Peter Triantos: What It Takes To Be A Successful Contemporary Abstract Artist
Peter Triantos is known for creating some of the world’s most modern and positive pieces of art. He finds inspiration through authenticity and passion for contemporary and creative arts.
Stepping into a room, you are typically filled with all sorts of sensory and/ or emotional overloads, whether that be nerves you experience before going into a meeting you might be spearheading; or an aroma of lavender you smell when entering a spa; or captivation you feel when seeing a beautifully designed piece of architecture. You usually have a feeling. For Peter Triantos, he is usually the one crafting that feeling — through his contemporary art mastery.
This Toronto-based artist works with art lovers, from residential buildings and personal investments, to large corporations that have established partnerships with major architects and developers spanning the globe.
Triantos also works on installing his pieces of art. He says he typically only installs about 80 per cent of his pieces, because clients always ask him to install for them, unless they have their own installers. And, he says his relationships with his clientele are incredible, because they know the love he has for the work he has done, and he is treated with the utmost respect.
While viewers of Triantos’s work soak in his masterpieces, they will not find any unsettling, dark meanings behind the pieces he produces; they will see a joyous occasion being lifted off the canvas to their cognitive perception.
“When I Paint, I Put Love Into My Work. Love Is Key. Love Is Important”
Here are some collection names from his series of work as examples:
Jelly Bean, where you can see bright bursts of colour in strategically placed areas on the canvas, instantly bringing a positive spin into your mind.
Winter Paradise, which articulates energy through thin strokes of the brush covering each canvas, but provides the feeling of interconnectivity with the world.
Soft Sand, which allows viewers to see layers of art in a calming way. Triantos does this by incorporating the feel of natural elements along a tranquil shoreline.
Simply Formal, which is a series that shows easy-on-the-eye order. It contains minimalistic elements, bringing contemporary art in a sophisticated yet playful manner.
Flower is a delightful story of the journey of this beautiful piece of nature. Instead of viewing a flower from a distance, Triantos, through the power of the brush, takes you on the journey of the flower itself by painting detailed elements, veins and movements of the flower.
Triantos says he brings a “euphoric breath of fresh air” to his clients and partners by expressing his belief that art should show passion, uniqueness and an overall positive outlook through every planned-out stroke of his brush.
Through his artistic endeavours, Triantos has also experienced enlightening moments that have inspired some of his series. One in-particular is the Napa Valley series, which is not the wine-centric collection that you would expect. It does, however, capture the lush landscape of the valley with hues of blue, green, moments of red and other exceptional colours.
“There is no set rule. I think the magic happens. You put something out there, and it kind of creates a life of its own,” says Triantos. “The Napa Valley series was an imaginary landscape. Yes, it took us to Napa Valley, and we really got to enjoy it there.”
To create his pieces of art, Triantos uses a 20,000-square-foot gallery in the heart of downtown Toronto. The floor plan of this space is open concept and allows for various events to take place, such as pop-ups, workshops, exhibitions, classes, etc.
“I’m very prolific. I always have 15 commissions going on at the same time. I work on many, many paintings at the same time,” he says.
“I’m a big collector. I think it’s important to know the history. It’s important to know who came before you. There’s a lot of great history. You don’t have to study it in schools. I have limited schooling, but I learned through collecting. And if you love something, you tend to keep it in your mind a lot easier than if you are forced to learn it.”
Some of Triantos’s clientele, he shares, are open to eccentric but positive pieces of art. They enjoy the emotions that are associated with each piece they have received.
“When I paint, I put love into my work. Love is key. Love is important,” says Triantos.
Mentioning love, Triantos’s wife of eight years, Seraphina Triantos, works with him as the art curator at the gallery. Speaking about the key to a successful working relationship with a significant other, Triantos says: “I think the respect has to be there. You have to have kind of the same ideals and morals. You have to kind of think in a kind of way. Although we’re totally different people, we have to have the same kind of respect for people. We treat everybody with lots of love and an open heart. We’re friendly. That’s what keeps us in the game.”
While he is in the gallery, painting and conceptualizing his next piece, Triantos enjoys staying authentic to his feeling and his vision. According to this mastermind in the contemporary art world, everyone is an artist, and he believes that if you are genuine in your form, you can create beauty.
“Show what you are really thinking. Don’t overthink it. That’s authentic. That’s what we want … we want authenticity. The more authentic you can get, the better it is. That’s what I’m striving for … more authenticity.”
Visit Triantos’s website, to learn more about him and see the available series.
Interview by Cassandra Giammarco
