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I grew up in Walla Walla, Washington on a small family farm, the
youngest of four children. In May 2005, I graduated from the University
of Puget Sound (UPS) with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and have
since been working and living in Seattle. My work stems from my life
experiences and focuses on mood and emotion. Although some of my
works are representational, landscape, portrait or still-life, I consider
myself an abstract expressionist utilizing light, color and texture to create
visual feeling.
What I like best about my work is that it is messy, and yet controlled. I
choose colors and compositions very carefully but I also allow the
painting to grow and be re-worked throughout the artistic process. Two
of my favorite materials are beeswax and stand oil. The texture and
quality of both those materials allow me to make works that are more
three-dimensional than two.
Although aspects of my work are controlled, the essential meaning of the
work - what it speaks to the audience - is unique to each viewer. I
consider my work almost conversational because the viewer is meant to
get lost in the painting’s visual world as if having an intimate conversation
with a friend or looking nostalgically through old photographs. For
example, when traveling alone through Italy I took a snapshot of the
dining car where I spent most of that afternoon. Later, I came home to
paint that experience as a moody painting representing solitude in a time
of busy travel. Because we all bring to the table different life experiences,
paintings such as Italian Train resonate with each viewer differently.
Visual speech is a powerful tool and it is towards the greater
understanding of this truth that I strive. I hope you can find (or lose)
yourself in the artwork.
Enjoy!
youngest of four children. In May 2005, I graduated from the University
of Puget Sound (UPS) with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and have
since been working and living in Seattle. My work stems from my life
experiences and focuses on mood and emotion. Although some of my
works are representational, landscape, portrait or still-life, I consider
myself an abstract expressionist utilizing light, color and texture to create
visual feeling.
What I like best about my work is that it is messy, and yet controlled. I
choose colors and compositions very carefully but I also allow the
painting to grow and be re-worked throughout the artistic process. Two
of my favorite materials are beeswax and stand oil. The texture and
quality of both those materials allow me to make works that are more
three-dimensional than two.
Although aspects of my work are controlled, the essential meaning of the
work - what it speaks to the audience - is unique to each viewer. I
consider my work almost conversational because the viewer is meant to
get lost in the painting’s visual world as if having an intimate conversation
with a friend or looking nostalgically through old photographs. For
example, when traveling alone through Italy I took a snapshot of the
dining car where I spent most of that afternoon. Later, I came home to
paint that experience as a moody painting representing solitude in a time
of busy travel. Because we all bring to the table different life experiences,
paintings such as Italian Train resonate with each viewer differently.
Visual speech is a powerful tool and it is towards the greater
understanding of this truth that I strive. I hope you can find (or lose)
yourself in the artwork.
Enjoy!
| © Cleo Peterson. All Rights Reserved |
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Biography: