Peter Schwartz is an abstract painter who has dedicated his life to perfecting his art. In addition to having his work featured on over 80 websites, his paintings have appeared in such print journals as Existere, Orange Coast Review, Red Wheelbarrow, Reed, and International Poetry Review. His most recent exhibition was at the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in NYC. He is an art editor for both Mad Hatters' Review and Dogzplot. His work can be seen directly at: www.sitrahahra.com.

Mountains and Hallucinations

SM: How would you describe your work? Why do you create work that looks like it does?

PS: The best word I've ever heard used to describe my work is 'primal'. I try to put energy into my paintings, to make them do something. I think about the elements like form, color, and texture while I work but mostly I think about energy and making something that has a dramatic effect.

My paintings are a direct reflection of my subconscious mind. I guess we could say my paintings look that way because that's how I feel on the inside. The one conscious consideration driving me is my personal aesthetic. Judging a painting is of course a subjective matter but there is one criteria that is solid: if I put many different types of forms, colors, and textures into a piece than I think we can say that painting is richer than one with less of those elements.

SM: From where do you draw inspiration?

P.S.: I have only one real source of inspiration. It's this persistent, needy, not-so-little voice in me that screams: More! I keep my personal life pretty empty so that my only real recourse to feeling pride and a sense of self-worth is to create. Honestly, I don't have much else.

Saturdays

SM: Are you concerned about physically harming a loved one, pushing a stranger in front of a bus, steering your car into oncoming traffic; inappropriate sexual contact; or poisoning dinner guests?

P.S.: Yes.

SM: Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process?

P.S.: Actually I can't. To get to that magic reservoir of my subconscious mind (where all the action is) I have to turn off my rational mind. It's like blacking out, so I really don't know how to describe that zone. After, once I've come back into myself, sometimes I make minor technical corrections but that's not very interesting.

SM: Does your mate ignore your feelings or withhold affection to hurt you?

P.S. Sad to say, I have no real mate. I do have a rather enthusiastic sock puppet named Professor Squiggles though, and believe me, that bitch does whatever the hell I tell him to!

SM: What famous piece of art do you wish you'd made?

P.S.: Anything by Jackson Pollock. He taught me that there is nothing more beautiful than organized randomness. I hope he runs for President.

Serial Placement

SM: Do you have specific fears of certain objects e.g., animals or knives?

P.S.: I fear skunks. I'm a very clean person and the thought of one spraying me alone is almost enough to make me gag. I say we play God and risk whatever damage it might have on our ecosystem and exterminate those stinky little fuckers.

SM: What role do you think the culture that you live in plays in your creative efforts?

P.S.: American culture is the perfect backdrop for my [abstract] art, it gives me something to ignore. There are probably monks that participate more actively in society than me. I live in my own little dimension/world, and venture into society only when I have to. Or when I am weak and want a caramel frappuccino.

The Death of Luxury

SM: What's your favorite book (or top five)?

P.S.: I think I read too much to have a favorite. The last great book I read was Chuck Palahniuk's new novel 'Snuff'. It's about a porn star trying to break the record for most consecutive sex acts. What?

SM: If an illness or disorder were named after you, what would it be called? What are its symptoms?

P.S.: There is a disorder named after me and it's called O.C.D. Where would I be without it? Certainly not in this current issue of Susurrus Magazine. Thanks so much my good Reverend. May your cholesterol stay low and your dreams stay high. This has been fun but I'm late for a video conference with my gynecologist. Thanks again.

Monkey Side

To see more of Peter's work, visit www.sitrahahra.com.

main