Peter Sculthorpe 2024

2023 Last year, my good friend of nearly two decades called, asking if he could come for a visit and run something by me. Thinking and hoping Peter was ready to discuss another big deal, my response was “abso-freakin-lutely!” In my research for biographical information on Peter while preparing for this exhibition, I was surprised to find very little has been written about him. When I’ve questioned him about this, he’s always humble, offering little to no relevant information about himself and his career. Aware of the many similarities and comparisons between Sculthorpe and AndrewWyeth and knowing he lives just minutes away from Chadds Ford, I pressed the issue. “Did you know AndrewWyeth?” His answer and stories to follow have stuck with me. Yes, Peter did know AndrewWyeth. Peter had his first one-man show at Chadds Ford Gallery in 1970. At that time, Chadds Ford also represented Wyeth. The gallery’s director, Richard Neff, told Peter that AndrewWyeth visited Peter’s show and thought highly of it, asking Neff to introduce him to Peter. This resulted in an invitation to Wyeth’s studio, where Peter spent the whole day chatting with AndrewWyeth mano-à-mano. They remained friends until Wyeth’s passing in 2009. Peter recalled his longest conversation with Wyeth, aside from their first meeting years earlier, was in Maine. Sculthorpe was driving from Thomaston to Port Clyde, a route he often traveled. Out of nowhere, he sawWyeth’s old Jeep Wagoneer filling up at a gas station on the side of the road. Peter pulled in to say hello and the two men spoke for several hours. The gas station owner directed incoming traffic around them so they could continue their conversation. Peter also recalled visiting Andrew’s farm and being shown an old stone mill on the property. Wyeth was excited to show Peter that when he pulled a lever inside the mill on a large waterwheel, the wheel spun, powering a generator, and sending electricity to an old incandescent bulb flickering light inside the mill. Peter recalled, “I loved that!” When I asked Peter if his paintings were and are inspired by Wyeth, he said that whenever you admire a great artist’s work and get to know them personally, you have to be somehow influenced by such a relationship. Peter Sculthorpe is without question the most universally appealing artist to grace the walls of my galleries. Always in good company amidst the many legendary great Pennsylvania Impressionists, Peter’s work always attracts attention and praise by seasoned art lovers as well as novice gallery visitors. I would be remiss in not mentioning Peter’s lovely wife, Sharon (the brains), and awesome dog Farley (the brawn). It has been an honor to get to know Peter and Sharon over the years, and an equally great honor to have collected and handled many of these fine paintings. The pages that follow illustrate all of the Peter Sculthorpe paintings I was fortunate to acquire over the years from his personal collection as well as my private stash, and including Deal #1, and yes…. Deal #2! Enjoy the show! Jim Alterman 4