Artists Interview Artists: Denis Peterson

Denis Peterson, an artist from New York, NY, participates in the Artists Interview Artists Project. Below Denis responds to another artist's five questions (Andrea Pratt from Delta, British Columbia, Canada). In order to participate, Denis had to provide me with five questions for some other artist to answer. The assigning of questions to artists is completely random. If you're an artist and interested in participating, let me know.

Don't Shed No Tears
acrylic and oil on canvas
24" x 36"

1. Who were your mentors and favorite artists of the past?

Karl Gregor (my grandfather) was a master atelier realist painter who inspired me as a very young child. His first studio was in Marseilles, France. I would spend many hours watching him work on so many inspiring paintings. While I was in art school, and although he had become virtually blind, he continued to correct my painting techniques with those of his own mentors (early career) Jean-Léon Gérôme and (later) Claude Monet (who by coincidence, are two of my favorite artists).

2. Tell us about a typical workday.

I usually go from early in the day to very late at night on the same piece. I stop painting when I recognize that my brain is taking on hypothermia type symptoms, whereby I begin asking myself those reoccurring and profound questions such as “Is that color red or red-orange?” This usually occurs very late at night (or in earlier daytime hours when I have neglected to keep on my respirator!)

3. What qualities do you possess that make 'art-making' the right choice for you?

Not thinking about a “real job” and having the time and talent to make it happen. A compelling inner need to communicate on a visceral level helps, I think.

4. What role does the Internet play in your art practice?

None, thank God. At least, none other than my website. My art practice is fulltime and I like to avoid inane thread discussions, i.e. This is a drawing Creepy Eyes, my pet cat, but I can’t get the fur right. I tried googling great cat artists…but nothing came up. Help!”

Actually, the Internet did play a significant part with my current show in NYC, Don't Shed No Tears. It facilitated fast turnaround communications with a number of humanitarian organizations, genocide museums and photojournalists from around the world who supported my work in a big way. This was essential, in view of the fact that my hyperreal paintings are based on accurate information, being based on the aftermath of very real genocides around the globe, particularly in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Darfur.

5. What is your opinion on the value of the artist's statement?

An absolute necessity. If artists can’t intelligently present their own work on any number of levels, then effectively they have by proxy subjected their own relative system of visual communication to the phenomenological role of art critics. It is the duty of the artist to avoid relying upon unfounded observations of others who become free to proffer what would appear, in retrospect, as otherwise suitable interpretations. Thankfully, recent art reviews of my current show "Don't Shed No Tears" incorporated tenets in my own artist statement.

Waterfront
acrylic and oil on canvas
20" x 36"

Previous Interviews:
Juno Doran (questions by James W. Bailey)
Josh Feldman (questions by Joseph Barbaccia)
Lisa Stephenson (questions by Whitney Lynn)
Joseph Barbaccia (questions by Josh Feldman)
James W. Bailey (questions by Matt Hollis)
Matt Hollis (questions by Juno Doran)
Carol Es (questions by James Leonard)
Alexandra Silverthorne (questions by Ami Lahoff)
Christine Buckton Tillman (questions by Carol Es)
Douglas Witmer (questions by Alexandra Silverthorne)
Sky Pape (questions by Douglas Witmer)
Whitney Lynn (questions by Lisa Stephenson)
Heather Levy (questions by Joanne Greenbaum)
Heather Lowe (questions by Samantha Wolov)
Samantha Wolov (questions by Heather Levy)
Timothy McClellan (questions by Heather Lowe)
James Leonard (questions by Sky Pape)
Joanne Greenbaum (questions by Timothy McClellan)
Richard Kooyman (questions by Robert Walton)
Candy Keegan (questions by Warren Craghead)
Robert Walton (questions by Candy Keegan)
John M. Adams (questions by Richard Kooyman)
Prescott Moore Lassman (questions by Mary Addison Hackett)
Mary Addison Hackett (questions by Prescott Moore Lassman)
Andrew Wodzianski (questions by Nathan Manuel & D.Billy)
Nathan Manuel & D.Billy (questions by Andrew Wodzianski)
Michael Janis (questions by Scott Listfield)
Scott Listfield (questions by Michael Janis)
F. Lennox Campello (questions by Sean Hennessy)
Matt Andrade (questions by Adrian Parsons)
Sean Hennessy (questions by F. Lennox Campello)
George Wayne (questions by Michelle McAuliffe)
Eridanus Sellen (questions by Anabela Jevtovic)
Anabela Jevtovic (questions by Eridanus Sellen)
Marianela de la Hoz (questions by A.B. Miner)
Martin Henry (questions by Barbara Johnson-Gresser)
A.B. Miner (questions by George Wayne)
Barbara Johnson-Gresser (questions by Martin Henry)
Adrian Parsons (questions by Matt Andrade)
Heather Schmaedeke (questions by Patricia Hartnett)
Anthony Easton (questions by Melissa Kennedy)
Roz Leibowitz (questions by Anthony Easton)
Melissa Kennedy (questions by Tracy Lee)
Michelle McAuliffe (questions by Marianela de la Hoz)
Tim Folzenlogen (questions by Jason Hanasik)
Rob Willms (questions by Dott Schneider)
Marsha Stein (questions by Gregg Chadwick)
Jason Hanasik (questions by Tim Folzenlogen)
John LeKay (questions by Rosa Naparstek)
Brock Neilson (questions by Richard Vosseller)
Rosa Naparstek (questions by Howard Salmon)
Patricia Hartnett (questions by Verta Reyes)
William Andrews (questions by Bean Gilsdorf)
Howard Salmon (questions by John LeKay)
Corey Amaro (questions by Jason Dean and Matt Nash)
Michael Grayeagle (questions by Chris Ashley)
Marion Boddy-Evans (questions by Deborah Fisher)
Richard Vosseller (questions by Brock Neilson)
Deborah Fisher (questions by Corey Amaro)
Eileen Wold (questions by Michael Grayeagle)
Rob Myers (questions by William Andrews)
Gregg Chadwick (questions by Marsha Stein)
Chris Ashley (questions by Eileen Wold)
Verta Reyes (questions by Heather Schmaedeke)
Jason Dean & Matt Nash (questions by Rob Myers)
Mary Taitt (questions by Adriane Giberson)
Adriane Giberson (questions by Peter Ferko)
Peter Ferko (questions by Amethyst Begley)
Susan Schwake-Larochelle (questions by Jean Hutter)
Jean Hutter (questions by Mary Stebbins Taitt)
Amethyst Begley (questions by Kimberley Lindsley)
Kimberley Lindsley (questions by Susan Schwake-Larochelle)
Prem Singh (questions by Alison Rose)
Erin Antognoli (questions by Karen Winters)

Comments

[Chris Rywalt]

I haven't really read most of the Artists Interview Artists entries -- artists should stop talking, I tend to think, except for me, because I'm so darn witty and stuff -- but I read this one because I now feel personally attached to Denis.

So, cheers on having him involved, J.T.