Nicholas Metivier Gallery

Peter Hoffer
January 5–26, 2013

Opening Reception Thursday, January 10, 6 – 8 PM

Nicholas Metivier Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new paintings by Peter Hoffer. The exhibition will open on January 5 and will be on view through January 26 with a reception for the artist on Thursday, January 10 from 6– 8 PM. This will be Hoffer’s fourth solo exhibition at the gallery.

Peter Hoffer is a Montreal-based artist known for his textural landscape paintings that employ a variety of new mediums and techniques. Trained in both sculpture and painting, Hoffer’s attention to materiality is always evident in his work. He paints directly on wood panel and often leaves part of the surface visible. Hoffer finishes each painting with a clear resin, a material that he began using while studying at Concordia University in Montreal in the mid 1990s. 

The landscapes in Hoffer’s current exhibition are powerful yet sparse. At the center of most paintings sits a solitary tree, resembling the composition of a portrait. Each tree conveys a particular character and depending on its structure and surroundings, some trees appear heroic while others fragile. Hoffer is not specific about the location of his paintings but the ethereal skies and weathered pine trees are reminiscent of rural Quebec where Hoffer spends much of his time.

In a single painting, Hoffer mixes a variety of styles including realism and abstraction. In contrast to his carefully rendered trees, Hoffer’s skies and backgrounds are spontaneous and painterly. To create the effect of light in his most recent paintings, Hoffer applies a single layer of translucent white paint, allowing it to make random patterns on the surface beneath. The resulting cloud-like shapes capture a certain quality of light found in Eastern and Northern Canada.

Peter Hoffer received his BFA from the University of Guelph in painting and sculpture and his MFA from Concordia University in Montreal in sculpture. His works are in many important collections across Canada including Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal and Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

For more information on this artist click here.