PETER VAN DYCK
	FOREWORD Peter Van Dyck finds that life in his immediate surroundings provides all the inspiration he requires as a painter. Patterns of sunlight on an old Persian rug, objects randomly placed on a tabletop or a visiting artist relaxing in his studio are the ordinary happenstance that spark his creativity. Yet, from those things most familiar, he creates works that contain a mysterious and haunting ambience. Van Dyck's paintings are atmospheric interpretations of his world rather than what the artist calls "a cataloguing of items in the environment." Whether he is painting the human figure, a still life or an interior, there is always a strong sense of design in the abstract relationships he creates with shapes and forms. Some of his works are quite formal in their composition as in "Self-Portrait Still Life", where each object within the painting is in sympathy to the borders of the canvas. More informal arrangements are found in works like "Curved Still Life" with its bird's eye viewpoint and use of extreme diagonal lines. A measured and harmonious range of tonal subtleties define the palette in his paintings. Light and shadow sculpts the contours of each plane while he defies our expectations using soft edges to fuse all the elements together. There are times when Van Dyck adds to the sense of the unknown by placing his subject just outside our direct observation, as in "Reading the Paper" or "Woman in the Hallway." In the end, what the artist achieves is quite extraordinary and engaging. He invites the viewer to take their time and explore each painting for all its nuances...rather like your eyes searching a dimly lit room after having been in the bright sunlight. Even the most familiar of surroundings can contain something new, and Van Dyck encourages us to look at an everyday scene in a different and dynamic context. After participating in the gallery's group exhibitions for more than three years, the Eleanor Ettinger Gallery is very pleased to present Peter Van Dyck's first New York one-man exhibition.
	TITLE  |  FOREWORD  |  BIOGRAPHY