Interview
A Man After My Own Art
A Man After My Own Art (AMAMOA) is an oil painter residing in New York. His work lives in a world he best describes as “lo-fi realism.” Deeply fascinated by the look of analog media and the impact it had on him growing up, AMAMOA describes seeing the world through polaroid cameras and VHS tapes as the primary aesthetic he strives to replicate in his paintings. The music and experiences of these decades provide the bulk of his inspiration as he goes deeper down the rabbit hole with each painting while connecting with his own feelings of nostalgia and sentimentality.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Well, to start, my name is Peter and I am A Man After My Own Art. I’m 45 years old, an oil painter, a husband, dad & music enthusiast. I was born and raised in New York and continue to live and work there today. Both my parents emigrated to the US from Croatia in the 1970’s, so I am first-generation American in my family. My journey with the art world started in childhood. As far back as I can remember I was always doing something artistic. Nothing became ‘real’ for me until I first attended art school in NYC and started to see how gratifying it could be to take my talent and transform that into an actual career.”
What inspires you?
“Authenticity, for sure. I’ve never really been tied down to a specific style of art that inspires me more than others. I guess I’m pretty eclectic that way. I usually gravitate towards work that seems, at least in my eyes, to be speaking from a place of truth and objectivity. Every step of the way I’m always asking myself, ‘Does this look/feel authentic?’ I need to be convinced of the accuracy, it’s the only way I can put my name on a piece of art and let it out into the world.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I would say the most consistent theme is nostalgia. I’ve always been deeply fascinated by ‘the look’ of analog media and the impact it had on me growing up in the 80’s and 90’s. Seeing the world, at that age, through polaroid cameras, cam corders and VHS tapes has been an aesthetic that I discreetly replicate in my paintings. The chief catalyst for my imagination comes from the music of these decades, and my personal experiences while listening to this music. I really enjoy reliving these sentimental moments with each painting or series I do.”
How would you describe your work?
“Much of my work lives in this world which I like to call ‘lo-fi realism.’ I paint realistic figures and objects, primarily from rock n’ roll, skateboard and the counter culture. Everything you see is oil paint, derived from a combination of reference photos. Though I do try to make my work seem realistic, I would never consider myself a photorealistic painter, that’s not my thing at all. I’m never really trying to get every detail to show up in my work. I usually try to equate the level of detail to an analog photograph or a still frame from a VHS tape, that’s where the whole ‘lo-fi’ aesthetic comes into play. If it was fine back then, it’s more than good for me now.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Well, throughout the years I’ve been exposed to several artists that greatly shaped my trajectory in painting. I would say there are 3 names come to mind right away. Robert Bechtle is my single biggest influence. His ability to capture mundane scenes of everyday life and remake them into beautifully crafted paintings is probably the main reason why I got into realism to begin with. He’s also always been, from a skill and technical standpoint, the epitome of photorealism and I’ve always dreamed of getting to that level. Alain Jacquet has also been a pretty big influence on me but in a completely different way. His stylistic approach and ability to break down images and then put them back together again really spoke to my love of raw analog imagery. His work taught me how to get to the core of an image and remove all the bells and whistles. James Jean’s sketchbook drawings changed everything for me in the early 2000’s. I went to art school with James, I believe he was a year ahead of me, but seeing a student exhibition of his at the time really stopped me in my tracks and made me rethink everything I was doing at the time. I still go back and look at those Process Recess sketchbook drawings, they are truly remarkable.”
“The chief catalyst for my imagination comes from the music of these decades, and my personal experiences while listening to this music.”
What is your creative process like?
“My approach continues to evolve and adapt to circumstances, but everything usually starts with some sort of sketch idea. The next step is to transfer that sketch into Photoshop and start editing it for color and composition. This usually helps me decide if my design is actually going to work or something I should pass on. Once a design is finalized I usually transfer the line work onto the surface I’ll be painting on, usually a type of mdf-board or hard surface. From here, it’s all about mixing colors, painting and rendering. I usually work large so it’s not uncommon for me to break the painting up into sections and work through it over a certain period of time. If I ever get to a point where I need some layers to dry, I’ll usually stop and start working on some prelims for the next one in the series. It’s a continuous operation.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I do see art as a way to escape the outside world. The same way a person can put on some headphones of their favorite band and drown out the world around them, I see artists doing much the same with their work. I really hope that’s what my work does when people are exposed to it. Now, of course every artist has a different journey and if yours happens to be different, that’s cool. Vaya Con Dios!”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I recently traveled to Italy, more specifically Florence, and was able to see a substantial amount of historical pieces of sculpture and paintings. Truthfully, I was never really a big fan of being a tourist and waiting in line to see all these masterpieces, but I can definitely say that after going and embracing the city, it really is a humbling experience. It makes you self reflect on your own work in a way I don’t think I’ve ever done before. I came back excited and motivated in my goal to continue challenging myself in the studio.”
Website: www.amanaftermyownart.com
Instagram: @amanaftermyownart
