Category: News

Peter Ferber’s annual winter show opens this Saturday at The Art Place. Everyone knows Peter is busily painting to get 13 brand new pieces ready for the big opening day, but everyone at The Art Place has also been working hard.

For this show, Peter’s work started as long ago as his college days! There is one painting of Cornwall, England, where he visited on a school trip. Photos of this trip sprouted the inspiration for this watercolor and ink line piece.

Peter used older photos as the base for several of his paintings in this show. One of these is titled “Robert’s Cove Departure”. In his research for creating the piece “Robert’s Cove Welcome” from his last show, he bumped into the scene that inspired this new work.

Robert’s Cove Welcome

I’ve heard people ask, “What is the first piece Peter started working on?” “What was the last he created?”. The answer to this is unsurprising for anyone who has followed Peter’s recent work–the cut paper. Peter began this elaborate piece at the start of his work for this show, and this piece will be one of the last to be finished! In his painting descriptions, Peter wrote, “In many ways, this has been the most challenging cut paper work I’ve done. It seems that each new one I do stretches the medium a bit more.” I personally have not seen this piece yet (it should arrive at The Art Place for framing tomorrow morning) but this is the work I am most excited to see.

Back at The Art Place, we have been planning the framing for weeks to make Peter’s paintings look their absolute best. (And sometimes we need to frame pieces that we’ve only seen a sketch for!) Thankfully Barbara has worked on so many of Peter’s works, that she can predict how the colors will come together to create the final piece.

Advertising for the show also happens weeks before the opening. Peter, Barbara and Emily work together in January to create the iconic postcard that some Ferber fans collect from each show! This year’s card is a little different because it features Squam lake–the unique subject of a few of this show’s paintings. This postcard is the backbone for most of the ads and articles that we create for the show.

My favorite part of preparation for Peter’s show is talking with the excited people who plan to attend the opening on the big day. Many people have been waiting to see a painting Peter has created featuring their own home or land. Many others simply are huge fans of Peter’s work and begin waiting in line in the cold in downtown Wolfeboro starting at 6am! We actually block up the windows so no one can see inside until the big moment at 9:30.

I also love the time spent Friday night before the opening, pulling out all the original paintings and finally getting to see them all as one unified show of works. We work after The Art Place’s normal hours (into the night) to arrange and hang the paintings. This often involves rearranging the entire gallery to make room for 13 new paintings! I’m sure if you stood outside the door, you could hear all of us hammering away on the walls.

If you are planning to attend Peter Ferber’s show this weekend, don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you may have about how these shows work–getting in line, purchasing a work, getting a hint about the painting you are interested in, etc. We are open 9:30-5 on Friday, and will open right at 9:30 again at Saturday will a gallery full of new original paintings. See you then!

Barbara

Corina

Walter

Emily

Save

On Saturday, February 18, The Art Place in downtown Wolfeboro will hold its semi-annual Peter Ferber Gallery Show featuring new original paintings by local well-known artist Peter Ferber. The unveiling and artist’s reception will commence at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend and meet the artist.  A snow date. if necessary, of Sunday, February 19th, has been set beginning at 11 a.m.

This morning when I looked out the window at the freshly fallen snow, I saw what I call a “Peter Ferber painting.” It’s an experience that I have quite often since I’ve graced the walls at the Art Place with Peter’s artwork.  In my mind’s eye, I can imagine Peter creating that scene in a painting.  He has the ability to capture dappled light as it gleans through trees, make perfect cloud formations, and create a wake from a wooden boat to the point where you think you can hear the motor.   These are all pictures that Peter is able to capture through his painting.  Basically, it is the essence of time standing still. Whatever moment in time, Peter Ferber captures it when he paints–it’s put down on paper, and it’s beauty has been preserved.  These snippets of images are a chance for me to step out of myself or what is going on in the world and breath in the beauty of a “Peter Ferber painting.”  For the rest of you who may or may not have experienced Peter’s paintings in your imagination, his artwork can be seen for real in this upcoming show at The Art Place located at 9 North Main Street, Wolfeboro, NH.

In referencing the upcoming show, Peter states, “As I look over the paintings taking shape for this next show, the common thread I find is that most are offshoots of other work–largely photo reference collected for other paintings that turn out to have merit of their own as a basis for a painting.  Last summer I did a large oil of the Robert’s Cove view.  I took a number of pictures focused on Quarter Mile Island.  The way I zoomed in on it from the hillside above created a wonderful composition.  There was also a sailboat moored next to it that was perfectly positioned as a center of interest, that hadn’t made it into the first painting.  Later, going down to the shore for a closer look at the island’s trees and ledge, a boat set out for an evening cruise.  The visual as it passed the island, and the sense of anticipation you feel heading out into the lake for a boat ride, launched another painting.

A few years ago in looking thru an old photo album in connection with work for Castle in the Clouds, I found a marvelous period image of the Kona Mansion boathouse.  Though it only included a portion of it, the detail was so wonderful I knew I needed to make use of it.  I’ve had it in my archive since, and it’s finally taken shape in two pieces–a watercolor and a cut paper assemblage.  It’s interesting to see the same subject approached in such different ways–one playing up the rich colors, the other focused solely on the textures, and the light and shadow.

From work on a poster project where I was trying to evoke the feel of an Arts and Crafts wood block print, I stumbled on the Tonalist style of painting which was going on during that same period.  The painterly style, rich, warm color schemes, and bold compositions have influenced my approach to several of the paintings in this show.  It was interesting to find how this style changed the way I looked at my subjects, and made me see possibilities where I might not have before.

What hasn’t changed is my focus on this area which everyday shows us more of its beauty.  There are many lovely atmospheric lake landscapes in this collection.  In addition to boathouses, there’s a porch, a Chris Craft, moonlight, snow, and even a Cornwall (England) cottage most of which were not my originally intended subjects, but got my attention the second time around.”

Since 1994 Peter Ferber has painted the official posters for the New England Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society’s annual show, which also comes as highly collectable artist proofs.  Peter has exhibited in over 50 shows in New England and the Midwest.  He has been featured story a on WMUR’s New Hampshire Chronicles. More than 100 reproductions of his work have been made, including over 70 limited edition prints.

Peter Ferber’s Gallery Show at The Art Place  will be on display through March 4th, or as long as paintings are available.  The Art Place is the exclusive gallery for Peter Ferber’s original artwork, and produces most of his limited edition prints.  The Art Place is located at 9 North Main Street, downtown Wolfeboro, NH and is open year round.  For more information, please call 603 569-6159, or toll free 866 569-6159.

Save

Saturday, December 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. Wolfeboro will be having a special holiday ART WALK. Several galleries in town will be open and present various activities and provide refreshments for this event.  Wolfeboro artist Madelyn Albee has been displaying at The Art Place for many years. She will be the featured artist at The Art Place.  Her artwork reflects the two different locations that she lives in and loves.  Spending her winters in her native Lunenburg, and summers in Wolfeboro, Madelyn offers spontaneous paintings that are varied in subject and medium.

All are welcome to come meet Madelyn at The Art Place on Saturday, December 10th  from 5 to 8pm.  Also on display at The Art Place for the December 10th ART WALK will be a sampling of sculptural work in forged steel by  Michael Connolly and hand made jewelry with semi precious stones by Mary Connolly.

Local vocalist and performer Laurie Jones will be making the rounds at The Art Place, The Kalled Gallery and Sandy Martin Gallery with Christmas carols and music to add to all the Holiday merriment!

Mary Connelly

Michael Connelly

The Governor Wentworth Arts Council is sponsoring the Wolfeboro’s ART WALK.  This self-guided FREE tour of galleries and arts locations are within the downtown corridor of Main Street (Rt.28).

Pick up a FREE informational Rack Card at The Art Place or the Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce, which lists contact information and a map of all the participants. This will be the last ART WALK for this year, so come help us celebrate the Holidays!