Experimentation & Creative Spaces
On this episode we interview Raleigh-based artist Pete Sack. We talk about the benefits of balancing several creative styles, the importance of daily experimentation, his experience working as a corporate resident artist, and tips for structuring your time as an independent artist.
Pete Sack
Raleigh-based Professional Artist
Artist Bio:
Pete Sack is a Raleigh-based professional artist known for his multifaceted portraits that challenge viewers to consider the many layers that evoke feelings of familiarity in human expression. His work stands in stark contrast to social media scrolling that encourages quick judgement with only the briefest of glances.
Pete honed his skills in his early years, drawing sports figures throughout elementary school into high school. As baseball players gave way to other figurative work, Pete discovered that his creative talents were more than a hobby. He left his native Seattle to attend East Carolina University where earned a BFA in Painting.
It was during his time at ECU that Pete started experimenting with ways to marry his love of watercolor and oil paint mediums. After college he made Raleigh his permanent home. He found himself working jobs outside of the industry but continued to paint in his spare time to bring balance and alignment to his life.
He later practiced mingling the two by painting small postcards every day for two years. This routine strengthened his artistic abilities and also built mental skills that have served him well throughout his career. In 2005, Pete was awarded a residency at Artspace, a studio art center in Raleigh. The increased exposure propelled Pete’s career, and his reputation as one of the city’s brightest emerging artists grew.
In 2016 Pete took a position at SAS Institute as one of their Artists in Residence. Over 4 ½ years he created 175+ pieces of artwork for campus buildings and regional spaces. The job came with limitless creative freedom, which forced Pete out of his figurative-style comfort zone and into the world of abstracts.
During this period, he discovered new ways of paint application. He used this evolution to dive into large scale figurative paintings that shattered boundaries and brought harmony to his work.
Pete’s current work comprises both abstract and figurative pieces. Each allows for a different expressions of himself. His abstracts are about flow, both mechanically and emotionally. He uses masonry tools to drag paint in methodical ways that create visually appealing palettes and patterns. His figurative and portrait work still rely on the fine detailing skills he developed in his youth but also contain new depth as they combine multiple faces and abstraction, giving the work a richer, more complex feel.
Pete works from a studio in downtown Raleigh, where visitors are always welcome. He is represented by Mahler Fine Art and regularly shows his work in the Triangle area. Learn more at www.petesack.com.
Artist Statement - “Thought Patterns”
“Thought Patterns” was created with the premise that we begin everyday as a new person. Each day we are reacting to fresh thoughts, actions, and environments, thereby bringing something unique to the table with each interaction.
Approaching each painting with this mindset, I imposed a system by which to make creative choices that allows me to begin a new relationship with the work each day. By limiting each day's progress to a palette of three colors I attempt to create a finished piece in one sitting. If I am unsuccessful, the next day I start anew, retaining one color from the previous day and adding two new colors. This exercise is repeated until I am able to complete the piece in the given day’s time.
I find freedom within this structure to release anything carried over from the “me” of the previous day that doesn’t serve the work. As a result, “Thought Patterns” is fully representative of a particular moment in time, and takes into account the deeply layered experience each individual has with the present moment.
Stay Connected With Pete:
Website: www.petesack.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064728854277
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petesackart/
Podcast Music By Corey Claxton:
Website: https://www.coreyclaxton.com/
Instagram: @thecoreyclaxton
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3gMzkkK
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