Peter Clive
Full Time BFAMFA - Queens College of CUNY
MS.ED - Queens College of CUNY
Contact
603-836-2566
pclive@nhia.edu
Teaching Philosophy
Light and its effect on form preoccupies me as a painter. The way light flickers across a figure or opens up a space is the way I have applied paint to canvas. My involvement with painting the figure and its psychological narrative continues to this day. To me a psychological narrative is the conscious or subliminal message related to the viewer through the artist's arrangement and use of figures. I am interested in the psychological impact of light and shadow as well as color. Seventeenth century Dutch Master painting greatly affected my development as a painter. I manipulate light and am intrigued with deep space. This was inspired by Rembrandt’s use of light and space. Working drawings, important to Master works, are also crucial for mine. I stage most of my paintings to have the maximum amount of readings possible by viewers. I have often labeled these paintings psychodramas, due the level of psychological implications possible in the work. My educational and artistic experiences in colleges and universities served to shape my pragmatic approach to art instruction. My teaching has always involved extensive use of art history and utilizes constant demonstrations of techniques and processes as courses progress. I believe students should not just have techniques merely explained, but specifically modeled for them. Then they can see how a technique is implemented, step by step. Too many of the instructors that taught when I went to art school, talked in generalities without giving specific information as we do at New Hampshire Institute of Art. We live in an age of fragmented artistic standards. In contrast I have a firm commitment to demanding and expecting the best from my students. An instructor must be able to rephrase or clarify the nature of a project, due to the differences in individual learning styles. Then students with different experiences can understand the fundamental concepts and techniques of each project we address. I develop vocabulary and engage in critical dialogue which accelerates the growth of student work. I speak in specifics through individual and group critiques. This enhances students’ ability to analyze their own work and the work of other artists. Our interaction clarifies an individual artist’s work in the studio. This allows students to participate and engage in the world around them.
Publication Excerpt: Resume.pdf
