PETER FREISCHLAG

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My work pushes the boundaries of traditional watercolor in many ways. I am a mood painter, searching for feeling presented through color, tone, and composition. Using a limited palette of colors that play well together, I create pieces that evoke a certain emotional resonance. Once finished, my watercolors are mounted to custom wood panels and sealed with an archival beeswax resin that guarantees their preservation for 200 years. Typically, my work revolves around single subjects—from earthly creatures to landscapes. Whatever the subject matter may be, my primary focus is on creating a mood that brings a smile. The subject is always secondary to the color. You will often see suns, moons, and movement in many of my works, always allowing watercolor to be its true, fluid self.

When it comes to choosing subject matter, it arises from a feeling or a vision of what could be. I simply need to create that vision, but color remains my primary concern. I am drawn to scenes that I can envision coming together, stirred by a vision of possibility.

Inspiration is not an elusive muse that I wait for; it occurs every day when I sit down to work. I believe in the discipline of art and make it a point to create daily.

My technique is unique, particularly the process of mounting my work, which has started to gain wider attention. It feels gratifying to be at the forefront of something novel. The sheer size of some of my pieces—such as the two largest privately owned watercolors in the world that I recently created—stems from bold and brave artistic choices. As artists, our job is to push boundaries. I strive to do that every day.