It is not often that a new way of creating art comes along, but today it has. Anographics is a unique art gallery that showcases artwork on anodized aluminum. Headed by accomplished artist Peter Kellett, this featured artist unveiled his new art medium in December 2012 to great acclaim. After 30 years of development, the debut occurred during Art Basel Week in Miami Beach.
Anographics displayed their innovative works for a second time in January at the legendary L.A. Art Show. One collector stated about her recent purchase, “The color achieved is the most vibrant I’ve ever seen! It makes my heart sing!” Another collector shared, “The color is full of passion and reminiscent of Rothko.” Anographics was pleased that they received delightful praise and generated a lot of new buyers from both fairs.
Peter Kellett is also known around the world for his creation of unique, one of a kind art with amazing designs of metal art guitars. Fender guitars has even worked with the artist for a special line. You can see more about this in the video below at the bottom of this story.
Peter Kellett has been developing anodized aluminum as a contemporary art medium for the past 30 years. In the anodizing world, he is renowned for his revolutionary use of color. After much anticipation, he has decided to debut the new medium and show his personal work publicly. Peter Kellet’s work through Anographics and his one-of-kind abstract originals have caught the attention of the late Rauschenberg and Lichtenstein. In recent years, he has caught the attention of The Salavor Dali Society, Gehry Partners, Fender Custom Shop, Gibson Guitars, Epiphone Gutiars and Hard Rock Cafe to name a few.
Peter Kellett: I would say I’m a self-starting individual who likes to be on the cutting edge of whatever I do. I like to come up with new ideas. I remember when I started my anodizing business I wanted to further the medium, to add something new to the plating industry.
Hollywood Sentinel: What do you do?
Peter Kellett: I own an anodizing business that allows me freedom to explore the medium, not many artists have an anodizing shop at their fingertips so this has given me a unique advantage. I paint with special oil-based and water-based dyes on anodized aluminum and can use over 20 different finishing and coloring techniques. The painting becomes a part of the crystalline structure of the aluminum through an electro-chemical process.
Hollywood Sentinel: When did you start doing this?
Peter Kellett: I started doing the multicolor anodizing in 1982. By then I had already started the anodizing business but this was when I really started delving into it as an art form.
Hollywood Sentinel: Where are you from originally?
Peter Kellett: I grew up in Burslem, Stoke on Trent in England until I was 5 years old. From there we moved to Canada and came to the California when I was 9 years old. I have been in Silicon Valley (Santa Clara) for 50 years.
Hollywood Sentinel: Where did you train?
Peter Kellett: I just figured it out myself. I wasn’t formally trained in the arts but did work with an established watercolor artist, Burt Pumphrey, from 1985-1990. I’ve developed my particular medium, anodized aluminum, through my own Research and Development within my anodizing company.
Hollywood Sentinel: Why did you decide to become an artist?
Peter Kellett: Well I had developed this really good medium and had been interested in modern and contemporary artists before me, so it was a natural progression. Music and art was my hidden passion and in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to become an artist.
Hollywood Sentinel: How did you get started?
Peter Kellett: In 1976 I started an anodizing business and by 1982 I was exploring multicolor anodizing. So from 1982 on I began honing my craft as an artist.
Hollywood Sentinel: Who are some of your biggest influences?
Peter Kellett: Some of my favorite artists are van Gogh, Picasso, Jasper Johns, Odilon Redon, Hans Hoffman and Andy Warhol. I gravitate to abstracts and strong use of color.
Hollywood Sentinel: What inspires you outside of art?
Peter Kellett: Technology always inspires me because I live in Silicon Valley. In the last five years or so I have found images from space and the universe fascinating. The way things come into being, from plants to solar systems, seems random but there are laws that govern everything. With this medium it’s very similar, it seems random but I have a general plan where I want it to go and the medium adds its own element of surprise and wonder.
Hollywood Sentinel: What is your advice to aspiring artists trying to make a living with their art?
Peter Kellett: Keep at it and remember it’s a long process. Have fun with it and enjoy what you’re doing but have a plan to support yourself along the way.
Hollywood Sentinel: How do you want to be remembered?
Peter Kellett: As someone who had a vivid imagination and the person that developed anodized aluminum as a new art medium. I absolutely love this medium and its ability to be a vessel for extraordinary color.
Anographics is launching two new websites this spring for collectors and art aficionados. Peter Kellett’s abstract originals can currently be seen at Peterkelletart.com, as well as at Anographics gallery which can be viewed at Anographics.com.
To see some of the amazing guitars Peter Kellett has created, and hear one played, watch this exclusive video with the guitar art legend in the link her below:
