Artists Statement and Biography for
Peter Heineman
Most of my paintings are done in the medium of soft pastel. My work consists primarily of landscape and tends to be impressionistic. Although most of my pieces are done from a particular location, my intent is never to convey a photo realistic view of a scene, but to convey an interpretation of the landscape or some emotional component of the scene. Sometimes this leads to abstraction or stretching of the visual accuracy of the scene. I want to pull the viewer into the mystery or the delight of a certain place or into the excitement of a certain type of lighting which may only come at a particular time of day

I studied architecture at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The study of architecture focuses on design and composition with emphasis on three-dimensional design. I also studied fine arts as time permitted. My media in the 1960's were primarily ceramics, watercolor and pencil. I renewed my interest in painting when I discovered the medium of soft pastels in the early 1990's. Since that time I have been largely self taught although I have participated in some classes and workshops.

A part of the fascination of the pastel medium is the intensity and immediacy of expression one can accomplish. Pastels allow me to use very intense colors which can be laid down quickly with a minimum of blending. Some of the effects that are possible with pastels are difficult to achieve with other media. Since there is no brush between the artist and the canvas when painting with pastels, I feel sometimes that I am more connected to the process of creation, almost like finger painting.

Just as a picture can convey a thousand words, a single stroke or gesture can convey a great deal of information about the subject of a painting. My goal is to develop a style which has an economy of stroke which conveys the emotional content or the idea I have in my mind to the viewer with the minimum amount of strokes necessary to do the job. This type of artistic communication can be viewed in a more intuitive way than works done in a traditional realistic style. If I have evoked some response from the viewer then I have succeeded.