Peter St. Lawrence
Oakland, California, USA
Peter St.Lawrence, in his studio in Oakland, California
Peter St.Lawrence, Circumambulation, 2019. Ceramic. 23" x 11"x 7"
Peter St.Lawrence, Various Forms, 2019. Ceramic. Varying dimensions between 17” tall and 14” wide in largest dimensions
Shelter-in-Place was ordered in the San Francisco Bay Area in mid March, the first of its kind in the United States. Cleaning supplies instantly vanished from the shelves of the markets and people were brawling over toilet paper. At first it was believed that you’d be arrested if you were seen outside of your home, which made access to the studio impossible. Everyone was avoiding eye-contact because they were so terrified of the Coronavirus. The city became incredibly dark.
I wasted no time and fled to a remote location on the Pacific Coast to ride out the lockdown. I continued my art practice with the supplies I could bring with me. It was a terrifying and introspective time. And my work became a series of very tiny watercolor landscape paintings. It was a practice I had developed as a traveling stylist for photography and video: something I could do in hotel rooms to keep myself centered amid long, high-pressure days. It was the self-care I needed, and the entire set-up fit into my carry-on. So when “Shelter” was ordered, I knew just where I needed to go: very small.
Things are slowly opening back up in Oakland and I now have access to my ceramic studio. I am finally starting to get momentum back with my sculpture.
Peter St.Lawrence, Querencia Blanco, 2019. Ceramic. 26.5” x 15" x 8"
During Lockdown, Peter St Lawrence fled OAKLAND for a house on A remote stretch of the pacific coast where he “went small” and painted miniature landscapes
Peter St.Lawrence, Seascape #2, 2020. Watercolor on paper. 2.5”x 2”
Peter St.Lawrence, Seascape #5, 2020. Watercolor on paper. 2”x 2”
Peter St.Lawrence, Seascape #4, 2020. Watercolor on paper. 2”x 2.5”
Peter St.Lawrence, Seascape #1, 2020. Watercolor on paper. 2.5”x 2”
Peter St.Lawrence, Seascape #3, 2020. Watercolor on paper. 2”x 2”