1. January 11, 2015
For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrea Burroughs, (404) 663-5755, publicity@pryorfineart.com
High resolution photographs available
New works by Canadian artist Andre Petterson
to stampede Pryor Fine Art
Atlanta, GA - Born in Holland, raised in Saskatchewan, Vancouver since 1970, growing up Pet-
terson’s dad called him “Texas”. Maybe the latter set the stage for the hunt and capture. A big
game photographer and artist, Petterson’s most recent African safari shutter-catch yielded a new
collection of paintings in Atlanta opening a January exhibition at Pryor Fine Art to run through
Jan 31.
Andre Petterson’s work captures the essence of a split-second in time. His current photo-based
mixed media paintings explore themes of lighting to create elements of mystery. Influenced by
Rembrandt and the Dutch masters’ tenebristic use of light and absence of it, Petterson highlights
the important elements, letting the mind fill in the rest. Fabric and movement are also influenc-
es of fascination for the artist. He sees the integration of movement and fabric as analogous to
brush-strokes. The chance and artistic freedom involved in motions of dance and similar move-
ments are also reflected in his mixed media work.
“I use images or as I prefer to see them as icons as a starting place. I have to have some connec-
tion to them. The music icons because I played music professionally for many years. The type-
writer because of my love and fascination with machines. The dancers because of my interest in
stage and light. The crow because of its mysterious nature,” explains Petterson.
Vancouver Home Magazine in a feature story on their legendary resident described Petterson’s
artistic motivation, “It’s not necessarily the icon itself that holds special meaning for Petterson
but the experience he had with the subject at a particular point,“ and relationship with his sub-
jects. “...eventually becoming so comfortable that he would direct the animal like a human.
‘Head down, now just a little to the right,’ he says chuckling.”
Getting close to his subjects is not always easy as noted in Petterson’s travel journal, “At about
4:34 am, a cloud emptied 2 years of wet water! on our tent. We felt like two of Noah’s brood.
Through breakfast and through a shortened safari, we were pelted, washed and dumped on end-
lessly. Needless to say, we saw few animals. Wrapped in blankets, we rattled on. Just as we arrived
back, the weather eased up. We slid out from underneath the plastic armor that was intended
to protect us, ran to the lodge and flopped into the big chairs and had a coffee. An hour later, the
rain started again. Anyone tells you that Namibia is dry and flat, hasn’t been here. We are in the
middle of nowhere Africa. Would you like a biscotti? Why not!”
A true multi-disciplinarian, since 1970, Petterson has had more than 50 international solo shows,
exhibiting across the spectrum of art media in both private and public galleries in Canada and
the United States. He is the recipient of The National Film Board of Canada Award, and has work
featured in numerous private and public collections including Canada Council Art Bank and Cana-
dian Airlines. His works show in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Seattle, Atlanta and Palm
Desert
The exhibition of Petterson’s new works opens in January at Pryor Fine Art, 764 Miami Circle,
Suite 132, Atlanta, Georgia 30324. Founded in 1990, Pryor Fine Art is one of the top fine art deal-
ers in the country, offering one of the most exclusive collections of contemporary fine art in North
America. For more information about the exhibit call (404) 352-8775 or visit www.pryorfineart.
com.
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