john petach Fine Art
About Me
My Background
My Inspiration
My Background
My Background? Jersey. Went to Rutgers and lucked out to be taught art by Leon Golub. He taught me how to stretch a canvas, which is pretty ironic since he would staple his canvas’s to the wall and paint. No stretchers needed. I also lucked out to learn from Lloyd McNeil. He is mostly known for his Jazz flute but in those days taught figu
My Background? Jersey. Went to Rutgers and lucked out to be taught art by Leon Golub. He taught me how to stretch a canvas, which is pretty ironic since he would staple his canvas’s to the wall and paint. No stretchers needed. I also lucked out to learn from Lloyd McNeil. He is mostly known for his Jazz flute but in those days taught figure drawing at R.U. He had the great luck of meeting and palling around with Picasso! Every class I had with him would devolve into his stories of Picasso, with no one caring a bit about figure drawing. Got married as a child (still in love with her) Moved to California and more learning at Cal Arts and Art Center College of Design. Had a daughter (she’s now an adult and
I still love and like her a bunch). Worked in advertising for years until we both realized we were imposters in each others lives. Moved to the Bay Area, was picked up by a gallery and they sold my paintings on a regular basis. I juried in to the Artists Guild San Francisco. They have a contract to show in some iconic parks in the city each weekend. I started selling my work each weekend in Union Square and in front of the DeYoung Art Museum. Until recently I was on the Board of Directors and was out there selling my wares each weekend. I have come full circle and am back in a little river town in Jersey near family!
My Medium
My Inspiration
My Background
I take maps of the places I’ve been and use them as my canvas. The maps are gel bonded to a wood art panel and I then paint a scene of that place on the map. I paint in a thick impasto style using a pallet knife technique. Instead of a pallet knife as a paintbrush I use some found object from that place as a paintbrush. My paintbrushes have been everything from a clam shell to a Paris Metro Card.
My Inspiration
My Inspiration
My Inspiration
Seeing a place with fresh eyes, whether that’s a new place or one I have been before. Listening, smelling, feeling and truly seeing a place.