(WHITEWATER – Whitewater Arts Alliance Press Release) Peter Jablokow’s art will be displayed at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center on 402 West Main Street  on July 31 to August 23 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.:  Fridays (for at risk individuals only – age 65 and over or with immunocompromised health conditions), and Saturdays and Sundays for all others.  Visitors will be asked to participate in health and safety measures in light of COVID-19, to include wearing a mask at all times (masks will be provided), entering via the elevator and exiting via the front door (unless they require the elevator), and keeping six feet apart.  There will be a ten-person maximum in the building at all times.

In his artist statement, Peter said, “I create watercolors of buildings, bridges and machinery with a messy, rusty, chaotic feel that comes with age and lack of use. The patterns, textures and colors of large, old, decaying equipment has a feel I don’t quite understand, but am attracted to, and have a desire to record before it’s gone.

I start my process by defining every line and detail in pencil. Perspective angles and vanishing points are refined with a ruler to line everything up cleanly, helping me feel my life is in control. Next, chaos ensues when, what feels to me like arbitrary layers of watercolor are thrown on the paper. While feeling lost, I add and delete many layers of color back and forth until the painting eventually comes back into focus. I hate the chaos, love the order, and feel gratified when I end up with a combination of both.

I paint with transparent watercolor in many layers on 300lb Arches paper and often splatter masking fluid or rip the surface to create a chaotic, weathered look.”

As the son of an artist growing up in Lagrange Park, Illinois, drawing and painting has always been part of Peter’s life. Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses close to his in nearby Oak Park, IL, influenced his decision to pursue a degree in architecture at Iowa State University. 

A trained architect, Peter started migrating towards art by becoming an architectural illustrator, working with Rael Slutsky Associates, and later Manuel Avila associates. Peter loves the technical aspects of drawing perspective images and is drawn to its exactness of detail.

Peter’s full transition to artist came while taking classes with Peggy Macnamara at North Shore Art League in Winnetka, IL. Peggy activated his love for loose, fresh watercolor, igniting his current series of work, which overlays a looser, more colorful painting style on top of a tight drawing style.

Peter is a signature member of American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society and Transparent Watercolor Society and has won awards from the Transparent Watercolor Society, American Institute of Architectural Illustrators and Illinois Watercolor Society, among others. He is published in Splash 15, 16 and 17, an annual watercolor compilation, and has exhibited in numerous group and individual shows and fairs. He teaches watercolor in group and individual classes.

Peter received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Iowa State University, and an associate’s degree in Illustration from the American Academy of art in Chicago.

More information on Peter can be found here: http://peterillustrator.com/ 

 Big thanks to our sponsor!

Whitewater’s Cultural Arts Center is located on 402 West Main Street in the historic White building near the Birge Fountain.  Parking is behind the building, with an elevator available from the parking lot entrance.  Parking is also available on side streets. 

 The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.