Gold Finch

About Gold Finch

This contemporary mixed media portrait of a bird is by Peter Hoffer.

In the late 18th and 19th centuries, artists often painted portraits of local animal and bird species. They were wildly popular as the public became enamoured with natural history. Peter Hoffer’s bird portraits are reminiscent of artwork from past centuries but his visual language is purely modern. The Canadian artist’s distinctive bird portraits such as this goldfinch, a small, bright yellow bird native to North America are made contemporary by the inspired backdrop. The viewer’s eye is drawn to the central image of this little bird sitting on a branch as it’s surrounded by a melange of colour. Layers of paint in vibrant colours—blues, reds, greens, pink, turquoise, yellow, brown and melon create a dynamic backdrop. Influenced by the 19th century practice of Parisian Salon artists who would ‘refresh’ paintings with another coat of varnish, Hoffer often adds multiple layers of resin to his work. The shiny finish adds attractive reflective qualities to the work but also makes a classic image appear modern. Markings, paint drippings and quick, expressive brushwork confirms the modernist approach.

"You start seeing… the blobs of paint and the drips and to me that's what is communicating the true landscape, the layers. That's what's interesting, the layers." Peter Hoffer

"While we admire the beauty of the work, we are aware of a modern artist asking us to consider the process and the act of creation itself. “
Lynn Moore, Art Critic, Montreal Gazette

Peter Hoffer holds an MFA from Concordia University and degrees from the University of Guelph and OCAD University. Hoffer has lived and worked in Toronto, New York City, Paris, Montreal and Berlin. He has exhibited widely at art fairs in Basel, Toronto, New York, Stockholm, London, Milan, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. His paintings are held in many private, corporate and public collections around the world.