Not less than Painting

Peter Ira Siegel (23.10.1952) There are several continuous threads running through the work over the years, I've always been interested in expressive figurative as well as subjective (gestural) non-representational work, and I've always sought a heightened emotional expression through the use of brilliant colors. My last few years work (primarily abstract) is brilliantly colored and lyrical. The paintings have been inspired by my favorite music and usually titled after songs. The aim of my work is to engage the viewer as a participant, as the other half of the equation. The colors I use are emotionally and symbolically charged, intended to provoke an immediate, visceral response and invite the viewer into a dialogue with the painting. I want people to bring their own unique perspectives and meaning to these "totems" which occupy and influence our common space. I want to convey the continuous and fluid nature of more or less obvious figurative image making. The expressive humanistic components reveal themselves whether or not figures are overtly obvious. I have a strong interest in blending colors optically, using a translucent layering, patch-like tapestry technique to achieve the final surface or outer skin of the painting. My goal is to create as much brilliance and vibrancy as the light bouncing through the highly saturated colors can project, and to further enhance those phenomena through a richly textured surface. Most of the work contains many layers of painting, creating various textural qualities. Often I'll rework a canvas over a period of months or years which at times create peaks and valleys which appear very thick, rich, rough and look almost like a close up of the surface of the moon. My objective is to convey as much energy and movement as possible, whether optically, gesturally or rhythmically. Also, I've tried to create a dynamic balance in the entire painting, along with staccatolike rhythmic brushstrokes and shapes, which help keep the viewer's eyes moving across the whole surface. Although the paintings project living presence from their surfaces into the viewer’s space, they are also self-contained and timeless. I received my BA degree at Livingston College (Rutgers U.) where I had the good fortune to study with the great artist/painter Leon Golub (who used to see good things in my work before I was ever aware of them). Later, he helped me get into Yale U School of art where I received my MFA degree.