Peter Barger, Painter

Art and artists have been part of my life since 1947, when I joined the world in New York City.

My earliest memories are of Pablo Picasso on a Time magazine cover and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where my mother, a very fine portrait artist herself, would take me to see Picassoʼs paintings and other great artists.

In her studio I would watch my mother paint different peoples portraits, from ballerinas to my sister and brother. And I would often pose for her myself. A great influence on me, she knew I would be happy as she was as an artist. And so it was. I was a young artist and maybe I would be a professional baseball pitcher also.

Later, the Newark N.J. School of Fine Arts gave me strong foundation in figure drawing and illustration. It was here I was introduced to printmaking, how to make etchings. Which I was totally taken with. Further studies in printing techniques at Pratt Graphic Center in NYC.

Since 1968 I started right off making a living with my art. Selling my etchingʼs and paintingʼs. My clients ranged from interior decorators and galleries to private collectors. I also started doing editorial illustration work from Agatha Christie book covers, New York Times Times book review, Psychology Today, and for a Ray Bradbury short story. Iʼm proud to say to Mr. Bradbury got in touch and purchased the original etchings from his short story.

Now Iʼm working on a long time dream, too long I confess. Iʼm writing and illustrating my own childrenʼs book. The story revolves around my beloved dog and what they might be dreaming about when they are thrashing about when they are sleeping. Many of the prints on my web page are illustrations for this story.

A gallery owner once wrote about me and my work, “Bargerʼs work reflects the influence of Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani, evidenced by the sophistication of his work... His imagination, whimsical and often dreamlike etchings have a deceptive air of simplicity. Delicate as his hand-colored etchings are, they speak with assurance of larger subjects and deep feelings... love, friendship and childhood.”

I currently live outside of Boston with my wife Elizabeth, and our children Anna and Evan, and my much beloved dog Chester.