Robert Peterson: Journeys

Robert Peterson’s monumental yet deeply intimate portraits are luminous love letters to contemporary Black life. His sitters catch our gaze with striking immediacy, asserting their identity, dignity, and quiet power while inviting our sustained contemplation. Through large-scale canvases, Peterson elevates everyday figures into inspiring, heroic archetypes—hardworking mothers, protective fathers, loyal siblings—in the process, expanding the thematic parameters of classical portraiture.

“As an African American, I feel it’s important to create works that reflect who I am, who my people are,” Peterson says. “My work captures people and time and allows them to live forever.” Building on an early interest in fashion illustration, the Oklahoma-based artist first gained recognition on social media for celebrity portraits that resonate with lifelike energy and expressive brushwork. This initial success emboldened a shift toward subjects rooted in personal experience, leading to the creation of portraits that celebrate the grace and dignity found within familial bonds and community.

Peterson’s creative process often begins with a personal memory or a desire to honor a specific friend or family member. He then seeks out models for a photoshoot to find the perfect pose and expression. Working from black-and-white photographs, the artist then intuitively introduces a rich palette into the work, lavishing attention on the beauty of Black skin with sensual touches of blues and golds.

The impact and accessibility of Peterson’s work has earned him national recognition. In 2017, he won a Spotlight Artist award for a painting of President Barack and Michele Obama at the Spectrum Miami art show. The United States Postal Service commissioned him to portray iconic author Ernest J. Gaines for the Black Heritage stamp series. His paintings are in the collections of museums across the country, including the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida, the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Wichita Art Museum in Kansas, and the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis.

Support for the exhibition is generously provided by Art Bridges.

Exhibitions are made possible in part by assistance provided by the County of Westchester.