Kenneth Eugene Peters

Desert Hills

2012-02-11T11:57:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to return to landscape painting for awhile, and last month I decided to return to it. This panoramic canvas depicts mountains outside of Palm Springs as the setting sun bleached them in golden light. Sunsets in California are spectacular, and difficult to capture on canvas. However, I enjoyed this painting experience and plan to revisit landscape imagery again.

"Desert Hills." Oil on canvas, 24 x 48 inches. Completed January 2012.

Savannah Bound

2012-02-03T08:04:00.002-05:00

I'm heading out this morning on my annual sojourn to Savannah, Georgia. The weather is supposed to be great so I am really looking forward to the respite.

This past week I completed my first major landscape work in several years. It's based on desert imagery from my fall trip to Palm Springs, California. I'll share more in a future post.

Desert Light

2012-01-29T12:40:00.003-05:00

I've been continuing with my Palm Springs theme this month, working primarily on small canvases. This is a canvas I completed quickly (in about an hour), and I tried to focus on two things: the harsh desert light, and a rapid brush stroke.

This past week I was offered a solo exhibition at the Cameron Village Regional Library here in Raleigh, NC. The show will run in August of this year, and I am excited and grateful for the opportunity.

Outside of the studio, I've been somewhat obsessed with the highly acclaimed French film "The Artist," Michel Hazanavicius's love note to the silent movie era of Hollywood. While it may have a simple story, the film is exquisite with fabulous performances by Jean Dujardin as George Valentin and Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller. I've gone to see the movie three times in the past eight days, and I still feel like I have more to capture from it.

"Desert Light." Oil on canvas, 14 x 11 inches. Completed January 2012.

Blue Dusk

2012-01-22T10:15:00.002-05:00

This small study of Mid-Century Modern architecture is the third installment in my Palm Spring series. I enjoyed working in a color range that is unusual for me, adding cobalt blue to my pallet.

"Blue Dusk." Oil on stretched canvas, 9 x 12 inches. Completed December 2011.

Pool House

2012-01-16T14:34:00.005-05:00

I'm taking a lunch break from the studio and thought I'd update the blog with some recent work. This canvas, completed last month, is the second in my Palm Springs series. I have been working small for the past few weeks, trying to diversify the size of my output.

"Pool House." Oil on canvas, 11 x 14 inches. Completed December 2011.

Chi Omega House Commission

2012-01-01T10:54:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! Now that the Christmas holiday has passed, I can post the most recent work I have completed. This painting was a commissioned piece that depicts the Chi Omega Sorority House at St. Lawrence University in New York. I received the commission from a former colleague of mine at the Raleigh City Museum who wanted to present it as a Christmas gift.

During the holiday break I had the chance to visit the "Modern Masters" exhibition at Reynolda House in Winston-Salem. As always, Reynolda House did a fine presentation of this traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian's American Art Museum.

While visiting family up north during Christmas, I happened upon Gallery 322 in Frederick, Maryland. The gallery was featuring several works by Maryland artist Walter Bartman, a painter who also taught at the Maryland College of Art and Design in the 1980s when I was the college's director of admissions. I fell in love with one of his small landscapes painted on fiberboard and decided to purchase it for my personal collection.

I also fit in a day of painting yesterday in the studio, completing two small works in what I am calling my Palm Springs series. More on those in future posts.

"Chi Omega House, St. Lawrence University." Oil on stretched canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed November 2011.

Palm Springs Series

2011-12-18T15:00:00.003-05:00

Despite the hectic season, I was able to complete a new work this past week. Last Sunday I held a studio session with a young middle school student who is completing a mentorship project with me. While she worked on a still-life in acrylics, I painted in oils nearby. At first I was going to simply "scribble" something from my memory, but I decided to paint over an older canvas and use an image from my recent trip to Palm Springs, California as a basis. I expected it to be a simple study, but as I worked the canvas came together well and so I decided to take it more seriously and completed what might be the first painting in a new "Palm Springs Series." What I like about it is the looseness of paint strokes and the vibrant, bright colors - very different from the more somber, dark paintings I've been working on for the last two years. We'll see where this goes.

"Swiss Miss." Oil on stretched canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed December 2011.

Gearing up for the Holiday

2011-12-10T12:08:00.002-05:00

It's a busy time of year...too busy to devote much time to the studio, I'm afraid. Last month I completed a commissioned piece that I will post an image of soon. I am also mentoring a young middle school student who is completing a class project that requires her to shadow a professional. I was honored to be selected as her mentor for the project. We will be working together tomorrow in my studio. Other than these activities, it will likely be quiet until the first of the new year. A quiet workload doesn't mean that the thought process is on break, and I have lots of ideas ruminating at the moment. I'm looking forward to a relaxed schedule so that I can pursue some of them.

100 Under 1000

2011-11-19T12:35:00.005-05:00

I am one of 50 artists invited to participate in the Lee Hansley Gallery's annual "100 Under 1000" holiday exhibition. The show will open this Sunday, November 20 and run through December 31, 2011. The Lee Hansley Gallery is located at 225 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh NC 27603. Gallery hours: Tu-Sat 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (First Friday, December 23 open until 10 p.m.) Phone: 919-828-7557.

Many thanks to the Lee Hansley Gallery for the invitation and opportunity.

The Magic Hour

2011-11-05T08:51:00.002-04:00

This canvas is the most recent large-scale piece I've completed. Like other works over the past three years, it is loosely based on a house I photographed in Cumberland, Maryland. I placed the structure in a dusk setting to heighten the atmosphere and to create a dramatic interior lighting effect.

Last night I attended Raleigh's First Friday Gallery Walk with a young art student who I have agreed to mentor as part of a class project. She and I visited the new location of the Visual Art Exchange, where she had a beautiful color pencil piece on display as part of a young artists exhibition at the VAE. We then walked to the Contemporary Art Museum to visit their eclectic contemporary exhibits. Future gatherings may include a visit to my studio, a day-trip to Reynolda House in Winston-Salem, and a critique session of her work.

"The Magic Hour." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 36 inches. Completed September 2011.

Night Study IV: East on Broughton

2011-10-30T11:38:00.002-04:00

I have continued working on my "night study" series this year, using source material from my many visits to Savannah, Georgia. This is yet another perspective of the intersection of Bull and Broughton streets in Savannah, viewed at night.

"Night Study IV: East on Broughton." Oil on stretched canvas, 12 x 16 inches. Completed September 2011.

Tybee Island II

2011-10-15T10:42:00.003-04:00

Here is another small study I recently completed based on the Tybee Island (GA) lighthouse. This depicts the lighthouse itself, with a lightkeeper's house in the foreground. I may attempt a larger version of this same scene.

"Tybee Island II." Oil on stretched canvas, 9 x12 inches. Completed August 2011.

Palm Springs Vacation

2011-10-09T09:27:00.003-04:00

I recently returned from a vacation to Palm Springs, California. While the desert landscape and mountain scenery are spectacular, I was most fascinated with Palm Springs' phenomenal collection of Mid-Century Modern architecture, best exemplified by Richard Neutra's 1946 Kaufmann House (seen above). The clean, sleek linear perspectives of MCM have always attracted me. I could see a new series of work in my future.

While there I visited the Palm Springs Art Museum. It surprised me with its strong 19th century American collection and a wonderful 20th century collection. I ended up spending about three hours there soaking in the artwork. I definitely recommend a visit to the museum if one is ever in the area.

Tybee Island I

2011-09-20T19:20:00.003-04:00

This small canvas is a quick study I painted last month. It depicts the lighthouse keeper's home at the Tybee Island (GA) Lighthouse. Located east of Savannah along the coast, Tybee Island is a favored day trip during my annual sojourns to Savannah. This piece allowed me to use colors not normally found in my work.

"Tybee Island I." Oil on stretched canvas, 9 x12 inches. Completed August 2011.

Last Light

2011-09-11T10:48:00.006-04:00

This week's painting image depicts a canvas I completed in 2009. I've avoided posting it only because its dark surface has made it difficult to photograph effectively. I tried again last week and this image was the result. Close but still not a perfect representation (a bit gray in the center of the house). "Last Light" was exhibited at my show at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery in Downtown Raleigh in April 2010. It is another painting based on structures I sketched and photographed in Cumberland, Maryland a few years ago.

"Last Light." Oil on stretched canvas, 30 x 40 inches. Completed March 2009.

Yesterday I visited the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. I met up with my close friend, Washington D.C.-based artist Tinam Valk, and we toured the new galleries opened in 2010-2011. It is a beautiful museum and has a wonderful American gallery that includes one of my favorite Edward Hopper canvases, "House at Dusk:"

Vortex Study #2

2011-09-02T18:19:00.002-04:00

This small canvas is a second tornado study I completed recently. One of the challenges of working within the palette I prefer is to keep the blues from turning green when combine with my favorite sky color, Naples yellow. This actually worked well in this painting since many tornadoes have an eery greenish tinge to them.

Vortex Study #2. Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches. Completed August 2011.

Vortex Study #1

2011-08-27T08:53:00.005-04:00

With Hurricane Irene making landfall today here in North Carolina, it seems appropriate for me to post a recent vortex study that I completed last month. I have been fascinated by tornadoes since childhood, and this small canvas is based on imagery I found on the Internet. I'm not sure if I will try to complete any large-scale canvases in this same vein, but I may continue with a series of small studies as an expressive outlet beyond my architectural works.

"Vortex Study #1." Oil on stretched canvas, 11 x 14 inches. Completed July 2011.

Off Topic: My other "canvas"

2011-07-24T09:48:00.004-04:00

I've mentioned previously that I have been concentrating on my yard this spring and summer, taking time away from the studio to do so. Well, here are images of the results. I had new front yard sod ("Compadre" zoysia) laid in late April, and I've been babying it carefully ever since. Combining its needs with my flower gardens, well...it takes a bit of work (especially under the glaring North Carolina Piedmont sun). This week's record heat-wave (and its long string of 100-plus temperatures) has strained my resources a bit. But it's still looking good.

Pentimento (The Fabius Briggs House): Completed

2011-07-10T13:45:00.002-04:00

The painting I began a week ago, "Pentimento (The Fabius Briggs House)," is finished. I added a few final highlights and now consider it completed. As mentioned in last week's blog post, the painting is based on an actual house here in Raleigh that is in danger of demolition. Hopefully a guardian angel can be found to save this noble structure.

"Pentimento (The Fabius Briggs House)." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed July 2011.

Back in the studio: Pentimento (The Fabius Briggs House)

2011-07-05T19:31:00.008-04:00

After a four month hiatus, I returned to painting this past weekend. When I put down the brushes at the end of February, I had no intention of staying away this long. March was filled with house guests, then April brought the garden season (and a newly-sodded front yard), travel in May and June, more guests...well, it turned into a longer break than I intended.

My first post-sabbatical work is one based on a house in Raleigh with a sad story. Built sometime between 1900 and 1915, the Fabius Briggs House on Hillsborough Street once hosted a family steeped in local history (here's a blog with the full story). Unfortunately, by the 1950s it had turned into commercial property and then suffered the ultimate indignity of having a linear one-story store front added around it. Now, after decades of neglect, it appears that the structure will be demolished unless a rescuer (i.e. someone with a big heart and a bigger wallet), comes along to rescue it.

I discovered the house about two years ago, and decided then to paint it. Since then I have photographed it several times, but it wasn't until last week that I finally decided to make it my next canvas.

What you see here is the freshly completed underdrawing on top of the red acrylic-primed canvas. From this point, I then worked on it for another five hours. The painting is now essentially complete and, after I strategically place a few highlights on it after the existing oil paint dries, I will photograph the final product and post it to this blog.

"Pentimento (The Fabius Briggs House)." Oil on stretched canvas. Still in progress.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Buick Century

2011-06-25T09:55:00.003-04:00

With the coming of summer and its accompanying heat, my painting sabbatical will officially end next weekend. I have taken a few months off, first to work heavily in my flower gardens and yard, but also to pause and consider where I am as a visual artist. Most importantly, I've been thinking about what I want to do next as a painter.

For this week's post I've reached way back in my painting archive to my college years. This canvas, "Buick Century," was created as part of an assignment in my senior painting class at the University of Maryland. The task assigned was to complete a work based on a reflection of some type. While several classmates completed self-portraits posed in mirrors, I chose to focus on the reflective chrome surface of a 1950s American automobile.

The image was based on a photograph from an old car book I owned. I created a pencil grid on the gessoed canvas and used that to help me establish the striking visual perspective of the car. I constructed the canvas frame myself and, remarkably, this painting remains the largest single canvas I have ever completed. I did not fully finish the work in class, and for many years it sat incomplete in my studio storage area. In the 1990s I was again motivated to work on it, and finally completed the piece. I've found over the years that its subject matter and photo-realistic style are real crowd-pleasers.

"Buick Century." Oil on stretched canvas, 38 x 52 inches. Begun March 1985-completed August 1995.

Reynolda House Visit

2011-06-13T20:57:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I took another sojourn to what has become my favorite day-trip destination, Reynolda House, located in Winston-Salem, NC. On this trip I viewed their current exhibit "Trains that Passed in the Night: The Photographs of O. Winston Link." While I was familiar with Link's railroad-themed photographic work, I had only seen an image or two in past exhibits at other museums. This show pulled together a huge collection from his 1950s project that captured images of steam-powered locomotives of the Norfolk & Western Railroad. It was absolutely captivating and surprisingly relevant to my own work and visual art interests. Unfortunately, the exhibit closes this coming weekend, but I am already looking forward to Reynolda House's next exhibition, "Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum," which opens in October.

Upon returning from Reynolda House, I finally did something I should have done years ago: I became a member of the museum. It truly is a North Carolina treasure, and each visit seems more rewarding than the last. I always add lunch at the Village Tavern as part of the experience, and the only sad news was the discovery that the ice cream parlor in the Reynolda Barn had closed. If you love American art, or historic homes, Reynolda House should be at the top of your list to explore and enjoy.

Night Study III: Savannah Theater

2011-05-21T09:12:00.005-04:00

This is the third night study I have completed this year. Depicting the Savannah Theater, this painting was quickly executed as an exercise in lighting. Like the others, I was not concerned about the final product as much as I was interested in the light and mood.

"Night Study III: Savannah Theater." Oil on stretched canvas, 12 x 16 inches. Completed January 2011.

Night Study II: Broughton and Bull

2011-05-15T13:47:00.003-04:00

This is the second in a series of night scenes I have been working on this year. Once again, I used a Savannah street for inspiration. I improvised some of the color palette in this work, and edited out pedestrians and automobiles to focus on the structures and the lighting effects.

I received another rejection this week, this time from the Visual Art Exchange's annual "SCOPE: The North Carolina Landscape" for my two entries. I haven't made the final cut in this show for three years, but I won't let that discourage me from continuing to work hard. Rejection is a major part of a visual artist's experience -- you just have to get used to it and move on.

"Night Study II: Broughton and Bull." Oil on stretched canvas, 9 x 12 inches. Completed January 2011.

Night Study I: Broughton Street

2011-05-08T12:19:00.002-04:00

Earlier this year I began a short series of night studies based on imagery from Savannah, Georgia. I completed these exercises on small canvases and worked very quickly. I used the experience to loosen up a bit and to experiment with lighting at night. These aren't meant to be considered "finished" pieces, but serve as oil sketches - essentially warm-up routines for extended painting periods.

"Night Study I: Broughton Street." Oil on stretched canvas, 11 x 14 inches. Completed January 2011.

On the Easel: Biltmore at Dusk

2011-04-24T08:51:00.002-04:00

This large painting is the most recent work I've completed. It depicts a section of Biltmore House at sunset. I used my own source photographs, taken on previous visits to Biltmore, to sketch out the composition, and then I improvised the lighting to create this particular time of day.

This is the third full-scale painting I've produced based on Biltmore, and I've also created several smaller studies using source imagery from the house. This past week I entered this and another Biltmore painting into the Visual Art Exchange's annual juried competition "SCOPE: The NC Landscape."

"Biltmore at Dusk." Oil on stretched canvas, 40 x 30 inches. Completed March 2011.

From the Archives: Approaching Storm

2011-04-16T13:52:00.003-04:00

Today's weather forecast for Raleigh is an ominous one, with a major storm front racing across the state and set to hit this afternoon. It has inspired me to dig back into my archive of works and post this small study. I completed this painting in an hour one evening completely from memory. I have a distinct childhood memory of an approaching storm that caused my mother to put us kids in the car and head for shelter at my grandmother's house. As we loaded into the car, a huge bolt of lightning struck in the distance where our neighbor's house stood. This canvas conjures up the image I have stored in my memory from that afternoon, albeit without the bolt of lightning.

"Approaching Storm." Oil on canvas paper, 16 x 20 inches. Completed August 2006.

Route 30 Eastern Idaho

2011-04-10T14:01:00.003-04:00

Since it's been a quiet time for studio production, I thought I'd post some archival works to the blog. This canvas dates back to 1997. It was inspired by a vacation trip to the Pacific Northwest in 1992 that took me to Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and Oregon. I traveled to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier national parks during the trip, seeing spectacular scenery unlike any other places on Earth.

This stretch of roadway came during a long drive from Pocatello, Idaho to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I saw miles of barren, sparsely-populated country and decided to register the memory to canvas.

"Route 30 Eastern Idaho." Oil on stretched canvas, 32 x 48 inches. Completed 1997.

Rejections and Garden Season

2011-03-30T12:21:00.002-04:00

It's been too long since my last blog post, and my apologies. A combination of factors have made it a quiet period in my studio. I've hosted (and thoroughly enjoyed) visits from three sets of out-of-town relatives in March. As much fun as these visits are, though, they do take time away from studio work.

The change in temperatures in Raleigh has also created garden season. Outside of painting, my creative juices are best fulfilled by yard work and gardening, and I've been busy working on some new areas of my yard for planting next month.

Unfortunately, what art news has occurred has been negative: rejection notices. After enjoying the small group show in February at the Visual Art Exchange, I've been rejected in two juried shows as well as a solo exhibit proposal for a local arts council. Rejection is par for the course, and doesn't depress my painting mood, but in a slow period it doesn't exactly help, either.

Currently I am working on a large canvas based on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. I hope to have an image shortly to share on this blog.

Human Remains

2011-02-19T16:27:00.005-05:00

I just returned from a volunteer shift at the Visual Art Exchange, serving as a gallery-sitter on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The VAE is currently hosting a small group show in its Exchange Gallery that includes two of my own paintings. The show remains on view through next weekend.

This week's featured painting (above) is "Human Remains." Completed last summer, the work is based on an actual house in Columbus, Ohio. I chose to depict it as a derelict ruin, and transplanted it into a moody tropical setting. The concept of painting a demolished house came to me one day while driving on a long trip, but I let the idea ruminate in my creative thoughts for about a year. Finally, I settled upon this composition and chose a title that captured the darkness of the subject matter.

"Human Remains." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed July 2010.

Morning in America

2011-02-12T11:44:00.003-05:00

Despite suffering from a head cold, I have been working on several behind-the-scenes business aspects of my visual art career this week. Last Sunday I spent several hours restyling my visual art web site, www.kennetheugenepeters.com. My site is hosted by Yahoo! Small Business Solutions, and I decided to move to their Sitebuilder web authoring program to maintain the site. It has made web updates much easier, so I restyled all of the main pages within the site. I have also submitted two new solo exhibition proposals to local arts organizations (Durham Arts Council and the Chapel Hill Public Arts Office). While I have not been in front of a canvas, it's been a busy week.

This week's featured canvas is "Morning in America," completed last July. Based on structures I sketched and photographed during my Columbus, Ohio days, I placed the buildings in a dawn setting. The title is a play on Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election theme; the irony seemed to fit this canvas well.

"Morning in America." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 36 inches. Completed July 2010.

Exchange Gallery Opening

2011-02-05T10:38:00.002-05:00

The trip to Savannah, Georgia last weekend was a refreshing change of pace, and has helped recharge my creative batteries. The weather was spectacular - sunny and mid-70s - and I was able to capture many images that I hope to use as source material for future works.

Last night was the opening reception for the small four-person show I am in this month at the Exchange Gallery, located at the front of the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh. Included in the exhibit are N. Lee Ball, Emily Lees, LC Neill and Sterling E. Stevens. The weather did not choose to cooperate on this night, however (cold, steady rain) so the First Friday crowd in Downtown Raleigh was sparse. The exhibit will remain on view until February 24. The Visual Art Exchange is located at 325 Blake Street (City Market) and is open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Savannah Sojourn

2011-01-27T18:07:00.002-05:00

It's time for my annual sojourn to Savannah, Georgia - my favorite city in America. The weather, which has been unseasonably cold for months, is supposed to cooperate with highs in the low 60s and sunny skies. I confess that I look forward to the food as much as the architecture when I travel to the Hostess City of the South. There is no place on the planet like Savannah.

Pictured above: The ruins of the old Candler Hospital, located on East Huntingdon Street.

Homage: Mansions by the Sea

2011-01-23T16:36:00.004-05:00

For the past few weeks I've been working on a series of night studies depicting urban scenes based on my many visits to Savannah, Georgia. The canvases are small (ranging in size from 9x12 to 12x16 inches) and have been quickly composed and executed. I'll present some images in future posts.

This work is a large canvas that I began in August 2010 and completed this month. It was to be the last large-scale piece I worked on prior to the ill-fated Somerhill Gallery show planned for October 2010. When I learned in August that the exhibit would be canceled, I ceased working on the painting, only to return to it immediately after the Christmas holiday.

The mansion depicted on the left was based on a photograph I found on the Internet; the one to the right is inspired from a famous work by an artist I admire. I decided to combine the two structures on an imagined bluff overlooking a sea. This work has been a struggle to produce and went through several iterations before I settled on this composition. In fact, I had painted in a different structure on the right only to paint it out a few weeks later.

"Homage: Mansions by the Sea." Oil on stretched canvas, 32 x 48 inches. Begun in August 2010; completed January 2011.

Dark Shadows

2011-01-17T10:18:00.002-05:00

Another canvas inspired by architecture in Cumberland, Maryland, this piece was featured in my recent show at the Lee Hansley Gallery in Raleigh, NC. I loved the turret on this particular house, and wanted to create a painting that focused on that feature.

"Dark Shadows." Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 24 inches. Completed June 2010.

Urban Sunset II

2011-01-09T11:56:00.003-05:00

This week's featured work is a "remake" of sorts. In May 2006 I completed a canvas I titled "Urban Sunset." The 36x24-inch painting was based on the Scottish Rite Temple located on Bull Street in Savannah, Georgia. The temple is one of my favorite structures in Savannah, and I have featured a photo of the building previously on this blog.

In June 2010 I decided to complete a second attempt of the subject. This time I used a much smaller canvas and oriented the composition horizontally instead of vertically. I also stylized the setting and eliminated most of the actual surroundings in order to focus on the structure itself. This was the result.

"Urban Sunset II." Oil on stretched canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed June 2010.

Reynolda House Daytrip

2010-12-30T19:21:00.003-05:00

Today I took a day trip to my favorite museum of American art, Reynolda House. Located in Winston-Salem, NC, Reynolda House (pictured above) has become a treasured visitation experience for me. I try to go at least once a year, and this was my first visit during the holiday season. The current exhibit (which closes tomorrow) is "Virtue, Vice, Wisdom & Folly: The Moralizing Tradition in American Art." It includes a large canvas by Thomas Cole. In addition to the museum wing, the site also encompasses the home of the R. J. Reynolds family (of tobacco fame). The highlight of this visit was listening to Christmas music played on the mansion's original Aeolian organ. What a treat!

Back in the studio, yesterday I worked for three hours on a large canvas I began in August. The painting depicts two Victorian-era mansions overlooking a seaside cliff. Called "Mansions by the Sea," the painting has been a difficult piece for me. Its large scale and unusual subject matter have proven challenging. I believe it is finished, but will await a final verdict after the paint has dried from this session.

Holiday Glow

2010-12-24T07:03:00.002-05:00

Every holiday season I create a visual image, usually an oil painting, to reproduce as a special Christmas card I send to family members. This tradition dates back to 1995, and each year I look forward to making the next edition in the series.

Shown above is this year's Christmas card. It depicts my living room tree lit before the huge, curved bay window in my house. The hardwood floors create a nice reflection, and I always try to fill the tree with as many lights as possible. This canvas also displays a painting within a painting: Tinam Valk's "Stairway I" seen in the distant right-hand side.

"Holiday Glow." Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed November 2010.

Ambassador Theater Commission

2010-12-18T09:08:00.003-05:00

I recently completed this commissioned piece depicting the former Ambassador Theater once located in Downtown Raleigh (NC). The theater opened in 1938 as the city's premiere movie house and remained in operation until 1979. Located at 115 Fayetteville Street, in the heart of Raleigh's commercial district, the theater hosted major first-run features as well as live acts. In February 1956 Elvis Presley gave a standing-room-only performance inside the Ambassador. Sadly, the theater was demolished to make way for -- yes, you guessed it -- a parking lot.

The patron of this painting was the wife of a local resident who has a strong attachment to theatrical venues. It was a surprise gift for his birthday, and the subject matter was very appropriate. I enjoyed creating this piece, in part because I, too, have a strong affinity for lost architecture in Raleigh.

"The Ambassador at Night." Oil on stretched linen, 18 x 24 inches. Completed November 2010.

From the Archives: Poinsettia

2010-12-11T08:56:00.003-05:00

Continuing the theme from recent weeks, here is another older work created with the holidays in mind. I painted this small canvas from life, using a live poinsettia as my subject. Once completed, I used the piece as the cover of my personalized Christmas cards for 1998.

This work was done while I was living in Columbus, Ohio. Each holiday season I would buy several live poinsettias from the greenhouses at The Ohio State University. The proceeds helped their student groups, and the plants were always inexpensive and spectacular.

"Poinsettia." Oil on canvas paper, 16 x 16 inches. Completed November 1998.

From the Archives: Addie Under the Tree

2010-12-04T08:48:00.003-05:00

As the holidays approach, I thought I'd post some works that were completed as studies or created just for fun (and practice). This holiday-themed study was produced one afternoon after I had worked on a very large canvas. I still had quite a bit of paint left on my pallet, so - for personal enjoyment - I pulled out a sheet of canvas paper and quickly sketched out this painting of my cat, Adelaide ("Addie" for short) laying under my family room Christmas tree. I didn't really care how the final product would end up, but simply wanted to enjoy the experience and capture a quick moment in time.

This past week I was the lucky winning eBay bidder on a small gem of a painting by Detroit artist Stephen Magsig. Entitled "Brush Park View II," the painting arrived on Wednesday and is now a prized part of my small but growing collection of works by artists I admire. Please be sure to visit Stephen's great daily painter blog, Postcards From Detroit.

"Addie Under the Tree." Oil on canvas paper, 9 x 12 inches. Completed December 2007.

From the Archives: Deschler Avenue Mansions

2010-11-27T08:43:00.003-05:00

I've been busy working on two projects in the studio this past week. First, I completed the painting that I will use as this year's Christmas card to family and friends. Once the card is mailed, I'll post the painting on the blog. Second, I've been working on a new commission that is essentially finished and will be delivered soon to the patron. Both of these have been welcome changes to the normal routine.

This week's featured work is an older painting (created almost five years ago) that I did as an afternoon study for a still-planned larger canvas. It is based on my favorite neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, German Village. The focal point of that neighborhood is Schiller Park. Surrounding the park are spectacular turn-of-the-20th century brick mansions of various styles and sizes. I captured one vantage point of these homes from the park itself. Some day I'll do the full-scale interpretation of these houses.

"Deschler Avenue Mansions (Study)". Oil on stretched canvas, 12 x 16 inches. Completed February 2006.

Houses Facing the Sun

2010-11-20T09:05:00.003-05:00

This week's post features another new work from my recent solo show at the Lee Hansley Gallery. In this painting I tried to capture the strong light as it bathed the facades of two Victorian-style houses sloped along a street. The composition is based on a neighborhood I photographed in Cumberland, Maryland a few years ago. I eliminated some of the architecture surrounding these two houses to give them a sense of solitude.

This Sunday (November 21) is the opening for a new group show I am featured in at the Lee Hansley Gallery. "100 Under 1000" will run through December 31 and includes 2- and 3-dimensional art that is priced below $1,000.

"Houses Facing the Sun." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 36 inches. Completed May 2010.

Yosemite Sketchbook II

2010-11-13T17:18:00.002-05:00

Today's blog post features another sketch made during my trip to Yosemite National Park. This drawing was completed after hiking the Mist Trail from the valley floor to Vernal Fall and then to Nevada Fall. At the crest of Nevada Fall I rested for about a half hour and drew majestic Liberty Cap towering over the falls. While I was drawing, an overly friendly squirrel decided he wanted part of my lunch, and I had to fend him off and eat quickly. It made for a memorable meal.

My current solo exhibit at the Lee Hansley Gallery closed today. Although none of the pieces sold during the show's run, I feel it was still a success and I'm grateful to Lee Hansley for the opportunity. I delivered two new pieces to the gallery today that will be included in the "100 Under 1,000" holiday exhibition.

"Liberty Cap and Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park." Pen on paper, 8.5 x 5.5 inches. Completed October 2010.

Yosemite Sketchbook

2010-11-07T12:25:00.002-05:00

Although I didn't do any plein air painting while traveling in the Sierra Nevadas, I did take my sketchbook and captured a few images in it. I sketched this composition while sitting on the rocks at Taft Point, a great overlook high above Yosemite Valley. From this vantage point, about 8,000 feet above sea level, I could see my host hotel, Yosemite Lodge, about 3,000 feet below. From here I hiked to Sentinel Dome (about 2.3 miles away), and ended this day hiking a section of the Four-Mile Trail at Glacier Point.

"Taft Point, Yosemite National Park." Pen on paper, 8.5 x 5.5 inches. Completed October 2010.

Yosemite Splendor

2010-10-30T18:58:00.003-04:00

This post will be a little off-topic, as I am freshly returned from my seven-day trip to the Sierra Nevada Range in California. The first part of the trip was spent at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. There I was amazed by the giant sequoia trees - the largest living things on our planet - and the beauty of King's Canyon, deeper than the Grand Canyon of Arizona.

But the crown jewel of the trip was Yosemite National Park. My first view of Yosemite Valley (above) occurred after coming through the Wawona Tunnel. A turnout, the Tunnel View, afforded a spectacular vista of the valley. To the left was El Capitan, a massive wall of granite, to the right was Bridalveil Fall, flowing from recent rains and sporting a rainbow, and in the center was Half Dome. I'm not ashamed to say that this panorama choked me up for a few minutes. The beauty simply can't be described...it must be experienced.

Heading for the Sierra Nevadas

2010-10-22T07:09:00.003-04:00

I will be heading out to California tomorrow morning to spend a week in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The beginning of my trip will take me to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and then I'll end the week in Yosemite National Park.

I've been anticipating this trip for months, and it's my first real vacation in two years. I've longed to see Yosemite since being a teenager, and as an admirer of the painter Albert Bierstadt (who did a memorable series of monumental Yosemite canvases - like the one above - in the 19th century) I can't wait to walk the same trails as many artists before me. I don't know if the trip will inspire actual work, but it certainly should be inspirational to my creative spirit.

New Exhibit - Lee Hansley Gallery

2010-10-17T18:39:00.003-04:00

With the collapse of the Somerhill Gallery (chapter 7 bankruptcy) last month, my hopes of having a commercial gallery show this fall seemed to have disappeared with it. Fortunately, I was approached by another local gallery and offered a great opportunity - to join a planned October exhibit at the Lee Hansley Gallery in Raleigh with Sam Shelby and George Handy. As a result, I have nine paintings on display in one of the gallery's rooms from October 14 to November 13. The opening reception was held today, and the First Friday evening event (11 AM to 10 PM) will be November 5. Many thanks to the generosity and interest of the Lee Hansley Gallery for providing me this experience.

Main Street - Completed Work

2010-10-09T09:05:00.003-04:00

Last summer I began a large commissioned piece that I entitled "Main Street." The composition is based on a street scene from Mount Airy, Maryland. Two previous posts (August 1, 2009 and August 22, 2009) provided progress reports on the project. I finally completed the canvas late last year and included it in my show at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery this past April. However, I never posted a photo of the completed painting. In general, I was satisfied with the results but I also enjoy looking at the in-progress images because they have a roughness that is gone in the final work.

"Main Street." Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 48 inches. Completed November 2009.

Evening in Cumberland

2010-10-03T14:10:00.002-04:00

This work is another in the series of canvases I have completed based on architectural sources from Cumberland, Maryland. This painting was inspired by an imposing house on Washington Street. I was particularly fascinated with its bulbous tower that loomed above the front facade like a half-hidden face. I decided to place the composition in a dusk time frame to add some drama.

"Evening in Cumberland." Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 30 inches. Completed in April 2010.

Morgan County Courthouse Dedication Ceremony

2010-09-26T18:32:00.004-04:00

This weekend I traveled north to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia to attend the dedication ceremony for the new Morgan County Courthouse. I had been selected to complete a commissioned portrait of the county's former courthouse, which was destroyed by fire in 2006. The pictures above show me presenting the canvas to the President of the Morgan County Commissioners, Brenda J. Hutchinson (in purple) during the ceremonies, held on September 25. The painting will be installed in the lobby of the new courthouse as a remembrance of the former structure. About 250 people attended the dedication, and the weather was spectacular. It was truly an exciting moment for me and I am so grateful to have been able to participate.

Morgan County Courthouse Completed

2010-09-18T12:10:00.003-04:00

This past week I completed the commission to paint a portrait of the Third Morgan County Courthouse (located in Berkeley Springs, WV). This project went very smoothly and I am pleased with the results. I will be delivering the canvas to the patron this coming Friday in advance of a festival celebrating the opening of a new courthouse. This portrait will be installed in the new facility as a remembrance of the former structure, built in 1908 and lost to fire in 2006.

"Third Morgan County (WV) Courthouse, 1908-2006." Oil on canvas, 30 x 40 inches. Completed September 2010.

Somerhill Gallery Closing

2010-09-14T20:03:00.003-04:00

My October exhibit at the Somerhill Gallery in Durham, NC is no more. The gallery filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in late August, and will be closing after a Going-Out-of Business Sale this coming weekend. You can read about the travails of Somerhill in these articles published by "The Independent." Such a sense of disappointment and frustration.

In-Progress: Morgan County Courthouse Commission

2010-09-11T08:09:00.002-04:00

I haven't used this blog enough to show works in progress. Part of the reason is that I do work quickly, and to interrupt the process to take photographs is distracting. At other times, I just don't remember to record the process as it develops.

Currently I am working on a commission to paint a portrait of the Third Morgan County Courthouse, which stood in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. The courthouse opened in 1908 but, sadly, was destroyed by fire in 2006. A new courthouse has been under construction since then, and it will open later this month. The patron of this commission is donating the painting to Morgan County so that it can be permanently displayed in the new facility.

As you can see from this image, the piece is well on its way. I typically ground all of my canvases in cadmium red acrylic paint before starting the actual oil painting. For this project, I took special effort to create a solid underdrawing (in burnt sienna paint) from which to build the final work. The areas of bright red in this photo indicate areas I still have to work up. The sky is essentially complete, as is much of the clocktower. I plan to spend most of this weekend on the project and hope to complete it this week so that it has time to dry before delivery. I'll be sure to post a photograph of the final canvas.

"Third Morgan County (WV) Courthouse, 1908-2006." Oil on canvas, 30 x 40 inches. Currently in-progress.

Midwestern Sunset

2010-09-04T10:06:00.003-04:00

Although entitled "Midwestern Sunset," this canvas is actually based on two houses I photographed in Cumberland, Maryland back in December 2008. Yet another in that series of works, I settled on the title after the piece was completed. The atmosphere in the work was reminiscent of neighborhoods -- and sunsets -- I experienced while living in Columbus, Ohio. So, I decided to utilize a title that evoked that feeling.

This weekend I will begin a new commissioned painting, a portrait of the Third Morgan County (WV) Courthouse that was destroyed by fire in 2006. A new courthouse will open later this month, and I am fortunate to have been chosen to create an official portrait for the lost structure. The painting will become a permanent installation in the new facility.

"Midwestern Sunset." Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 36 inches. Completed April 2010.

Farmhouse Panorama II

2010-08-27T20:42:00.007-04:00

This is yet another panorama (multiple canvas) work based on the Milton Jones Farmhouse in Cary, NC. Painted over three canvases, each measuring 16 x 20 inches in size, it depicts the farmhouse straight-away. I enjoyed creating this piece and the work went very quickly.

"Farmhouse Panorama II." Oil on three 20 x 16 inch stretched canvases (total size 20 x 48 inches). Completed January 2010.

Farmhouse Panorama III

2010-08-21T21:44:00.004-04:00

I've spent today photographing artwork created over the past several months, and will now begin posting the work here on the blog.

This piece, "Farmhouse Panorama III," is a return to the Jones Farmhouse in Cary, NC that inspired a series of paintings in 2008. For this effort, I created a panorama image by painting the scene over four 11x14-inch canvases. I chose to put the farmhouse in deep shadow so that it would contrast strongly with the bright sky and background.

"Farmhouse Panorama III." Oil on four 14 x 11 inch stretched canvases, total size 14 x 44 inches. Completed February 2010.

Coming Soon: New Work for Somerhill Gallery Exhibit

2010-08-08T12:49:00.003-04:00

I've been extremely busy in the studio over the past few weeks, so busy I've been neglecting the blog. I have a backlog of new works to photograph, and plan to do so this week. The new pieces are in preparation for an exhibit I will be having at the Somerhill Gallery (Durham, NC) in October. I'm excited about this opportunity and have been working hard to develop new canvases for the show. More details - and images - to follow soon.

North Carolina Museum of Art Visit

2010-07-16T08:26:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I had my first opportunity to visit the newly opened permanent collection facility at the North Carolina Museum of Art. The museum had been closed for several months as the collection was transferred from the old facility into the new one. It reopened on April 24th to much fanfare.

The gallery spaces are beautiful, with quiet exterior courtyard spaces for sculpture and gardens. While I don't find the structure particularly attractive from the outside, I was very impressed with the interior. The former building is currently under renovations and will reopen in November as a home to temporary exhibitions. The first will be an exhibit of works by famed illustrator Norman Rockwell.

Muffy

2010-06-27T10:25:00.002-04:00

While most of my painting imagery is architecturally related, I do paint other subjects. Occasionally I am solicited for private commissions, and the above work is one I received a few years ago. A patron contacted me to see if I would complete a commissioned portrait of a beloved pet who had passed away after many years of loving companionship. These projects can be quite challenging because the patron can have exacting expectations of the final result. This painting seemed to work well from the very beginning, and the patron was very pleased with the end product.

"Muffy." Oil on stretched canvas, 20 x24 inches. Private commission completed in November 2007.

Victorians at Sunrise

2010-06-19T08:37:00.005-04:00

I received some wonderful news this week: the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, which hosted my recent exhibition "Home/journeys," has purchased one of my paintings for the city's permanent collection. The commissioners selected "Victorians at Sunrise" (seen above) for their collection. Needless to say I was very excited about this development.

"Victorians at Sunrise" has been featured in three of my exhibitions (Burke Arts Council in May 2009, Preservation Society of Chapel Hill in December 2009, and the Miriam Preston Block Gallery in May 2010) so it is satisfying to see it go to a good "home." I am especially grateful to the City of Raleigh Arts Commission for their support and encouragement.

"Victorians at Sunrise." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 36 inches. Completed in July 2008.

Remains of the Day

2010-06-07T11:23:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately I've been sidelined this past week by some outpatient surgery that I had been putting off for nearly two years. I am recuperating well at home but I won't be in the studio for at least a week. Prior to the surgery I was busy working on several new canvases. I hope to have those photographed soon so that I can post them here.

The painting above, "Remains of the Day," was completed earlier this year. The structure itself is based on an actual house in Ohio but I completely reworked the surroundings and also improvised the dramatic skyscape. The Victorian architecture of Ohio (which I greatly admired while living in Columbus during the 1990s) has been an excellent source for much of my material. It lends itself to a lonely, moody atmosphere that also evokes a sense of lost elegance and grandeur, of a time gone by.

"Remains of the Day." Oil on stretched canvas, 26 x 40 inches. Completed January 2010.

Chateau Marmont Revisited

2010-05-30T11:03:00.003-04:00

My recent two-person exhibition, "Home/journeys," closed this past week at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery in Raleigh. While I did not sell any canvases, I did receive several inquiries and compliments from strangers who saw the show and took the time to email me their comments. That alone is a positive outcome.

One of the canvases featured in the exhibit was "Chateau Marmont," seen above. This was the second painting I completed of the famed Hollywood hotel that sits on a bluff above the Sunset Strip. The first was an 11x14 inch study I completed in October 2008 (click HERE for my previous blog report on that canvas). This work was much larger and focused further on the castle-like structure itself. I decided to delete the neon sign per say and only have a hint of its electric light reflection in the lower right side. My feelings for this painting have grown more positive since its completion; at first I felt it was inferior to the smaller study. It was one of the works that I received the highest praise for in the recent show, a pleasant surprise to me.

"Chateau Marmont." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed November 2008.

William Christenberry Exhibit at Reynolda House

2010-05-24T19:00:00.002-04:00

On Saturday I took what has become an annual visit to Reynolda House in Winston-Salem, NC to enjoy the museum's latest exhibition. This year's show, "William Christenberry: Photographs, 1961-2005," did not disappoint: the exhibit encompasses color photographs taken by Christenberry in his native Alabama over the past four decades. Most of the works focused on an architectural subject, but they also included gravesites and faded signs. He is able to capture that sense of death, decay and defeat that seems to hang in the air of the rural Deep South. A few years back I saw an exhibition of his work at the American Art Museum in Washington, DC and that show inspired me to begin my Cary Farmhouse Series.

The exhibition runs until June 27. Click HERE for more information at the Reynolda House web site.

Windows at Night

2010-05-16T08:05:00.003-04:00

This week's blog entry features another recent canvas that is currently on display in "home/journeys" at the Block Gallery in Raleigh. It is the smallest painting in the show at 18 x 24 inches. The source for the building was a mansion that stands on Drayton Street in Savannah, Georgia. I loved its asymmetrical facade and took several photos of it during my visit to Savannah in February. I focused my composition on an upper section of the house, and then turned it into a night scene for some heightened atmosphere.

"Windows at Night." Oil on stretched canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed February 2010.

Lights After Midnight

2010-05-08T20:22:00.003-04:00

The past two weeks have been busy with non-art activities. In April and May I am always occupied with yard work and garden planting, and I've also hosted two sets of visitors recently. The schedule has kept me out of the studio (and off the blog) but I enjoy this season too much to miss out on it.

This work, "Lights After Midnight," was produced earlier this year and is currently hanging in the exhibit "home/journeys." The image is based on a real house here in Raleigh, and is displayed with dramatic night lighting. I love playing with light and shadows in my work, and this painting incorporates both.

"Lights After Midnight." Oil on stretched canvas, 20 x 32 inches. Completed January 2010.

More "Home/journeys" Photos

2010-04-22T19:29:00.002-04:00

Many thanks to Hannah Costner, Curator for the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, for these images taken at the opening reception for "home/journeys." The exhibit opened in the Block Gallery on April 8, 2010. Since then I have been busy working on a new series of architectural paintings for a planned exhibition in October. More on that show in future posts.

"Home/journeys" Exhibit Opens

2010-04-09T20:03:00.003-04:00

Last night was the opening reception for "home/journeys" at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery inside the Raleigh Municipal Building. Approximately 40 friends and neighbors attended the opening. I have 15 canvases on display in the show, which also includes painter Kathy Brancato and mixed-media artist Mikel Robinson. "Home/journeys" is sponsored by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and will remain on exhibit until May 24. The Block Gallery is located at 222 West Hargett Street in Downtown Raleigh, NC.

"Home/journeys" Video Documentary

2010-03-26T18:45:00.004-04:00

The Raleigh Television Network is featuring a video documentary on the upcoming Miriam Preston Block Gallery exhibit I will be featured in next month. Entitled "Home/journeys: Interviews with Kenneth Eugene Peters, Kathy Brancato and Tim Kiernan," the video runs approximately 22 minutes and will air periodically on the RTN during the run of the exhibit.

To watch the video, click HERE.

The Blue House

2010-03-21T09:52:00.004-04:00

For the next several weeks I will be featuring canvases that will be on display in the upcoming exhibit "home/journeys" at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery. I'll focus on works that have not appeared on my web site and have never been exhibited publicly.

This painting, "The Blue House," was completed in February 2009. It is another canvas in the series I developed last year based on houses and street scenes from Cumberland, Maryland. I visited Cumberland over the Christmas Holiday in 2008, and found a wealth of source material for paintings. To date I have completed eight canvases based on Cumberland imagery. Many of these pieces will be displayed in the "home/journeys" exhibition.

"The Blue House." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed February 2009.

Block Gallery Exhibit Update

2010-03-13T14:01:00.003-05:00

It's less than four weeks until the opening of my next exhibition, "home/journeys," at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery in Downtown Raleigh. The exhibit will feature paintings by Kathy Brancato and myself, plus mixed-media works in cases by Mikel Robinson. I will be submitting 16 canvases, many of which will be on exhibit for the first time. During the past two weeks I have been prepping and framing the works, and I'm feeling very confident of where I stand this far out.

On Friday, March 5 the Raleigh Television Network sent a crew to my home to interview me in my studio in advance of the show. A 30-minute spot highlighting the three artists featured in "home/journeys" will broadcast several times on the RTN cable channel here in Raleigh during the exhibit's run (April 8 to May 24).

The Miriam Preston Block Gallery is located inside the Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, Raleigh NC 27601. The opening reception is scheduled for Thursday, April 8 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

Sky Over Holly Springs Road

2010-02-28T08:20:00.003-05:00

This has been a busy art weekend. Yesterday I spent the afternoon preparing canvases for my exhibition at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery in April. I have selected 16 works for inclusion in the show, and I worked on preparing nine canvases yesterday (wiring, framing, cleaning the edges, signing). I also took time to straighten up my studio because the Raleigh Television Network (RTN) is coming this Friday to tape an interview with me in advance of the Block Gallery show.

Today is also the opening reception for the Raleigh Fine Arts Society juried exhibition. Two of my works will be featured in the exhibition. The juror, artist John Beerman, will be giving a juror's lecture before the reception, and I'm looking forward to hearing his comments.

The painting featured above is from my 2008 Cary Farmhouse series. In this piece I decided to capture a distant perspective on the house so that I could emphasize a dramatic skyscape above it. Within the past month I have returned to the farmhouse as a subject for my painting, and I will feature the new canvases in future installments.

"Sky Over Holly Springs Road." Oil on stretched canvas, 11 x 14 inches, completed April 2008.

Raleigh Fine Arts Society Juried Exhibition

2010-02-20T08:26:00.003-05:00

I learned this past week that two of my works, "Fourth and Montgomery" and "August Sunset," were accepted into the 36th Annual Raleigh Fine Arts Society North Carolina Exhibition for 2010. This was the fourth year that I had submitted work, but the first in which I had work accepted. With only 60 pieces accepted out of nearly 500 entries, I am especially excited to have both paintings admitted into the show. The exhibit will run from February 28-May 4, 2010 in the Betty Ray McCain Gallery, Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh NC. The juror for this year's competition was John Beerman. Mr. Beerman is a painter who is originally from North Carolina but now lives and works in Upstate New York (Hudson Valley Region). He is represented locally by the Somerhill Gallery in Durham.

Street Shadows

2010-02-13T09:27:00.002-05:00

Having just returned from my annual trip to Savannah, Georgia, I thought I would feature a canvas I completed last year that was inspired by Savannah imagery.

This storefront scene is based on a building located on Savannah's Bull Street, the city's main north-south artery through the Historic District. The atmospheric lighting created by the street lamp intrigued me, so I wanted to attempt a canvas that utilized that unique lighting. When I was walking around Savannah this past weekend, I inadvertently came upon this building and my mind immediately raced to this painting. It was an unusual feeling to recognize a structure through one of my own paintings.

"Street Shadows." Oil on stretched canvas, 20 x 24 inches. Completed May 2009.

Off to Savannah

2010-02-04T19:51:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow I leave for my annual sojourn to Savannah, Georgia. It's my favorite city in America, and I always return inspired and ready for more hard work in the studio. The building above is one of my favorite landmarks in Savannah - the old Scottish Rite Temple on Bull Street. I've captured it in oils and photographed it multiple times but it still fascinates me. When I return I'll begin working on the final canvases I hope to produce for inclusion in my upcoming exhibit "home/journeys" at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery. Lots of ideas and only a little bit of time to execute them, I'm afraid.

2010-01-30T14:21:00.002-05:00

I just discovered quite by accident that one of my paintings is featured in the current edition of Raleigh "Downtowner" magazine. Click here to see the article. I am one of the exhibiting artists this year at the Miriam Preston Block Gallery, and the magazine selected one of my images to include in an article about the gallery's 2010 exhibition series. The exhibit, entitled "Home/Journeys," will run from April 8 to May 24, 2010. The gallery is located in the Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, 222 W. Hargett Street in Raleigh, NC. It is sponsored by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission.

Farmhouse in Late Winter

2010-01-17T09:51:00.005-05:00

Due to some challenges on the home front, I've been absent from the blog for two weeks. Sadly, one of the challenges was the loss of a beloved pet (my cat, Esther). The other, ironically, was the adoption of a new pet - a 12-week-old puppy - that occurred just prior to Esther falling ill. So, it's been a period of transition in my household.

I have managed to be productive in the studio despite the turmoil. Two weeks ago I returned to the large canvas entitled "Main Street" that I began in late summer as a long-term commissioned piece for a family member. It will be featured in my upcoming show at the Miriam Block Gallery before delivery to the patron. I also spent seven hours yesterday working on a new painting that will also be included in the spring show.

The painting above, "Farmhouse in Late Winter," was one of 12 canvases I painted in 2008 of the farmhouse located on Holly Springs Road in Cary, NC. This piece was one of those included in my exhibition at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill. I recently sold it to a patron who resides in Raleigh.

"Farmhouse in Late Winter." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 3o inches. Completed March 2008.

Baja Burrito Show

2010-01-03T11:06:00.004-05:00

On December 20 I installed a small exhibit of my work at Baja Burrito in Raleigh, NC. Located at 2109 Avent Ferry Road, the restaurant features monthly exhibits by local artists. I met the owner, Judy Murray, at the opening reception for "Hang It Up!" at the Gregg Museum of Art and Design. She liked the two paintings I had on display in that show, and invited me to exhibit at her restaurant. I decided to focus on figurative and still life pieces since most of my recent exhibitions have featured architectural paintings. I think the distinctive wall color in the restaurant especially lent itself to these works. The exhibit will remain on view until February 12, 2010.

Biltmore in Winter

2009-12-24T10:55:00.003-05:00

Christmas Eve seems like the appropriate day to present this year's special Christmas card image, "Biltmore in Winter." I have created a special holiday design for my annual Christmas cards since 1995. This year I chose to paint a winter scene of Biltmore, the magnificent Vanderbilt estate located just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. This subject was a natural one for this year's card since I recently began a series of paintings using Biltmore as the subject matter. Here's wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

"Biltmore in Winter." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed November 2009.

On the Easel: House in the Desert

2009-12-19T07:23:00.003-05:00

My latest work depicts an idea that came to me one day while driving along Interstate 95 from North Carolina to Maryland. Along the route were flat cotton fields occasionally populated by a house, either currently lived-in or abandoned. Back in the studio, I took that concept a bit further and combined some of the Victorian architecture I love in Savannah, Georgia with a desert landscape I had photographed while visiting Las Vegas, Nevada last May. This painting is the result.

"House in the Desert." Oil on stretched canvas, 30 x 40 inches. Completed November 2009.

"Past Perfect" Exhibit Opening Reception

2009-12-12T08:20:00.003-05:00

Last Sunday was the opening reception for my solo exhibit "Past Perfect: Architectural Paintings by Kenneth Eugene Peters" at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill, NC. Sponsored by the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill (PSCH), the show will run until December 23.

The reception was a fabulous success, and a truly wonderful day for me. More than 50 friends and family members, some from long-distance, came out to support me. The PSCH staff did an impressive job of hanging the show for me; the installation couldn't have been more appropriate. Before guests started to arrive I was able to capture some of the exhibit space with my digital camera, and those images are seen above. The main exhibit room is a beautiful octagonal space that allows the visitor to see art from several different perspectives at once.

Additional good news came a few days later when I learned that one of the reception guests had purchased "House in Pasadena" in the show. With the Chapel Hill Holiday Home Tours departing from the Horace Williams House this weekend, I am hopeful that - perhaps - I'll enjoy another sale or two before the exhibit comes down.

Finally, I'd be remiss if I did not include a very special thanks to the following people for their hard work and support: Michael Dawson, who provided all of the food and refreshments (incredible job, Mike!); Ann and Mike Rives, who provided vital assistance with the refreshments; Tama Hochbaum, my PSCH artist liaison; Gordon Clarke Jameson, who hung the show; Ernie Dollar and Sherril Koroluk, PSCH staff; my parents, Hilda and Arthur Peters; my friend Tinam Valk; and all of the other great friends and colleagues who attended the reception on December 6 to offer their support.

Preservation Society of Chapel Hill Exhibit Opens this Sunday

2009-11-30T07:02:00.002-05:00

My solo exhibition at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill, NC will open this coming Sunday, December 6, 2009. The artist's reception runs from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on this date, and the exhibit continues through December 23. Sponsored by the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill, the show will feature eighteen paintings depicting various architectural subjects. I'd like to thank my artist liaison, Tama Hochbaum, and the Assistant to the Director, Sherril Koroluk, for all of their assistance as I prepared for the exhibit.

Horace Williams House Exhibit Preparation

2009-11-21T10:10:00.002-05:00

The opening date for my solo exhibition at the Horace Williams House (pictured above) in Chapel Hill, NC is just two weeks away, so much of my time this week will be devoted to preparing for that show. I have selected 17 canvases for display in the exhibit, and will be prepping them (rehanging the wiring, framing and edging) starting this weekend. The invitation postcard was mailed ten days ago to about 200 individuals and organizations. I've received positive feedback from family and friends, so I am hopeful for a nice crowd at the December 6 opening reception (2:00-4:00 pm). The exhibit will remain on view until December 23.

For more information on the Horace Williams House and the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill, visit their web site here.

New exhibit opportunity and "Hang It Up!" artist talk

2009-11-18T21:03:00.005-05:00

This has been a busy week in the studio. I began a large (30 x 40 inch) canvas last week that is a mixture of reality and imagination. While I'll save further discussion for later, it has started off well.

In addition, I have a new solo exhibit opportunity coming up. Judy Murray, owner of Baja Burrito (a Mexican restaurant in Raleigh), saw my two paintings in the "Hang It Up!" exhibit at the Gregg Museum of Art and Design and offered me a solo show. My work will be on display at Baja Burrito from January 2 - February 12, 2010.

Speaking of "Hang It Up!", today I participated in an artist talk as part of that exhibition. I was invited to join seven other artists featured in the show in a gallery tour. Each of us was given about 10 minutes to discuss our work with the tour group. About 25 folks showed up for the talk, and I really enjoyed the experience. "Hang It Up!" will continue through December 19.

Motel Window

2009-11-08T09:57:00.002-05:00

This week I am featuring a canvas I completed in 2006. A somewhat introspective piece, the idea came to me after looking at some very old family photographs. One image showed the view out of a motel window in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina taken during a family vacation. I decided to superimpose a self-portrait on top of the window composition, and this painting was the result. I exhibited this work in the Visual Art Exchange's 2007 show "A Room with a View."

"Motel Window. Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 28 inches, Completed October 2006.

Ruins of the Old Laurel Sanitarium

2009-10-31T16:37:00.005-04:00

Halloween seems to be the appropriate day to go back to my older portfolio of paintings and post an image of this canvas, completed in 1991 when I was still living in Maryland. The subject is the remains of the main building on the grounds of the Laurel Sanitarium, an early 20th century mental hospital and farm that once operated in my hometown of Laurel, MD.

When I was young I lived on a street that bounded the sanitarium grounds. In 1964 the entire complex was razed in a controlled burn. My family sat in our front yard and watched as each structure was purposely set on fire. For six years after that day, the ruins stood empty and crumbling, and were easily accessible to me and my friends. My sister and I especially loved to ride our bikes on the old driveways and explore the derelict buildings, making up creepy stories about what might have taken place behind its walls.

In 1970 the grounds were finally bull-dozed over and a large department store and shopping center addition were built on the site. Over the years several apartments and housing complexes were constructed nearby, and today nothing remains that would ever indicate it even existed. This link, however, includes two photos of the sanitarium buildings circa 1910-1914. It was quite a bucolic setting in its heyday.

"Ruins of the Old Laurel Sanitarium." Oil on stretched canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed December 1991.

"Hang It Up!" at the Gregg Museum of Art and Design

2009-10-25T19:26:00.003-04:00

This past Thursday I attended the opening reception for the exhibit "Hang It Up!" at the Gregg Museum of Art and Design at NC State University (pictured above). As a staff member at the university, I was eligible to enter two works in this group show, which runs until December 21. I chose to include "Fourth and Montgomery" (just returned from the juried show at the Rocky Mount Arts Center) and "Biltmore." The exhibit turned out wonderfully, especially considering the huge variety of media represented. Kudos to the staff of the Gregg Museum for such a great job!

Biltmore

2009-10-17T08:22:00.002-04:00

Biltmore, the massive estate in Asheville NC created by George Washington Vanderbilt in the 1890s, has long been one of my favorite destinations. I've traveled to it many times, and each visit amazes and intrigues me. The magnitude of the mansion - America's largest private residence - is humbling, and its location in the Pisgah National Forest (also created by Vanderbilt) is spectacular. While expensive to tour, I feel it is worth every penny.

I have wanted to work on a series of canvases depicting Biltmore for nearly two years. This summer, I began the idea with the canvas seen above, simply entitled "Biltmore." It shows the main house in a severely cropped composition and highly simplified. While I wanted to capture the building's grandeur and immensity, I didn't want to create a sterile portrait. Rather, I hoped to imbue it with a feeling of lost luster and a haunting sense of mystery.

"Biltmore." Oil on stretched canvas, 28 x 34 inches. Completed June 2009.

August Sunset

2009-10-10T10:25:00.004-04:00

This is my most recent work, completed in August. Based on a house in Cumberland, Maryland, much of the composition is actually developed from my imagination. Rather than depict the structure in its original setting, a crowded Victorian neighborhood, I wanted to give it more of a feeling of loneliness and abandonment.

I chose this painting as the front piece on the exhibition postcard for my upcoming solo show at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill, NC. The exhibit will run from December 6 to 23 and coincides with the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill's Holiday Home Tour. Hopefully my architectural works will provide an appropriate backdrop to the tour groups that will begin and end at the Society's headquarters.

"August Sunset." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed August 2009.

South on Allegany

2009-10-01T09:18:00.002-04:00

My sabbatical from painting has continued in September. While I didn't plan this break, I think I must have needed it emotionally and creatively. Although I haven't been working on new pieces, I have continued to stimulate myself artistically.

On September 19 I visited the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University to see the new exhibit "Picasso and the Allure of Language." Picasso, and cubism in general, has never held a strong attraction for me, but this exhibit was interesting in that it explores his relationship with writers (especially Gertrude Stein) and displays lithographs and published illustrations that are not typical of Picasso's main stream body of work.

I also attended an artist's reception for Susan Parrish at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill on September 27. This is the same location that will host a solo show of my work in December. Ms. Parrish is a potter and collage artist, and it was very helpful to gain a sneak peak at an opening prior to my own. Today I am going to finalize the invitation for the show in Chapel Hill, and I'll post the final copy in a future post.

The painting above, "South on Allegany," was completed this past spring. It is another in a series of canvases I have produced this year that depict street scenes and structures in Cumberland, Maryland. This work will likely be displayed in my 2010 exhibition at the Raleigh Municipal Building.

"South on Allegany." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed March 2009.

Short Break from the Studio

2009-09-13T11:41:00.002-04:00

I've been taking a few weeks off from active painting to visit family up north and to catch up on some much-needed home and yard projects. Next weekend I'm planning to visit the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University to see the new exhibit "Picasso and the Allure of Language." I'll be sure to post some comments. Stayed tuned...

Commission: "Snow at Sunrise"

2009-08-30T18:47:00.003-04:00

This weekend I put the finishing touches on this commissioned work. The painting is loosely based on a photograph provided by the patron. The scene depicts a portion of their country property after a heavy snowfall. In order to make the project a bit more challenging, I decided (with the patron's blessing) to complete the piece in a panorama-styled format using three 20 x 16 inch canvases. Since I knew that the work was going to be placed above an entertainment center in the patron's home, I also thought that this format would work best.

"Snow at Sunrise." Oil on three 20 x 16 inch stretched canvases, total size 20 x 48 inches. Completed August 2009.

"Main Street" Update

2009-08-22T10:08:00.002-04:00

Here is an update on the large canvas I began a few weeks ago entitled "Main Street" (see August 1, 2009 post). After two more long work sessions, the canvas stands in this current state, still unfinished. In general I am satisfied with its progress, although I have some question regarding the sky and the brick structures in the far left side of the work. I still need to work up the structures along the right side, add highlights and shadows, and then decide any further refinements that might be needed. Comments are always welcome!

"Main Street" (tentative title). Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 48 inches. In progress; begun July 2009.

Dormer Windows

2009-08-15T12:04:00.003-04:00

I typically arrange my studio painting sessions so that they allow extended periods of time to work on a piece (usually 6 to 8 hours). However, sometimes I find that I am unexpectedly motivated to paint after hours or when I have a small time frame available. The canvas above is an example. It was completed in less than an hour late one weekday evening, using leftover oils from the past week's pallet. It was also created strictly from imagination, without any specific source material. The idea of attic-level dormer windows just kind of came to me one evening, and I decided to take an old, used canvas and quickly paint an impression of the idea. Here are the results.

"Dormer Windows." Oil on stretched canvas, 8 x 10 inches. Completed January 2009.

In Progress: "Main Street"

2009-08-01T14:00:00.003-04:00

When I originally created this artist blog back in December 2008, it was my intent to post works in progress as well as finished pieces. Unfortunately I haven't been very faithful to that intent, as I have primarily posted canvases after their completion rather than in progress.

Today's post returns to the original intent. I began this large (36 x 48 inch) canvas last week and have allowed it to sit since then as I considered its next metamorphosis. The composition is based on a photograph I took over the Independence Day holiday weekend while visiting my sister and her family in Mount Airy, Maryland. It depicts an intersection of that town's Main Street. I loved the unusual flat-iron shaped building that stands at this intersection, so I quickly snapped a photo of it as we walked to lunch.

Last week, I developed the composition using the original digital photo as a resource. Prior to beginning, I primed the canvas (which I had stretched myself) with an abstract collage of acrylic colors. That is the underpainting one can still see in this stage of the work. I like working on top of a confused color field - I feel that it encourages me to work more loosely. Then, I sketched my composition using a soft brush filled with burnt umber oil paint slightly diluted with painting medium. From there, I began to build up the painted surface.

Because this is a large canvas for me, it will likely take several extended sessions to complete this painting. Once it is finished, I will post the final results.

"Main Street" (tentative title). Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 48 inches. In progress; begun July 2009.

Cary Farmhouse Series: Seventh Post

2009-07-25T08:24:00.003-04:00

This work is probably the most unique approach I took in the Cary farmhouse series I completed during 2008. Instead of interpreting the subject on one canvas, I decided to create a panoramic image presented over four smaller canvases, each measuring 9 x 12 inches in size. This produced a final image that measured 12 x 36 inches in size.

I started by sketching out the subject onto the four canvases using a small paintbrush filled with burnt sienna oil paint. Then, I worked on two canvases at a time placed side by side on my easel. I used the same palette throughout the work and completed the painting in one long marathon session (approximately 6 hours). Once dry, I framed the four canvases within one canvas floater frame as a single work.

This painting was one of 20 displayed in my solo show at the Burke Arts Council in May 2009. It was also one of three paintings that sold during the show's run, and now belongs to a private collector in Black Mountain, NC.

"Farmhouse Panorama." Oil on four 12 x 9-inch stretched canvases (total size 12 x 36 inches). Completed August 2008.

Shadows at Dusk

2009-07-18T08:30:00.002-04:00

Since January I have been working on a series of canvases based on buildings in Cumberland, Maryland. I visited that old railroad city the day after Christmas 2008 and compiled a large photographic archive of structures with my digital camera. That archive has been a source for several paintings since then.

This work, entitled "Shadows at Dusk," is based on two houses I saw on Cumberland's Greene Street. While I relied on my digital images to develop the houses, I improvised the lighting, the color palette and the dramatic sky from both memory and imagination. I used a palette dominated by cadmium orange and cerulean blue, and tried to emphasize the feeling of light at dusk as it washes over the brick facades and creates long shadows and dark recessed areas. This painting is the largest work I've completed in two years, and rests upon a canvas that I stretched myself.

"Shadows at Dusk." Oil on stretched canvas, 36 x 48 inches. Completed January 2009.

Cary Farmhouse Series: Sixth Post

2009-07-08T05:57:00.004-04:00

This canvas was the sixth completed in my Cary Farmhouse Series from 2008. This work depicts the farmhouse from the southwest, capturing the structure in early morning light. Since I didn't find this perspective as interesting (mainly because the wrap-around porch is not prominently displayed), I tried to emphasize the shadows and lighting effect created by the time of day. This painting was chosen by juror Anna Olivia Sisk for inclusion in the juried exhibition "Landscape and Location" held at the Island Ford Art Gallery in Statesville, NC in Summer 2008.

"Farmhouse in Morning Light." Oil on stretched canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Completed April 2008.

House in Pasadena

2009-06-28T09:33:00.003-04:00

This is yet another "house" painting that I have recently completed. Entitled "House in Pasadena," it is a compilation of images I photographed during my vacation to Southern California in September 2008.

The structure in the painting is based on a home I saw on Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, CA. The house itself was in the middle of a major renovation, and had windows removed and sections of wall under construction. Based on the style, I estimate it was originally constructed in the early 1900s. When I developed the composition for the canvas, I chose to add a background of distant mountain peaks reminiscent of the ones I had seen surrounding the Pasadena area. I also inserted a palm tree in dark silhouette, and improvised the night setting. I spent several sessions working up the lighting in the second-story window and the front porch area, and also creating the right reflections in the darker windows. This canvas was one of twenty that was featured in my solo exhibition at the Burke Arts Council in May of this year.

"House in Pasadena." Oil on stretched canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Completed January 2009.

Another visit to Rocky Mount

2009-06-21T11:10:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a break this weekend from painting to play host to my parents for Father's Day. Yesterday we took a road trip out of Raleigh to eastern North Carolina. The first stop was the Rocky Mount Arts Center to see the juried exhibition in which I currently have one painting on display, "Fourth and Montgomery" (seen above). From there, we traveled to Wilson, NC to visit the North Carolina Baseball Museum at Fleming Field. The ballpark was constructed in 1939 as a WPA project, and was recently renovated to include the museum. Afterwards, we enjoyed genuine eastern NC barbecue at Parker's Barbecue in Wilson. It was lip-smackin' good!