ABoUt PePPeR
Pepper Pepper was born in Miami, Florida. Due to complications at birth, Pepper was born blind, but he recovered full sight at 12, after numerous surgeries. Art became a form of visual therapy. In spite of his childhood visual impairment, he is now an internationally-recognized visual artist.
Throughout his education, Pepper nurtured a desire to draw, paint, and create, regularly winning student awards for his creativity. Pepper studied art at Milan School of Art in Florida. His careers have been numerous and varied: psycho-therapist, event planner, art gallery owner, photographer, public relations, and marketing consultant, among others.
Pepper's artwork has appeared in Art Business News, Itch Magazine, About You Magazine, and numerous other publications. He has exhibited or been showcased in the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, Turkey, and Great Britain. From Senators to World Trade Centers, his work can be found in private and public collections worldwide including the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, Portugal, Turkey, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canary Islands, Colombia, and Mexico.
Pepper currently lives in Tuscany ( Italy ) where he manages Casa La Pace Bed and Breakfast.
Artist Statement
Several times I have been asked for my definition of art. I have often struggled to come up with a clear answer, but in the end, each individual will have his or her own meaning of art.
I believe art can encourage dialogue. Artists communicate with the world more passionately and truthfully through the work they create. I believe art can inspire and influence. Art lets the viewer experience what an artist sees, what he does, who he loves, how he feels, and why he is who he is.
Art and the process of creating it can give confidence to an artist's spirit… a spirit that otherwise may be paper-thin and translucent. I believe art heals: It breaks down stereotypes, encourages diversity, and stimulates the mind. It can bring calm to the tormented and joy to the disheartened.
I believe art can change the world. When nothing else matters, I am an artist because I want to make this a better world, too
Artist Review
Celebrated for his romantic botanicals, brooding landscapes, and character portraits, Pepper Pepper's images echo pure beauty.
His images of people, places, and things are far from ordinary. Sometimes provocative, sometimes emotional, but always overflowing with drama, Pepper's work is shaped by his understanding of nature and human sensibilities. Some images are ethereal and others are grounded in reality, but all decipher the human condition.
From his exquisite black and white photography to the ballet of colors in his paintings, his images are identifiable yet completely imaginary. His style has matured into a synthesis of photorealism and impressionism. Images of a glowing fire inside a Romanesque church or the withered foliage of an aging prize rose are re-imagined through the kaleidoscopic layers in his work.
Stone and water, petal and silk invite the viewer to explore the relationship between light and shadow, space and composition. Pepper Pepper's images are open doors that invite the viewer to pass through; a colorful and exciting journey always awaits.
--- J.A.W. / Artist Review
