The Universe Surrenders Print

Christopher Lyter was a contemporary American painter and lifelong resident of central Pennsylvania. As a child with a penchant for spending his days wandering in the forests surrounding his home, he was fascinated with nature and wildlife. He also discovered a passion for creative pursuits including drawing and painting, displaying unusual artistic talent that was enhanced by formal instruction with an accomplished local artist, and later by dedicated school instructors. This passion for art would never be completely forgotten as the artist became an adult and embarked on a career in logistics, met and married his beloved Lisa, and settled into his current home in the Pennsylvania Appalachians. Coming full circle, he eventually picked up a paintbrush and returned to his childhood passion by making art his full-time job. Lyter’s paintings were mostly abstract with common themes including dramatic light and an emphasis on value and texture. Much of his work was spontaneous, often a reflection of the thoughts and emotions within the artist’s mind as he paints. Each piece is intended to create beauty, a mood, a sense of mystery and the unknown, and to encourage introspection and thought. The metaphysical and otherworldly aura of the artwork transports the viewer. “Like many artists, I am inspired by nature. Although I am certainly captivated by flora and fauna and the natural beauty that can be seen all around us, I am more attracted to the natural, at times mundane, phenomena that regularly occur but are seldom noticed – the glow that occurs during that golden hour just prior to sunset on a beautiful autumn day; the ethereal light of a sunbeam piercing the forest mist after a storm; the still, peaceful afterglow of twilight. These brief moments in time evoke in me emotions ranging from intense, indescribable joy, to calm and quiet reflection, to bittersweet feelings of nostalgia for moments and people since gone. I am often moved to the verge of tears. My art is an attempt to capture these moments and feelings when in every case I find words to be inadequate.” His paintings can be found in galleries and private collections in the U.S. and around the world.