Artist's blog by contemporary portrait painter Peter D'Alessandri

23/12/202021/10/2021

Lockdown Commission

The Covid pandemic has been so very disruptive to my art practice, with commissions postponed, exhibitions cancelled, and my studio closed down for months.
But this particular commission was the exception, as it came my way because of the pandemic. A group of friends struggled to think of an interesting birthday present for their housemate, when all the usual “experience” gifts are somewhat limited with covid restrictions. So what better gift can you give someone than a commissioned portrait 🙂

That moment when I sit down with the sitter can often be quite nerve-racking. On the surface I try to appear professional and reasonably competent, whilst I’m anxiously searching for the most suitable lighting and appropriate poses, and trying to decide how best to describe this person, who normally I have only just met.

This particular sitting went very well. It was a wonderfully bright day and the first location we chose turned out to be ideal. The sitter was very easy to talk to, and I very quickly had a good idea of how I wanted to paint him.

If you’re interested in commissioning a portrait, feel free to contact me via the email address on the Contact page. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.

28/11/202014/02/2024

Art and Death

The painting above has been selected for the “Art and Death” exhibition, organised and curated by Huunuu.
“The gallery shows artwork from 19 different artists who have all interpreted the subject of death, dying, bereavement and legacy.”
As virtual exhibitions go, this works very well. It has been well curated – There’s a nice selection of good quality artworks, which are all related to the theme. It’s well worth a visit, and can be found at huunuu.com//art-and-death

27/10/202014/08/2023

Autumn Salon Exhibition

Art exhibitions are like London buses. I wait months for an opportunity to show my work, and then I receive two acceptance emails in the same morning.
I’ve already mentioned The Discerning Eye in my previous post. I’m very pleased to have been accepted for that one – such a shame that the exhibition is virtual this year. The other exhibition I will be taking part in is The Autumn Salon, from 30th October, hosted by Candid Arts Gallery, Angel, London. That’s a real world exhibition – actual paintings on real walls, with real people walking about (albeit wearing masks, and suitably socially distanced).
I’ve had mixed feelings about getting involved in real exhibitions during this epidemic. However, the gallery at Candid Arts is a lovely open space – perfect for social distancing. At the end of the day, there is just no substitute for seeing a painting in the flesh.

26/10/202005/10/2023

ING Discerning Eye

I’m very pleased to learn that my painting “I did not ask” has been accepted into this year’s ING Discerning Eye exhibition.

I did not ask

I did not ask my model about the scars on her arms. Despite working with her regularly and being on familiar terms, I never once broached the subject of those scars, and in my paintings of her I never showed them.
A couple of years after this sitting I read the book “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara – a difficult and troubling read, but extremely moving. As I read about the main character’s self-harming and how his friends were all quietly aware of it, but never spoke of it, I thought again about my model bearing her scars in silence. That is what compelled me to find the sketches and photos from that sitting, and to produce this.

I think this painting is just as much about my own reaction to those marks on her forearms, and my awkward silence.

The ING Discerning Eye annual exhibition is a show of small works independently selected by six prominent figures from different areas of the art world: two artists, two collectors and two critics.
The selectors choose both publicly submitted works and works by personally invited artists. Each selector’s section is hung separately to give each its own distinctive identity. The impression emerges of six small exhibitions within the whole.

The exhibition website is here.

30/07/202030/07/2020

HCF Summer Open

I have a couple of paintings on show in the HCF Summer Exhibition, at The Halpern Gallery in Chatham. Yes, actual paintings, in a real gallery. It almost feels like things are getting back to normal…

Okay, so there wasn’t a PV, and face masks are required if you do want to pay a visit. But it’s a first step. And it feels good seeing my two recent portraits hanging on the wall.

The Halpern Gallery is located in the Nucleus Arts complex, just off Chatham High Street. It is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm, until the 31st August. Their website is here.