Collection: PETER BARGER

Peter Barger Artist Bio – Printmaking, Etchings, and Whimsical Art

Peter Barger has had a deep connection to art since childhood. His first exposure to great artists came through the iconic Picasso cover on Time magazine and visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with his mother, who was a fine portrait artist. Her support and guidance fueled Peter’s early passion for art, as he often posed for her while she created portraits of ballerinas and family members. By the age of 10, Peter knew that art was his calling.

Peter’s formal training began at the Newark N.J. School of Fine Arts, where he gained a solid foundation in figure drawing and illustration. It was during his time there that Peter discovered his love for printmaking, particularly etching. He later studied at the Pratt Graphic Center in New York City to deepen his skills in advanced printing techniques.

By 19, Peter was making a living selling etchings and paintings, with clients that included interior decorators, fine art galleries, and private collectors. His work was featured on Agatha Christie book covers, in Psychology Today, and in the New York Times Book Review. Notably, Yale Udoff, the playwright and screenwriter, purchased original etchings for his one-act plays.

Peter is currently working on a dream project—a children's book illustrated with his signature hand-colored etchings. The story, inspired by his beloved dog, explores what his dog dreams about while sleeping. Many of the etchings on his website, including those in the Namaste collection, are potential illustrations for this book.

A gallery owner once said of Peter’s work, “Barger’s work reflects the influence of Modigliani, Picasso, Matisse, and Marc Chagall, evidenced by the sophistication of his works in the understatement of line and his economy of color. His imaginative, whimsical, and often dreamlike etchings have a deceptive air of simplicity. Delicate as his hand-colored images are, they speak with assurance of large subjects and deep feelings; love, friendship, loneliness, and childhood."