john petach Fine Art
map.hydra.3 24” x 18”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
A greek island with no cars. Met at the dock by Pepe with three donkey’s for our bags. A climb to an amazing view of the Aegean. Buying fish off the back of a boat. Cooking on an open fire and Aperol Spritzes courtesy of Dinos!
Painted on a map of Hydra, gel bonded to a wood box using a stone from the island as a paintbrush.
map.athens.2 24” x 18”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Living in the shadow of the Acropolis next to the oldest church in Athens. Drinking with the priest and seeing the altar made from an over turned Roman Corinthian column. Eating at the tabernas on the steps of Plaka, travelling with Theo for the first time and ending each night with ouzo!
Painted on a map of Athens, gel bonded to a wood box using a Monuments of Greece ticket as a paintbrush.
map.sf.30 18” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Walking out of the Legion of Honor Art Museum and seeing the Gate from Lands End for the first time.
Painted on a San Francisco map using a vintage Golden Gate Bridge card as paintbrush.
map.santa cruz.map 18” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Riding a rickety wood roller coaster with the safety bar unlatched. A walk on the beach and finding out it snows in Lebanon.
Painted on a Santa Cruz map using a piece of beach glass as paintbrush.
map.sausalito 36” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
A ride into Sausalito watching Mt Tam rise up from the sea. A lunch of barbecued oysters at Fish restaurant followed by a tour of what Heath Ceramics has to offer.
Painted on a Marin map using a Fish restaurant card as paintbrush.
map.sf.28 18” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” wood box
Climbing the Filbert Steps up to Coit Tower and looking towards the Gate.
Painted on a San Francisco map using a Coit Tower card as paintbrush.
map.williamsburg 14” x 11”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” wood box
Painted on a NYC map using a Wythe Hotel card as paintbrush.
map.sf.27 48” x 36”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Driving over the Bay Bridge this is my view.
Painted on a San Francisco map using a GG Bridge postcard as paintbrush.
map.dumbo 18” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Walked over the Brooklyn Bridge to eat Italian food and get ready for a traditional Korean wedding.
Painted on a NYC map using a subway metro card as paintbrush.
map.girona 14” x 11” SOLD
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
The first time I went to Girona was by a mistake. I was returning from Cadaques and flying out of the Girona Airport. Filling the car up with gas I asked the two Spanish speakers in the car if the green gas pump was diesel. They both said si. As we approached the airport the car started to buck as I realized that it hadn’t been diesel! We missed our flight and had a day to spend in Girona before the next flight. I fell in love and it was one my favorite mistakes yet!
Painted on a map of Girona using a postcard as paintbrush.
map.paris.5 18” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
The first time we went to Paris, many pre smart phone years ago, we arrived on a late afternoon Saturday. After getting unpacked in our apartment we decided to take a walk. We walked down to the Seine and watched the sunset and the Eiffel Tower sparkle. On our walk to the river we had passed a number of Cafes on Rue Montorgueil and figured we’d get a bite on our way back to the apartment. In our jet lagged, sleep deprived state we could not find Rue Montorgueil! We passed Joe Allens Café American and joked about eating there. As we passed it a second time, I declared that my first meal in Paris would NOT be at an American Restaurant! On our third trip by Joes we were starved and still lost. Our first meal in Paris was at Joe Allens. They fed us and gave us directions home. Whenever we are in Paris we make a pilgrimage to Joe Allens.
Painted on a map of Paris using a Joe Allens Paris card as a paintbrush.
map.washington square park 18” x 24”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch
The smell of coffee is in the air on a cool Sunday morning in Washington Square Park. The sun tops the Coit Tower hill and shines on the twin spires of St Peter and Paul’s . The church Joe DiMaggio got married in.
Painted on a map of San Francisco using a Hop On Hop Off bus card card as a paintbrush.
map.sf.25 36” x 12” x 1.5"
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
San Francisco glitters at night like a million jewels reminding me of Oz. The Bay Bridge shines on the Bay while the new tower’s light show dance over the city.
Painted on a map of San Francisco using a BART card as a paintbrush.
map.oakland 24” x 18”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Watching the fog from the sun. Food, food and more great food! A ride down Telegraph to Broadway, Old Town and the Last Chance water front where Jack London had his first drinks.
Painted on a map of Oakland using an Oaklandish card as paintbrush.
map.oakland 24” x 18”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Where Telegraph and Broadway meet in Oakland sits the iconic Cathedral Building. Flat Iron inspired, it was the first Gothic revival skyscraper west of the Mississippi.
Painted using an Oakland postcard as paintbrush
map.big sur 36” x 48”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Being overwhelmed around each curve, kayak fishing where the Great Whites roam, a bite to eat and a glass of wine on Nepenthe’s patio and finally sleeping under the redwoods to the sound of a rushing creek.
Painted on maps of Big Sur using a a beach stone from there as paintbrush.
map.tulum 14” x 11”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
The archeological zones Mayan castle on the Caribbean and the pueblo’s great little markets with the car rim barbecue. A wild mescal night and treated like old friends at Hartwood. A secret revealed
Painted using a peso coin as paintbrush.
map.athens 24” x 18”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
The cabbie doppelganger, best moussaka and the moving maze that is the Athens Bazaar, all in the shadow of the Acropolis.
Painted on a map of Athens with a Cabby's card as paintbrush.
map.madrid 24” x 18”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
I was guided around Madrid both times I've been there by those two Madrileños, Nicole and Rachael. Fell in love with its tempo, charm and food! They took us to old favorites and hidden cafes that we never would have discovered.
Painted on a map of Madrid using a Madrid metro card as paintbrush.
map.nyc 48” x 12”
gallery wrapped on 1.5” birch box
Looking over at the city from Jersey always reminds me of a fantasy I have. It's a hot August night about 3:00 in the morning. I'm driving through the Lincoln tunnel in a 1961 Continental convertible, rounding that curve in the tunnel and the lights are whooshing over head and the suspension is just floating to the sounds of the Rolling Stones 'Can't you hear me knocking', that part in the middle of the song where it becomes an instrumental and a sax comes on and there's no other cars and I hit the city and it's jumping.
Painted on a NYC map using a subway metro card as paintbrush.
