BACK WHERE HE BEGAN, BUT EVEN BETTER: MEET GRANT PECOFF WITH HIS NEW BOOK, “AWAKEN TO COLOR!”

By Carol Holland Lifshitz

Come see this extraordinarily fine artist, and San Diego native, at the official release and signing of his exclusive first book: “AWAKEN TO COLOR.” He will be unveiling it on April 29th and 30th, 2023, at the Mission Federal Artwalk in Little Italy, San Diego. It’s an event not to be missed!

Currently residing on the Big Island of Hawaii, and having traveled around the globe for decades, Grant Pecoff is returning to the place he calls “home,” to share with you his love of life and all things beautiful. Known as a one-of-a-kind landscape painter who uses his world journeys as a backdrop for his paintings, he’ll be back in San Diego, personally signing a limited number of his hot-off-the-press book. He’ll also be exhibiting several of his much-adored paintings -- plus new ones, including several of the lush Hawaiian tropics he sees through his bedroom windows.

The artist, known for his unique painting style, which he calls “Animated Impressionism,” opened his first gallery in Del Mar. Precocious Pecoff, only 27 years old at the time, had already sold many of his works. By age 32, he had opened his second gallery in Little Italy. His fame grew as he explored internationally, and his oil paintings have since been exhibited by art collectors, and at galleries in Spain, France, Canada, the Bahamas, Hawaii, and venues of culture within the United States. Now, returning to San Diego for the 2023 Mission Federal Artwalk, he will be sharing with you the evidence of beauty he has found around the world, and giving you the opportunity to take reminders of it home with you.

This premier hardcover book, the first compilation of Pecoff’s works, spans over two decades of art and travel. In it are paintings, sketches, and photographs. Its 332 pages are filled with the images of masterpieces from his global adventures. They represent the most spectacular seascapes, landscapes, city scenes, and glorious sunsets.

The publication also contains fascinating personal stories and insights about what is behind his creations. It includes accounts of how his uncommon views of the universe and its omnipresent glory led to his magical depictions.This celebratory work is available in standard, limited and collector editions. Of course, you‘ll also be able to purchase or order the actual stunning paintings themselves, or full size reproductions of them!

It is fascinating to observe Pecoff’s changing styles, which you’ll clearly see as you flip through the pages of “Awaken to Color.“ They‘ve evolved from canvases filled with crooked, angular lines into softer, organic, undulating depictions. His latest abstract landscapes have a previously unseen immediacy and deliberateness of brushstroke. His paintings tell the tale of the artist’s emersion in ever-changing scenery, combined with an almost primitive pull that nature has on him.

Travel has been an integral part of Pecoff’s existence. According to him, it provides “the opportunity to see the world with open eyes, and fully experience the wonder that is all around.” He sees himself as a visual storyteller, conveying his own experiences as he has spanned the globe. He has soaked in everything from coastlines, jungles, waterfalls and oceans, to crowded cities. Hawaii, Europe, California, the Caribbean, New York City, and Morocco are among the alluring places that have served as backdrops for his work, and influenced his always evolving subject matter.

It was while living on a boat in the Bahamas, that he first developed a fascination with water, which has remained a central theme in Pecoff’s paintings. During that period, he began to see water in a new, animated way; he depicted it as though it was literally alive. The motion within it simultaneously expressed time and matter as a singular, otherworldly entity.

Everything he creates has playful lines, vibrant light, and exaggerated perspectives that draw you in. Images dance with vibrant hues of glowing orange, punchy aqua, fiery crimson, and earth-loving green. The ordinary becomes extraordinary, and makes you feel more vital than ever before. Pecoff’s passionate paintings draw us into a magical universe where everyday life becomes a remarkable experience. Imaginations are filled with possibilities. Simply put, his art helps us feel alive.

Grant Pecoff is extending an invitation to all readers to attend this exciting two-day event in San Diego’s Little Italy. Look for his booth under the iconic Little Italy sign on India Street. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artist, himself, in person. Those who are unable to make it that weekend can purchase the book through his website (see link below.) Through his paintings and this premier publication, he is also inviting you to experience the world through his eyes and heart. That means that both are fully open, and connected to the beauty around us and all earth‘s people. It’s a visual journey that will change how you see the world. Maybe you’ve already met him, or perhaps this is your first chance to engage with this local-turned-global celebrity. Either way, it will be an opportunity that you’ll savor! His warm, easy manner belies the depth of passion he has for life, which has served as the ignition for his stunning and provocative visual medium.

Stop by, say hi, and step into a world where the familiar is transformed into the extraordinary.

For more information, visit https://pecoff. com/. Or, contact Pecoff‘s studio at gallery@ pecoff.com.