Peter's blog

  English Version - *version française dessous*     PAINTING AT EVERGREEN SCHOOL Many years ago, a few of my nieces attended Evergreen Elementary School in Saint-Lazare, Quebec. Two of my grandchildren are currently students there, and four others went there before high school. So, Evergreen is a very special place for my family.  Zachary, Peter, Francine & Isabelle About seven or eight years ago, I painted at the school with some of my grandchildren. We created two or three collective paintings, which now hang in the school. A few months ago, my grandson Zachary asked if I could go again. He had spoken to one of the teachers, who had been there at the time and later visited our gallery. Of course, the answer was yes!   So, on March 12th, Francine and I painted with three different kindergarten classes. It was a lot of fun, made even more special because Assistant #1 was Zachary, who is now 12 years old.   Zachary AKA Assistant #1 & Pete...

   English Version - *version française dessous*      MAY 17 th … SAVE THE DATE! We are moving the gallery to 49A Donegani in Pointe-Claire!    But before we go, we’re planning one last big event at the gallery that has served us so well over the years. Located at 367 Rue St-Paul Est , right across from Marché Bonsecours, the event will take place on May 17th, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM . Light refreshments will be served.   Our very first event at the gallery was also held on May 17th , back in 2013 , to celebrate my 62nd birthday . But that was a private party—we only invited family and close personal friends. Normally, we would have held it at our home, but 2013 was different. You see, the next day, Saturday, May 18th , we were opening our new pop-up gallery. Francine and I had no idea whether our latest venture—or perhaps more accurately, “adventure”—would be successful. So, we decided to host the birthday party in the gallery an...

   English Version - *version française dessous*     WE’RE MOVING… AND YOU CAN SAVE 40%! One Time Gallery Moving Sale: April 7th – May 19th, 2025   As we prepare to move from the Old Port of Montreal to our new location in Pointe-Claire, we’re inviting you to take part in a special one-time Gallery Moving Sale — a thank-you to all who have supported us over the past 12 years.   From April 1st to May 19th, you can enjoy 40% OFF all original paintings (shipping and taxes are additional).   For example, using a $1,000 painting we will give you 40% off or $400 and you will only pay $600 plus shipping and taxes.   You will also receive a Certificate of Authenticity.   Now is the perfect time to acquire a piece you’ve had your eye on — or to find something new before we transition to our new home.   To purchase or learn more, visit us at the gallery or contact us:   Email:   contact@PETERwHART.com Phone: ...

LAKESHORE ARTISTS ASSOCIATION… A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of presenting myself and my work to the Lakeshore Artists Association (LAA). This association of about 50 professional artists, spanning from Lachine to Hudson, holds regular meetings, shares creative ideas, sketches together, and exhibits their work. Every fall, they host an outdoor exhibition at Stewart Hall in Pointe-Claire, where members sell their artwork, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting West Island charities.  My presentation lasted about 45 minutes and covered a bit about me, my artistic journey, and my process, followed by a brief Q&A session. . You can click here to access a copy of my presentation if you’re interested.   Francine and I have long admired the LAA from afar. We live in Valois Village, Pointe-Claire, and often take long walks along Lakeshore Boulevard, passing by the Stewart Hall Community Centre. We look forward to their fall show every y...

  English Version - *version française dessous*   HOT YOGA… HOT ART! When I first started painting, I experimented with oils, watercolors, and pastels. Eventually, I settled on acrylic paint for three key reasons.    First, my old studio at Rideau, the company I owned, was adjacent to the company cafeteria. A wall separated the two, but it was only 12 feet high, leaving a six-foot gap to the 18-foot ceiling. Because of this, I couldn’t use anything toxic or with strong fumes, so oil paint was out.   Secondly, I found that acrylic paint allowed me to work with a much broader range of mixed media.   However, the third and most important reason was drying time. Since I was running Rideau, which employed almost 300 people, I didn’t have much time to paint. Fortunately, my studio was right beside my office, so I could go in early in the morning, stay after work, or paint on weekends. Acrylic’s quick drying time allowed me to apply multiple coats in...

English Version - *version française dessous*   MY FAVOURITE MUSEUM IN THE WORLD   Francine and I have visited many museums during our travels but, without a doubt, our favourite is Musée D’Orsay in Paris.   Situated on the Left Bank of the Seine, it was originally a train station.  In 1970 the plan was to demolish the structure and build a hotel but the then Cultural Minister killed the plan, and the building ended up on the list of Historic Monuments.  In the late 70’s it was decided to convert it into a museum that would bridge the gap between the Louvre and more modern Georges Pompidou Centre which housed contemporary and modern art.     The first time I visited the museum was in 1996, ten years after it opened. I was with my dad and eldest son Jonathan.  We were together on a “boys” trip and had a brief layover in Paris.  I will never forget walking into the main hall of the Museum, it was so beautiful and different...

      English Version - *version française dessous*   MY FIRST PAINTING(S) SOLD   When I started painting in 1989, it was never my intention to sell art. I painted to relieve the stress of running my company, which employed about 300 people. Painting was a great outlet—it took my mind off day-to-day problems and made me happy.   Initially, I gave away paintings to family and friends. Occasionally, those close to me would ask for a special commission, and I would do it if I felt comfortable with the motif.   Then, in 2005, someone quite literally turned up at my door and asked me to paint a scene from a photo he had taken in Ireland near his ancestral home. I didn’t know this man, but a neighbor had told him I was an amateur painter. He gave me several different photos and said he would be happy with any one of them. The images really resonated with me because I had lived in Ireland for four years in my twenties. It was a place close to my h...

     English Version - *version française dessous*   WE TRY HARDER!   Every year, The Suburban newspaper runs its Best of Montreal competition, covering a variety of categories, including art galleries. Participants enter the competition, and the public votes to determine the top three winners in each category.   In 2022, we were honored to be voted the best art gallery in Montreal. For some reason, we didn’t enter the 2023 competition, but we were back in for 2024.   I’m proud to announce that we finished 2nd overall this year! A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us—I truly appreciate your support. I also want to express my gratitude to my wife, Francine, and her talented team, who always do their best to make every visitor feel welcome, whether they acquire a painting or not.   Congratulations as well to Heffel Gallery for taking first place and Avenue Gallery for securing third!   Avis once h...

    English Version - *version française dessous*   3/3 : OOPS…. IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST!!! In January 2025, I was named Artists In Montreal’s (AIM) “Artist of the Month”.  Part of the process was to submit some paintings that reflected my work and to answer some questions.  Cathy Keays, the President of AIM provided me with a list of 15 questions which I dutifully answered.   After responding, I read Cathy’s instructions to make sure that my submission was complete… not the smartest thing to do AFTER I answered ALL the questions when Cathy only wanted me to respond to 4 or 5 with a one page 300-500 word limit!!!  Francine (aka the Boss) always say I talk too much and now she’s saying I write too much!  LOL!     In any event, all of Cathy’s questions were great and it was fun to answer them so I’m going to share them with you. 10. How has your relationship with art evolved over the years? My relationship wi...