By Pat Doody
staff writer
World traveler and landscape artist Peter Adams
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Peter Adams.
Among the 49 plein air artists returning to Tehachapi in May for the Art 2023 paint out will be Peter Adams. The Pasadena resident has long been associated with the California Art Club and now serves as President Emeritus of that organization.
The paintings completed by Adams and the other artists in May will be juried into the Art 2023 Tehachapi public show, to take place at the Aspen Builders Community Center on the weekend of July 22-23, following an special opening event on Friday, July 21.
Adams was born in Los Angeles and found his love of art while he was still in school. He studied art at Cal Western in San Diego, Art Center College of Design, Otis Art Institute and Instituto de Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico before finding his passion at the Lukits Academy of Fine Arts in Los Angeles. He spent seven years in formal training there and served as a personal apprentice with Theodore N. Lukits for four of those years. During that time Adams became fascinated with Lukits' personal collection of Chinese dynastic art including sculptures and ceramics. That fascination with the orient is reflected in many of his paintings.
His first show was at his uncle's home in Los Angeles. Of the nearly 65 paintings he exhibited, he sold nearly 50. It was the landscapes he painted locally that sold the best and soon galleries in Beverly Hills and other LA locations began exhibiting his work.
In 1981, Adams traveled throughout much of Asia and became the first American artist to travel and paint un-escorted throughout the People's Republic of China. In 1987 he traveled to Tibet, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, painting en plein air among the Mujahideen.
In 2010, Adams was commissioned by the University of Southern California to paint the 14 Stations of the Cross for Our Savior Parish and Caruso Catholic Center at the campus. The Stations were completed in November of 2012.
Adams and his wife, Elaine, share a love of representational art and helped revitalize the California Art Club. During his tenure as president, membership was increased from 75 members to nearly 2,000. He has also served on the boards of the Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena Museum of California Art, Academy of Art University and the American Society of Portrait Artists.
The Tehachapi Arts Commission invites everyone to be part of the opening reception of Art 2023 on July 21 at 5 p.m. at Aspen Builders Community Center, located at 410 W. D St. in Tehachapi. Guests will have the opportunity to stroll the aisles of paintings and meet Adams and the other artists and collectors while enjoying hors d'oeuvres, drinks from open bars and award-winning wines from Dorner Family Vineyard. During the evening, awards will be presented for Best of Show, Best Landscape, Best Urban Painting and Best Still Life. Returning this year will be Charles Muench, winner of last year's Best of Show painting, "Bear Mountain Overlook."
Advance tickets only for this special event on July 21 are $125 and are available at http://www.Eventbrite.com. Save the date, purchase your ticket and prepare for an evening of art appreciation while visiting with the artists.
