American Realist artist Peter Loftus paints nature and ocean scenes, capturing the intensity of our contemporary living and breathing planet. The oil on canvas paintings focus on the mountainous Santa Cruz and Tahoe regions of Northern California., western rivers and valleys, and the tropical beauty of Hawaii.

Bio

Peter Loftus was born in 1948, in Washington DC. He received a BFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art, in 1971. In 1974, Loftus earned an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Drawn by the glorious California light, Loftus moved to Santa Cruz in 1975. He has lived and painted there ever since. Loftus taught at both University of California at Santa Cruz and Cabrillo Community College between 1975, through the present (at UCSC). He taught Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Drawing, and Painting, in both oil and aqueous media.

During that time, he also sustained a rigorous exhibition schedule, showing regularly on the East and West coasts; in New York at Fischbach Gallery, and San Francisco at William Sawyer Gallery and later Hackett-Freedman Gallery. In addition, Loftus has participated in a number of group exhibitions. These include: American Realism: 20th Century Drawings and Watercolors (and accompanying book), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, New Horizons in American Realism: Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI. Loftus is also included in several publications, including: "The Artist as Native: Reinventing Regionalism" by Alan Gussow, "Capturing at Distinct Light", Feature Cover and Article: American Artist Magazine; "Art in Embassies, Bagdad, Iraq", Feature Cover, and Article; Artworks Magazine: "Peter Loftus", feature article.

Loftus' work has been avidly collected by public, corporate, and private collections. These include General Electric, Heinz Corporation, Hunter Museum, TN, San Jose M

Education:

1971 BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

1974 MFA, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Professional Activities:

1975-2015 Lecturer in Art, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA

1975-93 Instructor in Art, Cabrillo College, Aptos, CA

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2015 "Now and Then: 25 years painting Santa Cruz" Michael Angelo Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA

"Santa Cruz Scene" The Marjorie Evans Gallery, Sunset Center, Carmel, CA

2014 "Blue" California Landscapes, Thomas Reynolds Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2012 "NorCal Paintings" Williams Gallery, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA

"Masters Series"R.Blitzer Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA

2009 "Serendipity" Michael Angelo Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA "California Landscapes" 50 California St,

San Francisco, CA

2007 "Feather River Country:Recent California Landscapes" Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

2005 "Images of the Central Coast" Winfield Gallery, Carmel, CA

"Sierra Nevada to Mendocino" Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

2003 "Mendocino to Monterey" Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

2002 "Recent Landscapes" Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2000 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1999 Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1998 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1997 Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1996 Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1994 "Close to Heart, Close to Home: Paintings of Santa Cruz County 1975-94"

The Pope Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA

Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1992 Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco,

CA Ella Gray Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA

1991 Monterey Conference Center, Monterey, CA

Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, CA

1990 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1988 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1986 William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1984 Hull Gallery, Washington, DC

William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1983 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1982 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

1981 Redding Museum, Redding, CA

William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1980 San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA

William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2015 "Landscapes and Figures" Robert Allen Fine Art, Sausalito, CA

2014 "Summer Landscape Invitational" Saint Mary's College Museum of Art, Moraga, CA

2013 "A Passion For Painting" Nichols Gallery, Barboursville, VA

2012 "Keeping On Keeping On-A Forty Year Dialog" Paintings by Ron Boehmer and Peter

Loftus Academy of Fine Arts, Lynchburg, VA

"One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak" Fischbach Gallery, NY

2011-12 "California:Landscape of Dreams" Fresno Art Museum, Fresno ,CA

"Seasonal Landscapes"Robert Allen Fine Art,Sausalito,CA

2010 "Art in Embassies", United States Embassy Bagdad, Iraq

"Just Add Water", Susan Street Fine Art Gallery, Solana Beach, CA

"Landscapes:New Works", Robert Allen Fine Art, Sausalito, CA

''The Lands Of The Landtrust", The Pajaro Valley Arts Council & Gallery, Watsonville,

CA ''Plein Air Affaire

2010" The Museum of Art & History, Santa Cruz, CA

2009 "At The Water's Edge" I Wolk Gallery, St Helena, CA

''Plein Air Affaire 2009" The Museum of Art & History, Santa Cruz, CA

2008-09 "On Beauty'' The Gallery at Cliff Lede Vinyards, Yountville, CA

2008 "Landscape Perspectives" 555 California Street (Courtesy of Hackett-Freedman Gallery)

"Plein Air Affaire 2008" The Museum of Art & History, Santa Cruz, CA

2007 ''Landscapes:Rural and Urban Realities" Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA

''Plein Air Affaire 2007" The Museum of Art & History, Santa Cruz, CA

"Now See This" Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

2006 "The Chelsea Classic" Fischbach Gallery, NY

"Intimate Landscape" Winfield Gallery, Carmel, CA

Sesnon Art Gallery, UCSC

''Plein Air Affaire 2006" The Museum of Art & History, Santa Cruz, CA

2004 "Gone Fisching: Paintings of Summer" Fischbach Gallery, NY

2003 6 Realists, General Electric Company, Fairfield, CT

"Facing Reality: The Seavest Collection of Contemporary Realism,"

Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY

2002 ''Visions: Northern California," Bank of America Plaza, San Francisco, CA

"H20 02," Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY

2001 "Re-presenting Representation V," Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY

2000 "Hackett-Freedman Gallery Artists," Shasta College Art Gallery, Redding, CA

1997 "10th Anniversary Exhibition," Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1996 "Contemporary American Realists," Halls Crown Center, Kansas City, MO

1995 "Realism '95: Vision and Poetry," Hetcher Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

"Palette of Light, "The Art Museum of Santa Cruz County, CA

"Plein Air Painters," Pope Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA

"Picture 1bis: The Monterey Bay Region as Pictured by Scientists,

Artists and Writers," The History Museum of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz, CA

1994 "New Bay Area Painting," Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA

"Contemporary Realists," The Gallery, Halls Crown Center, Kansas City, MO

"Fascination with Trains," Hearst Art Gallery, Saint Mary's College, Moraga, CA

1993 "Tribute," William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

"Contemporary Realism, Central and Northern California

Landscapes," Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, Monterey, CA

"The Artist as Native: Reinventing Regionalism," Babcock Galleries, New York, NY (traveling)

"Vanishing Point: A Look at Contemporary Landscape Painting, Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA

“Bay Area Painting," Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1992 "A Day in the Country, California Landscape Painting," I Wolk Gallery, St Helena, CA

1991 "New Horizons in American Realism," Hint Institute of Arts, Hint, MI (traveling)

1989 "Landscapes from the William Sawyer Gallery," The Art Corridor, Menlo Park, CA

1989 "Plein Air Painting," Santa Cruz Art League, CA

1988 "Images of the Land," William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

"Works on Paper," William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

"The Face of the Land," Southern Allegheny Museum of Art, Loretto, PA

"The Subject is Water," Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI

1987 "Art and the Law," West Publishing Company, Eagan, MN (traveling 1987-88)

1987 "Gallery Artists," Fischbach Gallery, New York

"Sandy Beaches, Rocky Shores," Monterey Bay Aquarium Art Gallery, Monterey, CA

"Landscapes,"Pajaro Valley Gallery, Watsonville, CA

1986 "The Painterly Landscape," Grimaldis Gallery, Baltimore, MD

"Plein Air: An Exhibition of Landscape Paintings and Drawings," Bank of Boston, MA

1985 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors,"

San Francisco Museum of Modem Art, San Francisco, CA (traveling 1985-87)

Selected Publications:

1984 Kaplan, Freddy. "A Portfolio of Regional Landscapes," American Artist (February) p.63.

1985 "Contemporary American Realism," Columbus Museum of Art and Sciences, Columbus, GA

"American Realism," William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA

"The Realist Landscape," Robeson Center Gallery, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

1986 Marcin, Alvin. American Realism: 20th Century Drawings and Watercolors from the

Glenn C. Janss Collection (San Francisco and New York: San Francisco Museum of Modem

Art and Harry N. Abrams), pp., 143,218; illustration, p. 58.

1987 Art and the Law, catalogue. (Eagan, MN: West Publishing Company), color repro. p.77.

1989 Greenwood, Douglas McCreary. Art in Embassies, catalogue.

1991 Young, Christopher. New Horizons in American Realism, catalogue. (Flint,

MI: Flint Institute of Arts).

1993 Tanner, Marcia. "Contemporary Landscapes Bask in Local Gallery Spotlight," San

Francisco Chronicle, May 12, p. 8.

1993 Gussow, Alan. The Artist as Native: Reinventing Regionalism

(Rohnert Park, CA: Pomegranate Art Books), pp. 102, 118; illustration p. 10

1998 Driscoll, John, and Armold Skolnick. The Artist and the American Landscape

(San Francisco: First Glance Books).

1999 "Chasing the Llght," by Dorothy Burkhart, in Peter Loftus (exh. cat.) (San

Francisco: Hackett-Freedman Gallery)

1999 Difei, Jia (essay) and Scott Wampler (editor). Contemporary American Oil Painting.

Changchun, China: Jilin Fine Arts Publishing House, 1999.

2000 Robert McDonald. "The Landscape Paintings of Willard Dixon and Peter Loftus, "

Point to Point, Hearst Art Gallery, Saint Mary's College, Moraga, CA.

2003 Ken Johnson, Review The New York Times, February 21, 2003

2004 Willard, Christopher. "Capturing a Distinct Light," American Artist (Feature article & cover.)

(August) pgs. 50-55

2008 Bamsey,Ben. "Peter Loftus", Artworks (Feature Article) (Fall Issue) pgs.86-93

2010 Art in Embassies Bagdad, Iraq, catalogue.(U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. )

Featured cover and article pp.13-14