On the last day of 2018, I exclaimed to myself, “Oh, this has been a fantastic year.” Then I stood perfectly still in shock at my words. I started 2018 with a fire in my home and studio.

© 2018 Alicia R Peterson, Autumn. Acrylic on 24-inch diameter convex canvas.
Photographer: Peter Scheer. 
Inquire about this work – Alicia@aliciarpeterson.com

I am in awe of my resilience. I am in awe of the love and light that has poured into me from folks of all walks of my life. I am in awe of the re-birth in my studio.

And I am in awe of my light.

And, yes, that feels very uncomfortable to say.

This is my journey—to manifest the power of my light. I feel my light at the deepest level when I paint. Outside the studio, however, the voices of fear, fraud, and failure are sometimes deafening.

It has been a year of molting, inside and out.

Rooms in my home that were gutted to the studs are rebuilt.

The fire origin room has returned to my room of solace and quiet. When Blue Green Microscopic was completed I stepped way back to
view the painting and I saw cellular structures, thus the title. What do you see?
© 2018 Alicia R Peterson, Blue Green Microscopic. Acrylic on 36-inch diameter convex canvas.
Photographer: Peter Scheer. 
Inquire about this work –  Alicia@aliciarpeterson.com

I have been a prolific painter since I answered the call to paint in 1994. 

This early painting was my entry to the art world in New York. Shadow was first exhibited at “The Art of the Figure.”
Curated by Phillip Pearlstein, 2013, Gallery North, East Setauket, NY. 
© 2009 Alicia R Peterson, Shadow. Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 36 inches.
Photographer: Peter Scheer. 
Inquire about this work – Alicia@aliciarpeterson.com

I find great beauty and fascination in both shadow and light. Their interplay is our dance in life.

During the summer of 2018 in the midst of the fire saga, I destroyed 200-ish works of art (too sad to count). This included works that were not fire damaged but no longer of service to me. They were works that were really beautiful and I am proud of them, but I am not interested in sharing works that are really beautiful with you. I am compelled to share paintings that stop you in your tracks with the magnitude of their light and shadow. Yes, beauty. Oh, do we all need more beauty in our life… but beauty that takes your breath away and takes you on a journey.

© 2018 Alicia R Peterson, Outgoing Tides. Acrylic on 12-inch diameter canvas.
Photographer: Peter Scheer. 
Inquire about this work – Alicia@aliciarpeterson.com

The days of painting destruction were bone deep in sadness. I “deposited,” oh, so many paintings in the construction dumpster living in my driveway. Yes, a so un-noble end to them but practicality won out.

One day, I was alone in my driveway, crying over the destruction of such a large body of my work and I had an overwhelming desire to jump into the dumpster and reclaim my work.

I almost did. What stopped me was the vision of me stuck in the dumpster unable to get back out. Without my cell phone or anyone nearby I might be stuck in there for days. What would I live on? I could only gnaw on canvas or construction debris. I still giggle over this almost dumpster adventure.

It was very difficult to “thin my herd” of paintings but it was a righteous event. It gave me space to create anew.

My rebuilt studio remains scarce in paintings. I learned that I create best with a studio filled with empty, filled with possibility, and filled with creative paths yet to be walked.

The glory of empty. Photographer: Alicia R Peterson.

May you know the power of your light. May we share our light with each other. I share my light with you on my canvas.