Peter Petraglia

"To me, painting and photography present equally great opportunities for graphic expression. Ideas make themselves known in many ways. They come from nature, emotions, subconscious, politics, etc. Some demand a painting and others cry out for photography."
-Peter Petraglia

Painter and photographer Peter Petraglia had an early interest in the art world as a child in New York City. In his work, he was influenced by his early impressions of the city he was born in, as well as his time in Japan and Europe. Before he decided to concentrate full-time on art, Petraglia was the CEO of Princeton Partners, Inc, a successful advertising agency in Princeton, New Jersey. Even at that time, he was working as a cartoonist and illustrator. His own comic strip, Off the Top, ran in The New Hope Gazette and The Advance of Bucks County from 1969 to 1972. Petraglia began painting full time in 1986.

Petraglia completed a four-year education at the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts). His paintings have been exhibited at Phillips' Mill, the Woodmere Art Museum, the Philadelphia Sketch Club, the Bianco Gallery, the Sabine Rose Gallery and many others. He served on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Sketch Club for three years.

Education and Training
Apprenticeship with Fritz Von Reuter
Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Photography, Bucks County Community College, Newtown, Pennsylvania

Teachers and Influences
Francis Bacon, Morris Berd, Marc Chagall, Ben Eisenstat, Paul Froelich, Edward Hopper, Wallace Kelley, Sam Maitin, John Marin, Henri Matisse, Sol Mednick (photography), Georgia O'Keeffe, Nancy Rodgers, Henri Rousseau, Gertrude Schell, Ben Shahn, Benton Spruance, Mary Sweeney, Fritz Von Reuter
Petraglia studied photography with Randy Bye, Catherine Jansen, and Bruce Katsiff at Bucks County Community College. He was influenced by the fine art and religious temples of Japan while serving in the United States Army.

Connection to Bucks County
Peter Petraglia has lived in Bucks County since 1965.

Colleagues and Affiliations
Vincent Ceglia, Joe Crilley, George Douris, Taylor Oughton

Publications
Off the Top (cartoon strip), The New Hope Gazette and The Advance of Bucks County, 1969-1972
Cover and interior illustrations, Philadelphia Bulletin, 1963-1970

Affiliations and Memberships
Artsbridge, Lambertville, New Jersey
Philadelphia Sketch Club
Philadelphia Print Club
Artists Equity
Trenton Artists Workshop Association

Teaching and Professional Appointments
Taught part-time at the Philadelphia College of Art for several years
Served on the Mercer County Community College Advisory board for nine years
Served on the Philadelphia Sketch Club Board of Directors for 3 years

Major Awards
Award of Merit, Philadelphia Art Directors Club, 1956-1985
Blue Ribbon, Newtown Welcome Day Photo Contest, 1990
Second Round Selection, The Print Club 68th International Photo Competition, 1993
Award of Merit for Painting, Manhattan Arts International, 1994
Patron's Award for Painting, Bianco Gallery, 1995
The Harry Harris Painting Award, Woodmere Art Museum, 1998
Merit Award, Viridian Artist, Inc., 1999
First Prize for Painting, Artsbridge, 2002
The Coryell Gallery Award, Coryell Gallery, 2002

Major Solo Exhibitions
Mill Hill Playhouse, Trenton, New Jersey, 1994
Gloria Dei Church Gallery, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, 1996
Pennswood Village, Newtown, Pennsylvania, 1996, 2002
Medical Healing Arts Center, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 2001
Morning Star Gallery, Lambertville, New Jersey, 2001
Cathedral Village, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2004
North Light Gallery, Seal Cove, Maine, 2005

Major Group Exhibitions
Arts Alliance of Bucks County, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1977
Phillips' Mill, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 1977, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2002
Princeton Art Association, Princeton, New Jersey, 1978
Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1994, 2004
Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1994
Artist's Equity Annual Juried Show, 1994
Trenton Artist Workshop, Trenton, New Jersey, 1993, 1994
Galaxy, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004
Artists' Gallery, Lambertville, New Jersey, 1998, 1999, 2000
Artsbridge at Prallsville Mills, Stockton, New Jersey, 2000, 2001
Coryell Gallery, Lambertville, New Jersey, 2002
Swan Gallery, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, 2005
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 2005
Cygnet Gallery, Bar Harbor, Maine, 2005