Peter Hoffer
... These landscape paintings fluctuate between “rest” and “discontent,” optimistic in anticipation.”
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While some painters use their materials as a means to portray their subject, Hoffer seems to use his subjects a means to portray the versatility of his materials. This is not to say that his subjects are not well rendered. Indeed, at first glance, his landscapes are lovely pastoral scenes. But Hoffer’s work demands more than a casual glance. Upon closer inspection, the layers and depth of his work are revealed.
Hoffer’s panels are divided, often through a foreground element like a tree. And where these divisions occur, there are changes in lighting and colouration. One gets the impression of gazing on the same location through two different lenses at two different times.
Time is another element of Hoffer’s work. His panels are layered and abraded, giving them an aged appearance. The paint is built up in layers, and the layers and scratches and tones of his pigments could be reminiscent of a more classical era. Except for one thing.
Over the top of all his meticulous aging, a finishing layer of shiny clear resin adds a very 21st century polish. The resin adds luminosity to Hoffer’s already light filled skies. It also lends a preservative effect to the work.
The juxtaposition of seemingly old and new materials, the encapsulation of the old beneath the new, creates a mysterious appeal.
