peter levi
australian artist
...imagine...............
PETER'S PAINTINGS AND THE MESSAGE
Peter's painting styles vary from very subtle and detailed wet on wet glazing to thick, bold and chunky application and from classical to contemporary. This versatility is a great asset and matches the wide variety of subjects chosen. Peter also uses technology such as Photoshop and projections to create the perfect image.
JOURNEY TO ART
Peter's grandmother had been an accomplished artist in England and his mother studied photography at the London Polytechnic, but it was his mother-in-law Miriam Curtis, herself an amateur artist, who inspired Peter to take up art for the first time in 2005 at the age of 50, although Colorific had also provided many years of creativity through development of both toys and their packaging.
So it was that in 2005 Peter started training with art teacher John Lawry. "John took my raw, untrained painting efforts to levels I could not have imagined", says Peter, proving that anyone with persistence, patience and practice can paint! Peter has developed a broad arsenal of skills and experience to employ in a range of creative situations. Peter is now taught and mentored by award winning artist Mark Threadgold. Mark Threadgold's work has been exhibited throughout Australia and the UK since 1998.
Peter has painted a wide variety of subjects including landscapes, portraits, contemporary collages, still life and much more. He has exhibited at Chapel off Chapel, was an entrant in the 2016 Archibald Prize, and was selected to exhibit at the 2016 Hidden Faces – The Victorian Salon des Refusés.
"Where appropriate I like my paintings to convey a message to my audience, not just portray an image or illusion. In doing so I hope to relate the subject more to the viewer, to strike a chord with them. Perhaps they see something of themselves in the message. Perhaps they learn or aspire. Sometimes they react against the message and so we start a conversation. In every case, however I aim to make the viewer think and connect, for the painting to be something more than a passing interest. I hope you enjoy these works"
Peter is based in Melbourne and is available for commissions. He can be contacted on 0418 535 586 or through this website.
A Portrait of the Artist – Peter Levi
Background
Born in London in 1954, Peter Levi migrated to Melbourne with his family in 1956.
Peter has both a practical and a creative background. After graduating from Melbourne Grammar in 1971, he completed a degree in Commerce at Melbourne University in 1974 before commencing a retail career with Myer Melbourne the following year. During his eight years in Myer management, Peter also completed a Graduate Diploma in Marketing in 1983.
That year Peter left Myer to purchase his own business - a toy shop in Melbourne's Brighton, then opened another in Hampton two years later, before cofounding a creative craft toy development and marketing business in 1990 - Colorific. Colorific recently celebrated its 26th birthday and has sold over 40 million creative toys around the world, winning multiple awards including Australian Family Business of the Year - First Generation in 2006.
