Desk, Alabama Peter van Dyck 13.00" x 20.00"

Garage Attic Peter van Dyck 42.00" x 28.00"

Lawnmower, Sunny Peter van Dyck 32.00" x 24.00"

Alabama Studio Interior Peter van Dyck 24.00" x 22.00"

Apartment Story Peter van Dyck 35.00" x 24.00"

Bed, Morning Peter van Dyck 25.00" x 19.00"

Boiler Peter van Dyck 20.00" x 18.00"

Carolyn with Sunlight Peter van Dyck 16.00" x 20.00"

February Peter van Dyck 30.00" x 26.00"

Ford Peter van Dyck 16.00" x 20.00"

Livingroom, Guestroom Peter van Dyck 24.00" x 30.00"

Sasha on the Bed Peter van Dyck 16.50" x 19.00"

Radio Towers by Day Peter van Dyck 40.00" x 26.00"

Self-Portrait Leaving the Guestroom Peter van Dyck 22.00" x 33.00"

Sasha on the Bed Peter van Dyck 16.50" x 19.00"

We are pleased to be exhibiting the fine works of Peter Van Dyck again, in this solo show “Welcome Home”. The Opening Reception will be Saturday April 24th from 5:30 to 7:30, and the show will hang through May 16th.

Peter Van Dyck (b. 1978) returns to the Grenning Gallery after several years with a strong and evolved body of work. Van Dyck’s work has advanced immensely in the five year’s since he has shown with us. Although he was painting an interesting mix of still lifes, landscapes and a few intriguing interiors…he has delved much more deeply into the latter. In addition to building on this theme, we also see a decidedly looser and more free brush stroke, which leverages his Florence Academy training into the 21st century. Van Dyck’s latest paintings focus more on the abstract design and his curiosity at the light effects of contemporary life.

“Apartment Story” and “Desk, Alabama” are very beautiful interiors which explore the abstract angles and various temperatures of light, while also exuding the quiet calm of his home life. The coherent palette combined with the alternating soft and hard edges make for dreamy yet down to earth images, which have a wonderful aura of mystery . Like a pan of an empty room in a film, one wonders... 'Who lives here? What just happened here?', or 'What will happen in this empty room?'

The self portraits are also interesting as the artist matter-of-factly represents an up to date view of his face, always embedded inside his daily life. "Leaving the Guest Room", (22x 33 inches) captures him standing in front of his guest room mirror with a hint of infinity as he is framed by the view out of the window behind his shoulder, off toward the neighbor's window across the street. A repeating theme throughout the last 8 years of Van Dyck's work is well represented here: alternating cool white tones (outside) with warm white tones (inside), and a beautifully balanced composition that investigates this light effect. "Self portrait with Carolyn" is another such painting, but this time his wife and several student works break up the background with a gash of strong afternoon rays striking the wall behind him, highlighting his shadowed figure in the foreground.

We also want to point out the most contemporary painting we've handled in some time. "Alabama Studio" (24 x 22 inches) which honestly depicts the effect of strong light bouncing off of a table in his studio down south. In this abstract composition of squares, rectangles, and a few curves, with glaring light blurs, and in some parts completely obscures what we know is a three dimensional object sitting in the foreground of the painting. Bravo to Van Dyck for taking the risk to paint the truth of what he observes!

Van Dyck attended Wesleyan University for a while, but left to immerse himself in classical studies at the Florence Academy of Art under the tutelage of Daniel Graves the founder, and Angel Ramiro Sanchez, the chief painting instructor. Van dyck taught at the FAA as well. He now lives in Philadelphia and Alabama, and paints and teaches at the Pennsylvania Academy.

The Grenning Gallery was founded in 1997 to show the work of a group of young painters that have armed themselves the finest techniques. This rich visual language was developed in the Renaissance and continued to grow right up through the mid 20th century. These works are the visual representation of this generation’s interest in what connects us to nature and what connects us to each other. This metaphysical world view is seen in other cultural trends like the growing environmental movement, the holistic health movement, and the Slow Food movement. In fact, the New York Times covered the signing of the “Slow Art” manifesto in early.

All of these paintings are made from direct observation of life – no mechanical devices or photography is used, as the artists claim that the energy that infuses their work comes directly from their subjects. They require this direct interaction with their subject whether it is a landscape, a portrait or figurative work, or a still life. Meticulous understanding of their materials and craft is also an important part of their expression. In many cases, the artists are making their own paint because they want to control the level of pigment suspended in the medium.

The idea is that the artists see themselves as a witness to and a reporter of the beauty and the truth that surround us. The artists have chosen this universal and evolved visual language so as to better reach their viewer with their vision. Interestingly, despite similar training and materials, each of these artists has distinct expressions of this philosophy.



Please contact me on the cell phone or at the gallery 631-725-8469 if you have any questions and look for the images on the updated web site www.grenninggallery.com. Also call Laura Grenning's cell phone number at 631-767-5302 or at AFP Galleries, Suite 702, 41 East 57th Street, New York, New York 10022, (212) 230-1003.

Self-Portrait with Carolyn Peter van Dyck 30.00" x 24.00"

Stairwell Peter van Dyck 18.00" x 24.00"