'Every child enters life as an artist; the challenges come as the artists' "child" enters adulthood'. Peter Alan Richard *Appropriated from Pablo Picasso.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Principles
of painting, drawing, collage, printmaking and sculpture all come together into
one application. Because of Richard's mixed media presentation, it's difficult
to box-in defining what "is" painting -- "a" painting -- or
"a" drawing. Whether on paper
or a plywood panel, a wide-range of content goes through a vigorous and
rigorous process. Applying mainly oil paint with plaster, collage,
charcoal and industrial materials, he develops richly dynamic surfaces as
textural field paintings. Often integrated with representational imagery,
Richard's abstract-like work exemplifies a Contemporary unconventionality and
experimentation while bringing forth boldness, sensitivity and playfulness with
a dark spin.
Richard has
long had a fascination with the dynamics of the media and technology. From 2001 to present, Richard has made his
paintings in the context of structural walls and billboards.
When
the rampant news reports of the Southern California wild fires hit in October
of '03, Richard empathetically responded with his "walls, fire and
memory" series, as he has had a history of fires throughout his personal
life. "Untitled (firewall i)"
on paper depicts bold colors of fire and warm earth tones, merging with a
wall-like texture -- influenced by Spanish painter, Antoni Tapies. Oil paint, charcoal and plaster have
concealed integrated collage imagery -- or removed by his sanding of the
surface. For him, it's ok; change and
loss is inevitable. Another underlying metaphor behind Richard's motivation:
media facts and information often get filtered, covered and/or lost. Nothing is too serious as ballpoint pen
marks up playful circles. Subsequently,
"untitled (firewall i)" beckons the viewer into a child-like
investigation of the surface's details.
It's a reminder to play and enjoy no matter what life gives -- or takes
away.
In Richard's more recent "space" series, he appropriates
images from his personal and virtual female rapports. These images
launch inspiration for him to balance the abstract sensibility with an identifyable image.
What is
making art? For Richard, here he
asserts:
"To
paint is a favorable way to vent, invent and contribute from dealing with my
own personal challenges and awarenesses.
By default, making art is necessary. The ride's not all a struggle, nor always "work" -- moreover a
privilege, opportunity and Joy. I
think of my paintings like layers of our human psyche -- as these art works
also have layers under the surface. Immersed personal barriers and my
paintings' content of marks are the details worth managing; necessary really,
whether: apparent, nebulous, latent, welcomed, avoided, unbeknownst, realized
or covered up. I have a profound
inclination to connect with these layers.
Its about relationships. With
myself. With people. Its not important that my viewers always get my meaning; for I prefer others to have their own interpretation. Overall, I care to
provide my audience with the opportunity to participate in my art works’
dialog. Overall, if my art can get them to feel something, then, I have
accomplished something best worthwhile."
P E T E R A L A N R I C H A R D m i x e d m e d i a p a i n t e rBorn:
Feb 3, Orange, CA Currently
residing: Los Angeles, CA
Education
2002 6 mo. practicum, Taking the Leap, CA, Art/business 1998 BA, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA , Art,History, Psych 1994 Undergraduate,CSULB,
Long Beach, CA, Drawing 1993 Certificate, UCI,
Irvine, CA, GraphicDesign 1992 Transfer,OCC,
Costa Mesa, CA, Art/General Related Experience
'03-'05 Guest, UCLA Warner Studios, Printmaking, panel construction ’98-’99 Overseas study, Italy, Culture/History/Painting ’01-’02 Art
Teacher, M. Collins,
Petaluma, CA, Mixed media process ’00-'02 Tech. Assistant, SSU, Rohnert Park,
CA, Tool
shop monitor
Solo Exhibitions
2007 "naughty
school concubine", temporary installation (live sketch performance), e3rd st., Los
Angeles, CA
2004 “Mixed”, Be Well Chiropractic, Encino, CA
Group Exhibitions
2008 "Honoring life", Auction, Woodland Hills, CA 2008 "LA tonite", 2nd st Cigars Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2008 "xx/xy", Hanger 1018, Los Angeles, CA 2008 "groupies", Monte Cristo, Los Angeles, CA 2008 "live sketch performance 4", e3rd, Los Angeles, CA 2007 "Rockit", The Grind, Mar Vista, CA 2007 "walls on bricks", Weiland, Los Angeles, CA 2007 "Body & Mind", Core Clinic, San Jose, CA 2007 "art of nightclubbing",
IVAR, Hollywood, CA 2007 "art.
food. music.", Tangiers, Los Feliz, CA 2007 "Art
Display", Miss Kitty's Parlor @ Dragonfly, Hollywood, CA 2007 "collab with Frank Ryan", e3rd st. lounge, Los Angeles, CA 2007 "process
monica", Star Factory, Los Angeles, CA 2007 "neighbor
affair", Studio 2921, Culver City, CA 2007 "Mayapalooza",
Maya De Leone, Pasadena, CA 2007 "fantasy
art", Cigars 2nd st. gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2007 "abstractions",
Royal Claytons, Los Angeles, CA 2006 "my
space... in process 2", IVAR, Hollywood, CA 2006 "my
space.. in process", The Monte Christo, Hollywood, CA 2005 “TOO
LIPS”, Boardners, Hollywood, CA 2004 “Peace
of Art”, Keller Williams, Marina Del Rey, CA 2004 consigned
work, SOHO gallery, Studio City, CA 2003 “Floating
to the surface”, 5900 St., Emeryville, CA 2002 consigned
work, Hang, 567 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 2001 “Reconstructing
Reality” City of Oakland Gallery, Oakland, CA 2000 “Collaborations”,
Edward Jones, Sebastopol, CA 1999 “Cheap
Art Salon”, Campus Gallery, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA 1998 “Cheap
Art Salon”, Campus Gallery, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA
2001 "Artists make enduring response to 9/11 attack" The Mont Clarion (CA) p. 01, Published on 12-25-01 B. ROSCOE, STAFF WRITER
Commissions
and Collectors
2008 Alicia Sixtos, Los Angeles, CA 2008 Fusion Restaurant, San Diego, CA 2007 Monica Ford, Los Angeles, CA 2007 Tracy McCormick, Tempe, AZ / Los Angeles,CA 2007 Jackie Orchard, Pinellao, FL
2007 Alley Douros, Salt Lake City, UT
2007 Jason
Ha, Los Angeles, CA
2007 Maya
De Leon, Pasadena, CA
2007 Asra
Iftekaruddin, Los Angeles, CA
2006 Gina
Hansen, Sherman Oaks, CA
2006 Kristina
Eil, Ventura, CA
2006 Robyn
Williams, Manhattan Beach, CA 2006 Shehzod
and Shafina Thawer, Sherman Oaks, CA 2006 Angelique
Hennessey, Los Feliz, CA 2005 Keller Williams, Marina Del Rey, CA 2005 Erin Nemeier,
Brentwood, CA 2004 Brian
Benkenstalk, Venice, CA 2004 Chris
Tyler, Venice, CA 2004 Dan
V. Design, Los Angeles, CA 2004 Julie
Jacobs, Santa Cruz, CA 2003 Kristen
Schreyer, Santa Barbara, CA 2003 Sara
Rogers, San Francisco, CA 1997 Trader
Joe’s, store mural, Santa Rosa, CA
Bodies of Work
2008 "alicia": a portrait painting series paying homage to the hispanic community. with actress/model "alicia" as the focal point, a mix of media touches on grafitti art, LA's urban egdy grit counter-balanced with alicia's soft, femine beauty -- tho she's noticeably more than meets the eye.
2007 "process monica" a
mixed media painting/drawing series of actress/model, Monica Ford and other lady friends befriended on myspace.com. 2007 "shift":
mixed media (found objects) wall sculpture pieces. 2006-2007 "angelique"
series: mixed media pieces on panels and paper of friend/actress/model,
Angelique 2006 "'my
space in process' series: mixed media pieces of myspace.com friends and my relationship to them, Culver City,
CA" 2005 “dress
series : expanding content and concept spawned from ‘Asie portrait series’,
Culver City, CA” 2005 “Asie
: a social-narrative portrait series: appropriating and combining painting,
drawing, printmaking, principles and
elements, Culver City, CA” 2004 "Integration: mixed media works
on paper of the wall and fire motif, Venice, CA." 2004 "Memory Series: mixed media on
paper dealing with childhood experiences, Venice, CA." 2004 "Fire Series: mixed media
works on paper in response to Southern Cal. wild fires, Venice, CA." 2003 "Wall
Series: mixed media works on panels reacting to the human dichotomy, Richmond,
CA." 2002 “Middle
Ground Series: mixed media works in socio-psycho-political contexts, Richmond,
CA.” 2001 “Mixed
media on panel in response to news media reaction to terrorist attacks, Cotati,
CA.” 2001 “Sculptural
Series: high relief mixed media content pieces on panel, Cotati, CA” 2000 “Collaborations
Series: works in conjunction with Sarah Rogers, and Frank Ryan, Cotati, CA.” 2000 “A
New Beginning Piece: panel painting in oil / mixed media and new applications,
Cotati, CA.” 1999 “Model
Series: figure drawings and paintings on paper. Facilitated by Philip Bueller, Santa Rosa, CA, and hired models
at home studio, Cotati, CA.” 1999 “The
Relationship Series: two mixed media works on paper dealing with the personal
dynamics of ending relationships, Sebastopol, CA.” 1998
Student Body: mixed
media drawings on paper, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA.”
P e t e r A l a n R i c h a r d
