PETER MAIER / CHARLES JARBOE Art Show

reporter: Miguel Dominguez

Most of Peter Maier's oeuvre consisted of animal portraits

On April 11, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, known for handling photorealistic and hyperrealistic art, had a double exhibit of the works of Peter Maier and Charles Jarboe.

Charles Jarboe pieces were mostly landscapes with a couple of still lives

PETER MAIER

Peter Maier from Brooklyn, a graduate of Pratt Institute, was considered by the professors at Pratt Institute to be the most promising 3-D Design student in the freshman class, and was chosen to become Robert Mallary’s assistant on his sculpture— “CLIFFHANGERS “, a work commissioned by architect Phillip Johnson for the New York State Pavilion at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

After seeing Maier’s work at the New York World’s Fair—Renowned Automotive Designer and VP of General Motors Corporation, Bill Mitchell, hired Maier prior to his junior year. Maier went on to enjoy a distinguished career as an Automobile Designer— being one of the youngest ever to be hired by GM, Maier rose in the ranks to become Senior Designer for Cadillac, Pontiac and Chevrolet Motor Divisions.

But he felt unfulfilled. His passion for art made him throw away the security of corporate America and he forged a new path. Maier shunned the conventional gallery system, being able to prosper, finding independent minded buyers who now form a strong core of enthusiastic collectors. Maier has been painting and selling privately since 1980—without any gallery representation he has sold well over 400 major works. He has only accepted one major commission by Harley-Davidson for the Company’s 100th Anniversary of two life-size motorcycles facing one another. The Original 1903 Harley-Davidson facing the 2003 Harley-Davidson.

 Two Flame  pieces by Peter Maier

Working on hi-tech fabricated aluminum panels, utilizing an experimental state-of–the-art water-borne automotive paint, DuPont Cromax-AT (Aqua Tint), Peter developed a unique technique and layering process that combines industrial paint technology with traditional brushwork.

The process involves the application of dozens of layers of transparent paint—each pure color over pure color—no colors are pre-mixed (example, blues over yellows to produce greens). Usually no more than 8 to 10 pure colors are utilized to produce an entire painting. Applying wet over dry, wet into wet, however each individual layer allows the previous layer to show through. Up to 25 layers or more are applied. The painting is given a clear coat, which it is then wet sanded. One final clear coat is applied and the layering process becomes quite evident. The colors refract, showing and blending through one another, giving the paintings a look and feel, a depth and saturation of color, and a luminosity and surface finish not possible with traditional paint mediums. The paintings have a true 3-D look and feel—they breathe and come alive.

“The paintings appear to be impossibly real.“ —Artnews Critic Barbara A. Mac Adam

CHARLES JARBOE 

Considered one of the foremost modern proponents of the American Realist tradition, Charles Jarboe paints urban and rural landscapes that explore light and color. Drawing inspiration from Edward Hopper, Jarboe tries to capture a sense of stillness and alienation in his work through the juxtaposition of seemingly aloof figures and the clear delineation between natural and artificial light. He achieves his precise style by working principally from photographs, often adopting unusual perspectives typically only captured by photographic work. —Artsy.net