said...

Hi Tony!

Merry Christmas to you...

I too like the "Grounded" picture... I like the idea of your career being pictured as "potental energy". Cloudy skies though there may be... stay the course and aim high!

A Reason to Paint said...

I really like Morning in Pasadena. I've only ever heard of Pasadena in a song so you've openned up a pretty part of the world for me:)

Jesse said...

I'm diggin the airplane, very moody.

tonypetersart said...

Thanks Eric, hope to see you at Tirage again soon!

tonypetersart said...

Hey A.R.T.P.,

Would that be the little old lady from Pasadena? Haven't heard that one in a while.

tonypetersart said...

Thanks Jesse, like you, I too prefer a moody painting, as do my other artist friends. But understandably, art buyers usually respond most to my "bright and cheery" palette to hang on their wall.

A Reason to Paint said...

Yep that's the one Tony, she was a pretty cool little old lady!

Re your comment back to Jesse, it's a frustrating dilemma if you are trying to make a living from your art. Personally I'd love to see more moody work from you and I wonder how much you have tested buyers with it? Certainly your regular buyers might prefer bright and cheery but perhaps there is another market of buyers you have not yet tapped in to. It is a shame to let the market drive your art when you have a preference for moody. Yeah I know - it's easy for me to say because I don't have to make a living from my art. Like I said it must get very frustrating at times.

tonypetersart said...

A.R.T.P... I honestly feel that I'm painting for myself and I feel fortunate that people like my work enough to buy it. When I do a "moody" or more tonal and grey painting, I use the palette that best depicts that scene and my feelings there. A brighter palette I use in the same way. The market doesn't necessarily drive my art making, but rather my thoughts and feelings I need to express. To me, if I were to paint all tonal and moody paintings, I'd feel like a one trick pony. I prefer variety, there's a harmony of balance I hope for in my body of work.

That being said, I still prefer "moody" when I look at anyone else's paintings or photographs.

A Reason to Paint said...

That's good to hear Tony, your moody works are my favorites.

Rubin Hirschbeck said...

I like a lot of paintings on this blog, one of my favorite is The Mark Twain Hotel - very romantic in a cool way.

Ambera said...

Tremendous skies in all of these, they really affect the mood of each.

Anonymous said...

Tony, 'Grounded' is an awesome painting full of atmosphere; love it!

tonypetersart said...

Hey Rubin,

At the time, I felt that it was almost too risky to paint. Who'd want an old pink hotel painting on their wall? Turned out to be one of the most desirable images in my show, everyone really responded to it.

tonypetersart said...

Alexandre,

Thanks! I'd love to do a show full of paintings with big cloudy skies one of these days.

Anonymous said...

Great work..keep going..

Thanks for sharing...


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Keegan said...

Can I purchase a print (or maybe even the original) of the Mark Twain piece? Please contact me at keeganh@gmail.com