Peter Van Giesen
Above and beyond all else, I’m an artist. I have always known that creativity & inspiration are part of my life force. I discovered my artistic and business talents early in elementary school as I sold some of my first works of art at recess for snack money (yes I did get in trouble for it). After finishing high school in Ontario I completed a College degree in Religion and a University degree in Psychology. I was encouraged by my family to work in the church. I tried it for a few years but naturally gravitated away from the church into the business and charitable sectors. For most of my working life I have been a business owner or senior executive in business and non-profit sectors. At every phase of my life I took time to exercise my creativity. When I had a studio space, my creative expression flourished and when I had no such space my creativity was channeled into my other endeavors. In 2011 I have renewed my commitment to my visual art and sharing that particular gift with others. I have received a number of international awards of recognition and am honoured to have artwork accepted into the permanent collection at Government House of British Columbia as well as The Union Club of British Columbia. After using oil based paint for many years I switched to acrylic paint in 1993 and currently it is the sole medium I use.
I am thankful for the opportunity to share my talents with those interested and am pleased to have you consider joining me on my journey as a friend. I operate Central Art Studio & Gallery downtown Victoria, since 2017, where I sell my own artworks and artwork from other Vancouver Island Artists
WHY ART?
Doing art, for me, is a mystical process, a spiritual work, and an exercise of creativity. When I paint it is if the veil of the common life is momentarily lifted allowing me to be embraced by the underlying essence of the universe. I consider my artistic expression a gift to be shared.
Naturally, I am drawn to the mystery that is implicit in the natural world. I feel more spiritually alive when outside.
My art is the result of sporadic surges of energy that percolate past my consciousness. My style hovers between representation, impressionism with a dash of abstract. I attempt to reach into the fabric of the world exploring the dynamics of tension and elasticity. Using paint, I create images based on the interplay between darkness and light, the interconnected aura of the natural world.