Peter's blog

English Version - *version française dessous* INSPIRATION! I’m often asked where do you find your inspiration to paint? Most come on the spur of the moment. Abstract paintings are different.   They usually come from the music I’m listening to.   My best figurative paintings are of people, places that I love, or places where I would like to be.   They are the easiest ones to do.   I think this is why the great impressionists repeatedly painted their families, places, and things they loved!   If I see something I like, I will take a picture of it and send an email to my colleagues at the gallery with the subject line “Please Print Out for Inspiration”.   They print out the image as large as possible and put it into a book in my studio simply titled “Inspirations”.   Regardless of the style, I leave a bit of my soul on every painting I create. It is a wonderful feeling!   PHOTO:   Peter W Hart (2021)  TOGETHER AGAIN – In

   English Version - *version française dessous* MY NEXT PAINTING WILL BE MY BEST PAINTING! As I mentioned in my previous post, a blank canvas drives me to paint and when I start a new painting, I always have the feeling that THIS painting will be the BEST painting I ever created!   It is an incredibly satisfying feeling even if it doesn’t prove true.   But one thing is certain: I learn from every painting that I create.   In my life, success has come from experience and failure.   It didn’t matter whether it was in my personal life, my business career or in my artistic endeavors.   Malcolm Gladwell wrote in his book “Outliers” that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master something.   He cited the Beatles, Bill Gates, hockey players and others as examples.   I believe this to be true.     I also believe in the expression that you only fail when you give up… so it is very simple… never give up!   No matter what yo

  English Version - *version française dessous* RED CAPES & BLANK CANVASES For me, a blank canvas is like a red cape for a bull.  Just as a bull charges the matador’s red cape, a blank canvas makes me want to paint.   Most of my paintings start on the studio floor.   The stark contrast of the white canvas against the bright, beautiful splashes on the floor from previous efforts creates this irresistible urge to fill the canvas with color!   A blank canvas is my most powerful motivator to paint.       PHOTO/S: BLANK CANVAS ON THE FLOOR OF MY STUDIO, 2024. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Version française CAPES ROUGES & TOILES VIERGES  Pour moi, une toile vierge est comme une cape rouge pour un taureau. Tout comme un taureau se lance vers la cape rouge du matado

English Version - *version française dessous*   MY THREE RULES FOR PAINTING Over the years I have developed three simple rules for when I paint.  They are as follows: 1.       There are no rules! My first rule a painting is very simple. There are no rules!  Anything goes! That doesn't mean everything always works the way I planned, but I'd love to learn by experimenting and trying new things and materials. If someone says to me, “that won't work”, you better believe I’m going to try and see if I can make it work!  I realize this rule might not work for everyone and I’m respectful of those who teach and take formal courses. But rules don’t work for me!  2. There are no mistakes! When I first started painting, my Mom and I used to watch a 30 minute TV show on PBS that featured Bob Ross painting a nature scene in oil.  He was an amazing painter and he became one of my heroes. He used to have an expression when something didn't turn out exactly as he had planned. He called