David E. Peterson

"Leaner 68"

2019

An abstract painter inspired by Product Design, Graphic Design and Architecture, David E. Peterson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1979. He has exhibited his work throughout the United States, Argentina, Europe and Asia. Peterson’s work is included in the collections of the Museum of New Art (Detroit), Progressive Art Collection, Bilzin and Sumberg, Home Depot, Related Group, among many others. His work has been profiled on Forbes, Loft Magazine, Southern Living, CNN and Detroit Free Press. He holds a BFA from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI. He was named "One of the Top 20 Professionals Under 40" in Miami's Brickell Magazine. His installation JCrew Women's Tops & Bottoms was also featured in New York Magazine, Design (Spring 2013). Peterson was featured in “New American Paintings”, Issue 112”, which was curated by Rene Morales of the Perez Museum (summer, 2014). " Industrial Design informs my work. Inspiration might come from a brightly-colored sneaker, an eye-catching dress, an intricate watch or a well-arranged print ad. Once my interest is captured, I immediately begin translating the design into my work. I begin the process by systematically identifying the most important elements of industrial design. I am looking at color, line, shape, scale and finish. These key traits are broken down, then reconstructed as the foundation for my composition in Photoshop. This computer rendering becomes my mock-up and I refer to it as I build my panel, paint it and apply the finish. My studio becomes an artist’s assembly line; the result is a precise Art Object. I find this order by reducing the elements in the system that contrasts a state of entropy with a predetermined structural order that is based on the principles of design and architecture. The pieces are acrylic paint, MDF, and exotic wood in layers of resin. The resin creates depth and enables the piece to be viewed on multiple levels." Peterson’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of New Art in Detroit, as well as many other notable public and private art collections.