Here is an interesting fact about Bryce. Did you know that Bryce is not technically a canyon? A canyon is formed from the top down by water erosion along a central channel of a stream. Bryce is an amphitheater which was formed from the bottom up through what is known as headwater erosion. Headwater erosion is the process that lengthens a stream, valley or gully at its head or starting point source. The stream erodes away the rock and soil at the headwaters in the opposite direction that it flows. In this case it’s the eroding, receding edge of the Pausaugunt Plateau.
Now that we got the geology lesson out of the way I will once again allow Peter’s own words to speak about his views on art and the motivation behind some of his paintings.
About the Silent City area of Bryce Peter wrote:
“Bryce is unusually high (8,000 feet) and therefore young geologically. But its softer sandstone has eroded relatively fast, creating the millions of ‘hoodoos’ for which it is best known. As these are worn away, the harder strata which have a more cemented composition form narrow ledges which make them resemble ziggurats. This form is heightened when snow is captured by these narrow horizontal surfaces, and plays off against the bright reds and yellows of iron oxide.” ( see Morning at Silent City)
“I have always admired the great realists. There’s a basic visual magic in the ability of pigment to credibly translate our three dimensional world to the flat, two dimensional world of paper and canvas. A good painter allows us to momentarily enter another’s consciousness and implies dimensions beyond what is normally seen. It makes painting a spiritual exercise, requiring imagination to create credibility.” Peter Holbrook Southwest Art Magazine from 2010
Over the course of Peter’s career I have calculated, by looking into his painting records, that he did approximately 60 paintings of Bryce. The first being in 1982, was watercolor and gouache on paper. In 1990 he would switch from watercolor to oil/ acrylic on paper. Around 1995 he was painting strictly with oil paint on either paper or canvas.
The paintings listed below are still available for sale. Feel free to check out our Instagram for additional images of these works (@peter_holbrook_paintings).
Available through the galleries:
Last Light- Bryce Amphitheater 2015 23x32 oil on canvas ( Marshall Gallery Scottsdale AZ)
Day and Night in the Queen’s Garden 2011 40x60 oil on canvas ( Marshall Gallery Scottsdale AZ)
Dixie NF from Yovimpa Point 2015 55x40 oil on canvas ( Calabi Gallery Santa Rosa CA)
Available through Holbrook Studio:
Morning in Silent City 2004 27x40 oil on canvas
Sunset Point- Morning Study 2009 10x14 oil on paper
Inspiration Point Sketch 2012 15x12 oil on paper
From Rainbow Point 2008/13 21x29 oil on canvas
Night and Day in the Queen’s Garden 2012 40x30 oil on canvas
Ponderosa Point 2011 35.5x58.5 oil on canvas
Blue Ridge Under Fairview Point 2011 40x30 oil on canvas
Hoodoo Maze- Bryce Point 2011 44x70 Oil on Canvas
Evening Whitecaps- Bryce Amphitheater 2011 40x60 oil on Canvas
Yovimpa 2011 44x47 oil on canvas
Below Yovimpa 2011 44x70 oil on canvas