Bernadette Peets

artists:

Eric David

Jon Hiscock

Natalia Makievska

Margaret Nieradka

Bernadette Peets

Shelly Rahme

Rita Rayman

Gerard Sternik

Natalia Lauque

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Bernadette Peets

Born and raised in Toronto, Bernadette has been creating art for the past twenty years in her Toronto studio. She bases her work on her experiences of the tangible world around her.

Her training at the Ontario College of Art and Design focused
on drawing and painting and included one year of study in O.C.A.D.’s Off-Campus Program in Florence, Italy. For the ten years previous to her studies at the art college, she worked in theatres such as The Stratford Festival of Canada,The National Ballet of Canada and Touring Players Theatre as a costumer, props builder, scenic painter and designer.

Circle Series

The recent paintings in this show are a direct result of Bernadette's interest in how people look at and value art. Many people find it intimidating to shop at a gallery and are at a loss as to what the real value of an original piece of art is both monetarily and aesthetically. The weight of time, prestige and fame has created exorbitant price tagsfor many famous works of art so deemed by the art establishment and therefore makes them untouchable for the average person, except in a prestigious gallery setting. In these small circle paintings, Bernadette is taking direct visual quotes from famous "master works" showing you little samples of what you would see when experiencing one of these paintings up close in their gallery setting. One is not usually able to take in a whole painting that is on such a grand scale and so we are all drawn to come as close as is permissible to see one little detail at a time. In this way, a large, impenetrable saga becomes an intimate experience for the viewer and perhaps has more meaning. The mystery dissolves and the piece becomes real.

“...in a Stream” after Rembrandt
8” circle, oil on canvas 2007

SOLD

“…Lady with an Ostrich…” after Rembrandt
12” circle, oil on canvas 2007

$200

“…Three ….” after Rubens
12” circle, oil on canvas 2007

$200

“…and Giovanna” after Jan Van Eyck
8” circle, oil on canvas 2007

SOLD

“Venus …” after Paolo Veronese
8” circle, oil on canvas 2007

$120

“…Annunciation” after Rubens
12” circle, oil on canvas 2007

$200

“…with Two Cardinals” after Raphael
8” circle, oil on canvas 2007

$120

“…Seated at a Virginal” after Jan Vermeer
12” circle, oil on canvas 2007

$200

Underwater Series

The works shown below are based on underwater photographs taken on the Lake Huron side of the Bruce Peninsula. Bernadette has attempted to recreate her experiences of the obscuration, distortion and dissolving of forms under water.
These mixed media pieces are layered with paintings, photos on transparencies, reflective paper and glittering beads.