P.H. Miller Studio & Gallery

Hosting Autumn Solo Exhibition By Pete Bergeron

WOODBURY — P.H. Miller Studio & Gallery, located at 495 Main Street South, is presenting a new body of original oil paintings by Redding artist Pete Bergeron as its Autumn 2007 Solo Exhibition. The exhibit will run from September 14 to November 5. The Artist’s Reception will be held on Friday, September 14, from 6 to 8 pm.

Pete Bergeron has been drawing and painting since he was a child and as a teenager, he began taking commissions for illustrations. His formal training was at Paier School of Art in Hamden. And although he was trained as an illustrator, he eventually began working in a much larger scale, working for several years as a mural artist and billboard painter.

Most recently, Mr Bergeron has been focused on the Classical Academic method of painting, as taught by master painter Frank Covino of Waitsfield, Vt. The style is reminiscent of the early American landscape painters of the Hudson River School.  

Deeply inspired by the Hudson River School painters and the work they created, Mr Bergeron’s paintings are reminiscent of the period’s Tonalist style and are described by a number of his aficionados as a “slightly out of focus photograph.”   

Mr Bergeron’s paintings often capture dawn and dusk with mist laden skies. Creating an ethereal glow, the mist envelopes an entire scene and the background of many works gently recedes while the foreground details are very distinct and sharp.

“Boulder Run on the Farmington River,” a 17 by 18-inch oil on panel, describes an unmistakable bend in the Farmington River where water is compelled to go astray by giant rocks in its path. In contrast to the sharp stones, soft deciduous trees blanket the hills along the river’s edge. And the sun, although not seen, is captured with an ever-so-slight glow cascading across the hillside and amongst the leaves of a foreground tree.

“White Wall at Narragansett,” an 18 by 36-inch oil on panel, depicts Maine’s rocky coastline with a soft, but dramatic accuracy.  Glossy, jagged black rocks meet with calm tide pools, while a wall of ocean waves builds behind them. The luminous, foamy water reflects a deep blue sky and a practically unseen island is enrobed in the mist in the distant background.

Once in conversation with the artist, Mr Bergeron exclaimed that he was “constantly assaulted by beautiful scenes.” So affected by the views that he encounters in his daily life, Mr Bergeron constantly carries a camera with him and will stop whatever he is doing to capture a moment. The body of work exhibited speaks of this enthusiasm and will bring new found appreciation for the New England landscape to all who view it.

Each painting is displayed in a handmade, carved and gilded frame made by P.H. Miller Studio.

Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, and Sunday and Monday by chance or appointment. For additional information contact the gallery at 203-263-3939, send e-mail to info@PHMiller.com, or visit PHMiller.com.