Charles Peer is a former art professor at JBU and came back to present his work using pastels. This gallery displays his work as well as the work of artists he admires, draws inspiration from, and knows personally. The work will be displayed in Windgate Visual Arts West until Sunday, Feb. 12.When walking into the gallery, viewers can expect to find works that Peer keeps in his home. In his statement, Peer stresses how important it is for him to be surrounded by others’ work. This part of the exhibit allows viewers to understand where Peer draws his inspiration from, and how much he admires the work of others.Displayed are pieces created by Peer while overseas in Ireland. Included with the final pieces are process photos and sketches that display the projected final framing and composition. In “Road to Strangford,” the photo to the side shows marker lines that display the cropped framing desired. “Foggy Morning at Slievemoyle” displays a classic rainy morning in Ireland, with the misty path leading viewers deeper into the painting.When viewing this set of paintings, the variety of color and settings leaves a warm and inviting feeling with the viewer. Peer manipulates the shadows and highlights with more vibrant colors as shown in “Golden Hour,” where he describes the beauty of the last bit of gold from the setting sun.Moving through the exhibit, the work shifts to paintings of places local to Siloam, giving a sense of familiarity to the viewer. “Defying the Dark of the Storm,” includes a sketch blocking-in buildings and shadows as well as a reference image. One practice that Peer uses in most of his work is replacing the shadows and blacks in images with color, giving them more depth and movement.“Golden Hour Crossing” and “We’ll Finish Tomorrow” portray the Powell Feed and Milling buildings in downtown Siloam at sunset. Peer’s fascination with these buildings have been the inspiration for a handful of pieces in the exhibit.“Alley” and “Shadows of Industry” both focus heavily on shadows and lines to bring the viewer into the painting. The leading lines in “Alley” place anyone passing by at the top of the path, waiting to walk further in. Meanwhile, the highlights in “Shadows of Industry” warn the viewer of the towering structure in front of them, instructing them to just look from a distance.As viewers leave the exhibit they can gain a more in-depth understanding of how Peer creates his pieces, comes up with color palettes, and visualizes the final product. Art is not just the finished piece but also the journey it takes to create it. And, while it may not be the most glamorous part of the process, it is often where the appreciation for the craft is displayed.
