Josh Peters grew up in rural Wisconsin. A self-taught artist, his work is defined by his large-scale canvases and striking juxtaposition of colors. He currently lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
Tell us your story. Why did you become an artist?
I moved to New York City at 25, with the hope that the challenge and energy of the city would provide some sense of clarity as to who I was in the world. My Queens apartment had high ceilings and blank walls, so I decided to start painting in my room and fill the apartment with my work (yes, I lost my deposit.) Friends asked if they could buy them, so I decided to pursue it, and I got into some group shows in Brooklyn, Chelsea, and Soho. Most importantly, I discovered that the act of painting was, and is, healing, exciting, and the most natural, comfortable way for me to exist in the world. It makes me feel wholly myself.
When you create a new work, how do you go about it? What comes first?
I start by laying a large, unstretched canvas on the studio’s concrete floor. I look at the canvas, try to turn off my brain and listen for a color. Once I hear the name of a color come, I’ll start. I believe that colors have their own vibration. When I’m stuck, I’ll hold my hand over my paints and choose the color that feels the strongest. I don’t believe in mistakes when I paint (which is tremendously freeing) but that each stroke leads towards the best outcome.
What can you tell us about your studio, what makes it special to you, and how does it influence the way you work?
My studio is an old cinder-block mechanic’s shop with big windows and high ceilings in a quiet, residential neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. The empty walls and high ceilings inspired me to move from working on an easel to tacking yards of blank canvas directly onto the wall. The malleable space allows me to work on several paintings at a time, rotating them from the floor to the wall and back, or I can work on them side by side until they’re finished.
Is there a work of art in your life that has especially impressed you?
The Rothko Room at the Tate Modern. I felt I understood a secret about painting that I still struggle to put into words. I had a profound sense of “I get it.” And I was changed, and my work changed. It gave me confidence.
Reach to the stars: where will you be in 5 years?
I’d love to show at galleries like the Pace Gallery in NY, David Klein, Hollis Taggart, and Parrasch Heijnen, and it would be great to travel to see my work overseas. But mostly, I hope my work inspires people to create, makes them feel happy, and a little better about being in the world.
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