Gradient Paintings Reflect on the Emotional State

Peter Gronquist seeks 'Refuge' in his new series of meditative paintings.

July 18, 2016, 5:38pm

Peter Gronquist, Glitch 2, 84"x60", acrylic on panel. Image courtesy of the artist

Get warm @joseph_gross_gallery with my current solo show #refuge #petergronquist #painting #contemporaryart #contemporarypainting

A photo posted by @petergronquist on Jun 23, 2016 at 2:29pm PDT

For Peter Gronquist, his most recent body of work Refuge for Joseph Gross Gallery was created in response to a close personal death he experienced. The works on view radiate warmth and vitality through subtle gradients and structural manipulations of the surfaces. For Gronquist, this exploration was a needed departure from past work he had done.

He tells us, “These paintings came from an emotional place, I wanted to create spaces that make me feel warm.” The energy that went into his most recent body of work radiates his emotional intention, offering a transcendental or a meditative pause for viewers.

“My sudden shift from representational to abstract happened a few years ago immediately following the death of my baby daughter,” says Gronquist. “Removing representation from my paintings wasn't really deliberate, I was just painting. Removing the narrative that comes with figure painting just allows me to paint more simply, and I think more purely.”

His transition to creating minimal gradient paintings was an intentional shift as he experimented with the subtle warmth and feelings that his palette gave off. “I play with colors until I feel them somewhere in my stomach when I look at them, it's hard to explain,” says Gronquist. “It's like I'm searching for a certain frequency that isn't right until it is. Sometimes I use opposite colors in my gradients. My favorite color in nature is the grey between orange and blue at dusk, often I'm looking for that color, grey without being drab or heavy.”

Peter Gronquist, Warm Places, 48"x72" oil, acrylic and fabric. Image courtesy of the artist

His personal practice has become a necessary element in his daily routine. He explains, “I work basically nine to five, Monday through Friday. I have three kids so that's what my schedule has to look like now. My process changes from painting to painting, and I usually work on five to 10 pieces at the same time. I think that, especially with a cohesive body of work or a show that this allows the paintings to really inform each other.”

Peter Gronquist, Master Cleanse, 48"x90" oil and acrylic. Image courtesy of the artist

As an artist that changes mediums frequently and fluctuates between different realms of artwork, Gronquist tells us, “I wouldn't say there is any thread that necessarily ties all my work together, other that it came from me.”