The world feels warmer when Peter Vey paints it.
Pastel shutters on white wooden houses soften the dazzling afternoon glare of an island. Coconut palms draw the eye upward to the complex patterns and colors at their heart. And wind-swollen sails float above the ever-changing waters under squint-worthy skies.
“There’s plenty of art that throws you into an introspective tailspin,” says Vey. “I like to celebrate life. That’s important to me.”
Vey isn’t just a painter; he’s a traveler, an explorer, a tour guide and a host, taking viewers with him, offering the best views of every place he’s seen.
In his color-drenched world, every canvas is an invitation, a sincere hope that we’ll join him beneath a jagged palm tree, amid the peeling pastels of an old Havana neighborhood or atop the crunch of fresh snow in a muffled and white-washed New York City park.
His paintings don’t merely show us where the artist has been; they share secrets of the places he wants us to know: a city park, a spectacular shoreline, or a historic home on a hidden lane in Key West.
Vey takes his viewers through Key West’s historic district, capturing pastel shutters hanging askew from old, wooden homes; afternoon sunlight baking a boatyard below; clusters of coconuts that epitomize the island.
With thick flicks of his palette knife on large linen canvases, Vey writes entire stories of the places he loves and the scenes he sees. His art is always fresh with an intense color spectrum in each knife stroke. His “Key West Diary” collection celebrates the charming streets and historic homes, ever-changing waters and offshore islands.
Despite obvious ties with the Impressionists, Vey’s paintings give more than an impression. When we enter his world, we know exactly where we are and we know we want to stay a while.
The Gallery on Greene will present “Peter Vey: A Key West Diary” with an opening event at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 and three days of private viewings. Per CDC regulations, 10 people will be permitted to rotate through the gallery every hour at 5, 6 and 7 p.m.
Call 305-304-2323 for an appointment.
