Marsh Harmony

Peter Pettegrew has devoted his life to capturing the timeless beauty of the natural landscape on canvas. As a youth, his world was centered on Monterey Bay, California, and it was here that his compelling encounters inspired his first sketches. His Mother recognized his talent and insisted that he only be given blank paper; no coloring books. Most of these early sketches symbolized the sights and sensations of his ocean-inspired landscapes, and soon more serious efforts resulted as he turned his focus to painting.

By twelve, Peter had begun studying with an established marine painter in the Bay Area, though his formal art education began when he qualified for admission to Harbor Senior High in Santa Cruz, California, a progressive school dedicated to advancing the development of artistic skills and creative freedom in music and the visual arts.

Peter went on to attend the Art Institute where he studied the painting and graphic art techniques he now employs in his work with hand-pulled serigraphs, stone lithographs, and original paintings. He has since furthered his artistic discipline in individual mediums through private artist workshops, including oil, watercolor, printmaking and charcoal drawing.

Finding his inspiration through detailed research of the Master Impressionists and the plein air painters of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Peter continues to develop his own captivating, somewhat impressionistic style, using delicate tones, subtle luminous lighting, and savory blends of color, resulting in distinctive paintings for his collectors to enjoy.

Landscapes have always been the beloved subject for Peter’s artistic creations. A naturalist and outdoorsman, Peter camps, hikes, and explores, to find the timeless compositions that he captures in paint. It is this focus on nature which in turn nurtures the inspiration he pours onto his canvases. Peter’s work has been represented in fine art galleries since 1985.