Peter Adams Art
American, b. 1950
Contemporary American artist Peter Adams is esteemed for his beautiful Impressionist paintings. He uses oil paints to create vivid landscapes and figurative works that saturate the canvas with color. Adams is known for combining the Western artistic tradition with Eastern influences picked up from his extensive travels.
Adams was born and raised in California. He studied at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California; the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles; the Instituto de Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and the Lukits Academy of Fine Arts in Los Angeles.
Four of Adams’s seven years at the Luktis Academy were spent as an apprentice to Theodore Lukits, a renowned Impressionist painter. He was also introduced to Chinese porcelains and sculptures, which sparked an interest in Asian art that spurred him to travel. In 1981, he traveled and painted unescorted through the People’s Republic of China, becoming the first American artist to do so. He was also the only American artist to travel with the mujahideen rebels of Afghanistan in 1987.
Adams became the president of the California Art Club in 1993, a role he has served in ever since. Established in 1909, the organization only had 80 members at the time. Under his leadership, the membership has grown to around 3,000.
In 2007, he earned the John J. Geraghty Award for advancing traditional fine art as well as the gold medal for the best painting from his fellow members at the California Art Club. In 2009, Fine Art Connoisseur presented Adams with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Adams is represented by American Legacy Fine Arts in Pasadena. His works are in the collections of the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard, California; the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California; the USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California; and Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Peter Adams’s paintings.
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Artist: Peter Adams
Windy Afternoon at Leo Carrillo Beach
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 16" x 20" FRAMED: 25.5" x 29.5" x 1.75"
Exhibited
A Journey Along the California Coast, at the California Art Club Galle...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Afternoon Glow, Cathedral Cove, Anacapa Island
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Description
This plein air oil painting depicts the uniqueness of Anacapa Island in the chain of Southern California’s Channel Islands archipelago. Anacapa was formed by volcanic eruptions. Its desolate landscape is dominated by a distinct geology of steep precipices and jagged rock formations. From this elevated viewpoint, Adams portrays the location known as Cathedral Cove with its outcropping spires and massive kelp beds that hug the shoreline. The peak of the middle island of Anacapa is visible in the distance, and further out to sea is Santa Cruz Island...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Linen, Panel, Oil
After the Autumn Storm; St. Malo Beach, Oceanside
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 12" x 16" FRAMED: 20" x 24" x 1.75"
Artist Statement
“It is always exciting seeing the remnants of a storm rolling out t...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Pastel
Morning Clouds Hovering Below Mount Blanca; Trinchera Ranch, Colorado
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Artist Statement
"While staying at the Forbes' Trinchera Ranch in southern Colorado, I was intrigued by seeing this heavy cloud layer every morning hovering below Mt. Blanca's impressive peak of 14,351 feet. The cloud layer created an atmospheric division between the cool shadows below and the bright, warm light above."
―Peter Adams
Description
The artist's particular bold, broad brushwork magnifies a sense of epic in this pristine scene. The painting exemplifies the American West as an expansive land of free spirit and boundless possibilities. The colors are opulent and there is an intriguing sense of mystery about the subject, a Shangri-la feeling. The presentation of the painting makes a grand entrance statement.
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Gallery Note
The artist began the painting in 2006 and completed it in November of 2017.
Exhibited
Maxwell House...
Category
Early 2000s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Towering Cumulus at Day’s End, Oceanside, CA
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist; January 2024 submitted to Autry Museum of the American West for the "Masters of the American West" exhibition and sale.
UNFRAMED: 2...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Quiet Pools above Sturtevant Falls; Angeles Crest Forest
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 20" x 16" FRAMED: 27" x 23" x 3"
Exhibited
The Diverse Environments of the Arroyo Seco: Paintings from the California Ar...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Towering Cumulus at Day’s End, Oceanside, CA
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist; January 2024 submitted to Autry Museum of the American West for the "Masters of the American West" exhibition and
sale.
UNFRAMED: 2...
Category
2010s Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Commerce along the Pearl River
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Exhibited
China's Crown Jewel; Recent Paintings by American Artists, American Legacy Fine Arts, June 21 – July 28, 2019
...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Afternoon Glow; Kern River
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 12" x 9" FRAMED: 18.875" x 15.875" x 1.75"
Exhibited
Spring into Art 2024, presented by the San Marino League at The Hun...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Afternoon Foam and Surf; El Matador Beach, Malibu
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist.
UNFRAMED: 24" x 30" FRAMED: 32.5" x 38.5" x 2"
Artist Statement
“I am always excited to paint at Malibu when the surf is large and pounding. The sounds of the waves crashing, the exhilarating patterns of foam and spray, the stark contrast of light and shadows excite and enliven my imagination. I am able to totally lose myself in what I am looking at and somehow the painting seems to paint itself.”
— Peter Adams
Exhibited
Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University in California Art Club's "On Location in Malibu 2024" May 11...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Pools of Hahamongna; Arroyo Seco
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist.
UNFRAMED: 30" x 40" FRAMED: 39" x 48.5" x 3"
Artist Statement
“For this large painting I did a number of preparatory ...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Leo Carrillo Sunset, End of a Perfect Day
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist.
UNFRAMED: 12" x 16" FRAMED: 20" x 24" x 1.75"
Exhibited
Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University in California Art Club's "On Location in Malibu 2024" May 11...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Pastel
Parting Mist; Kalalau Lookout, Kauai
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Artist Statement
"Painting in Hawaii is always a challenge because the weather and atmospheric conditions are constantly changing. This scene of the Kalalau Lookout had it been paint...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Brilliant Reflections; Rocky Point, Carmel, California
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Artist Statement
"While on a recent painting trip along the 101 Highway to Carmel I stopped twice to paint at one of my favorite spots, Rocky...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Panel, Oil
Peaceful Passage; Batiquitos Lagoon, Carlsbad, California
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Description
Peter Adams' flare for combining real places with dreamlike visions is exemplified in this plein air oil pain...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Fallen Trees; Strawberry Peak
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 20" x 16" FRAMED: 27" x 23" x 2.5"
Exhibited
"The Diverse Environments of the Arroyo Seco" organized by California Art C...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil
Afternoon at Whaler's Cove, Point Lobos, California
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Exhibited
Fleeting Moments 2nd Biennale: Works en Plein Air, American Legacy Fine Arts, November 22 – December 15, 2019
...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Breaking Storm over the Wind Farm; Tehachapi, California
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 16" x 30" FRAMED: 24.75" x 38.75" x 1.75"
Artist Statement
"In this painting, I contrast the foreboding winter sky at su...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Golden Surf; Leo Carrillo Beach
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist.
UNFRAMED: 12" x 16" FRAMED: 20" x 24" x 1.75"
Exhibited
Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University in California Art Club's "On Location in Malibu 2024" May 11...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Pastel
Going Home; Tehachapi, California
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 20" x 24" FRAMED: 26.75" x 30.75" x 1.75"
Artist Statement
"The last rays of the sun illuminate the western sky over Teh...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Secret Cove; Afternoon Surge at Point Lobos State Reserve
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist; February 2023 submitted to Autry Museum of the American West for the "Masters of the American West" exhibition and sale.
...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Neptune's Fountain at Sunset, Huntington Gardens, San Marino
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by American Legacy Fine Arts directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 16" x 20" FRAMED: 24.5" x 28.5" x 2"
Exhibited
"San Marino League: Art Matters"...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Two Lohans and Kwan Yin
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
FRAMED: 31.75" x 27.75" x 1.625" UNFRAMED: 24" x 20"
Artist Statement
“Among my most memorable and profound travel exper...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Garden Friends
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
FRAMED: 22.75"x x18.75" x 1.75" UNFRAMED: 16" x 12"
Exhibited
The Poetry of Still Life, American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasa...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Quiet Pool; Arroyo Seco
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 12" x 16" FRAMED: 18.5" x 22.5" x 1.5"
Exhibited
The Diverse Environments of the Arroyo Seco: Paintings from the Californ...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Beauty in Nocturne: Ruckstull's Sculpture of Evening
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
FRAMED: 38" x 32" x 2.5" UNFRAMED: 30" x 24"
Artist Statement
“All the objects in this painting are part of my personal co...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Ethereal Lights, Electric Fountain; Beverly Hills
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist.
FRAMED: 50.375" x 40.375" x 1.625" UNFRAMED: 40" x 30"
Artist Statement
"As a young boy, my father o...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil
Faithful; St. Malo Beach, Oceanside
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
Artist Statement
“I am particularly interested in unique lighting effects and how these effects reflect, refract, diffuse...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Pastel
Taming Dragon Lohan
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
FRAMED: 17.5" x 14.5" x 1.375" UNFRAMED: 12" x 9"
Description
This still life is lively with its intermingled blue and vio...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Golden Cove Breakers; Rancho Palos Verdes
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist.
Artist Statement
“At the time of big surf in the late afternoon, it is wonderful to watch the color and the wave shadows...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil Pastel
Philosophers' Wall; Shasta Caves
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Artist Statement
"As I am fascinated with lighting, I often carry colored lights with me when I paint in order to illuminate scenes. This work was pain...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Panel, Oil
Buddha Revealed; Huntington Gardens
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquire by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED:16" x 12" FRAMED:22.5" x 17.75" x 1"
Exhibited
California Art Club Gallery at The Old Mill, "Lights, Camera, California: S...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Blind Love; Huntington Gardens
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
UNFRAMED: 16" x 12" FRAMED: 22.5" x 18.5" x 1.5"
Exhibited
Spring into Art 2022, presented by the San Marino League at The Hunting...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Pastoral Morning; Redding
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired directly from the Artist by the gallery
Description
While a guest on a private ranch in Redding, California artist Peter Adams took out his pastels on an early s...
Category
2010s Impressionist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Pastel
Alberich's Vision (Rhine Maidens)
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist
FRAMED: 82" x 58" x 2.25" UNFRAMED: 72" x 48"
Artist's Statement:
Alberich’s Vision is inspired by Richard Wagner’s fou...
Category
2010s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil
Sierra Grandeur; 5th Lake View of Mt. Robinson and Palisade Glacier
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance
Acquired by a Private Collector, Encino, California from American Legacy Fine Arts in 2005
American Legacy Fine Arts acquired the work directly from the artist in 2004
De...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Peter Adams Art
Materials
Oil, Panel
Peter Adams art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Peter Adams art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, red and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Peter Adams in oil paint, paint, panel and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Peter Adams art, so small editions measuring 15 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Thelma Appel, Douglas Newton, and Ellen Bradshaw. Peter Adams art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,200 and tops out at $35,000, while the average work can sell for $7,000.