Rainforest No 1

The artwork displays a mixed-media style, a combination of watercolour and ink. The overall style leans towards a painterly representation of a forest scene, evoking a sense of depth and atmosphere. Brushstrokes are visible, but not overly thick or gestural, rather suggestive of the texture of foliage and bark. Colour palettes are earthy and muted, with shades of greens, browns, greys, and hints of blues and yellows. These colours create a moody and slightly melancholic ambiance. The composition focuses on the interplay of light and shadow, as well as the verticality of the trees, giving a sense of perspective and depth within the forest. The technique suggests an attempt to capture the essence of the forest rather than a precise representation, leaning slightly towards abstraction, yet retaining strong representational elements of nature. Leaf shapes and bark patterns are depicted with detail. The texture appears to be a blend of smooth watercolour washes and textured ink or graphite lines, which add visual interest to the forest floor, foliage, and tree trunks.

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About Me!

I grew up in the small village of Perthville about 12 miles south of Bathurst, NSW, Australia. The first 11 years of my life were spent on a farm where I developed an affinity with the Australian bush.

I didn't start to seriously paint until high school where I studied art as an elective subject. At the completion of High school I entered the field of computing and have had many technical and managerial roles since that time. Needless to say, art took a back seat to life.

At the age of 45 I met a wonderful woman who I ended up marrying. Debbie-Lee revitalized my interest in drawing and painting, and encouraged me at every turn. She is my muse. I begun with some drawing classes where I developed my interest in charcoal as a medium. I also played with watercolor and acrylics, but it wasn't until I discovered oils, that I really found my comfort zone.

I like to think of myself as a bit of an eclectic artist. My day job gave me the luxury of not having to paint for the wider audience of consumers so I could try different subjects, styles, mediums etc. Depending on my mood at the time I alternated between portraiture, the human figure, still life, Birds & Animals and Australian landscapes. Sprinkled here and there are some frivolous works that I do occasionally just to break the monotony.

I am almost completely self-taught. In 1998, I completed a three-month figure drawing class at the Workshop Arts Center at Willoughby, Sydney, under the tutelage of Ros Deveaux. I also started but didn't finish an acrylics class at the same centre with Sarah Aylward. I also started but did not finish a ten-week introduction to oil painting at the Royal Art Society, North Sydney.

Other than that, I have just experimented with different mediums and techniques. I'm still learning (I will always be learning).

I now live at Forster on the NSW Mid North Coast.

I hope you enjoy what you see.

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Pete

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Exhibitions and Shows!​

2000 - Deerbrook Gallery, Humble TX, USA (solo)

2004 - Art House Gallery, Sydney, Australia (solo)

2012 - Beattie Street Gallery, Balmain, NSW, Australia

2013 - Lentil as Anything, Newtown, Australia (solo)

2017 - Carre De Artiste Gallery, Paris, France

2017 - Almost Naked & Nude, Hallidays Point, Australia

2019 - Gallery 109, Manly, NSW, Australia