PETER CORBETT
My painting takes its inspiration from the vast and diverse landscape all around us although I am most attracted to the mountains where I live and work. These wild and remote spaces have drawn me in and painting plein air amongst the clouds and peaks has become my passion. When painting out doors, I work quickly in oils on panels to capture the mood of the vista while still maintaining the architecture of the place. I paint no larger than 12” X 16” in the field to reduce the amount of surface area to be covered in paint before the atmosphere changes once again. The dark, warm background of the panel also becomes an integral component of the finished work, allowing me to work quickly in an attempt to visually say the most I can with the fewest brush strokes.
I have lived in British Columbia since 1980 and in the Slocan Valley for the last 15 years. I divide my time equally between being a professional painter, primarily landscape and a professional biologist, specializing in trout conservation. I am also an avid backcountry skier, climber, mountain biker and fly fisher.
My love for the mountains is reflected in all aspects of my life. I paint both oils and water colours but I am currently very much in oils mode. I work primarily on panel because it is most portable in the field, sufficiently rigid to support a physical style of painting and provides a warm natural "under-painting" that I often integrated as part of the painting.
I have shown extensively throughout the region and I am represented by several commercial galleries across western Canada. I have paintings in both private and corporate collection across North America as well as in Japan, Sweden, Germany and France. I have co-facilitated a spring and fall plein air workshop each year for the past 4 years where we bring together artists from around western North America to share our great mountain scenery and enthusiasm to paint. Participants vary from well established professional artists looking for new motifs to recreational painters wanting to take the next big step in their painting.
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