By Rebecca Pikus
Peter Mikulak, a former street artist, has an amazing upcoming One-Man show – “Urban Rebirth” opening at Studio 714 on Sat. October 3. After returning to Palm Springs this August he has been creating at breakneck speed — which is this Sagittarian’s normal modus operandi — the Art is spilling out of him, creating 40 original new Portraits & Plexiglas Art in just 6 weeks. In addition, he has completed a collaboration with sculptor Christopher James, of the iconic Marilyn Monroe statue which resided in downtown Palm Springs recently — their sculpture is called “Propalytic Monroe”. Their newly created Marilyn-with-a-twist sculpture will be on view at Studio 714.
Two years ago Peter set up his easel in front of the huge Marilyn sculpture “Forever Marilyn” and received instant fame for his Marilyn portraits — in one year he sold over 700 portraits. He then traveled to New York City to discuss a proposed reality show about his life and work, and to his birthplace in Connecticut to complete commissioned works. Peter was beckoned to Palm Springs this Spring when he was commissioned by Susan Stein of Palm Springs Life Magazine and Director of the annual El Paseo Fashion Week to design original slideshow art for the Runway: Saxony Group, El Paseo Jewelers, Presage and the featured Designers of 2015. Shortly thereafter, he received a proposal to appear in this year’s Art Basil in Miami, so Peter moved to West Palm Beach — where again, his art overflowed, between commissioned portraits and original Miami seascapes.
Peter returned to Palm Springs in mid-August to continue producing artwork for his upcoming Solo Show “Urban Rebirth” scheduled for Oct. 3. He has developed his own unique mixed-media technique, working on Plexiglas sheets, using spray paints, paint brush, airbrush, photography and digital enhancements — the effect is mesmerizing and stunning! He also continues to receive Commissioned Portraits from the public. Shortly upon his return, Peter was appointed Artist-in-Resident and commissioned by the Palm Springs Unified School District to paint his inspiring and colorful murals within the schools, an ongoing project.
Upon his return to Palm Springs several years ago, Peter was producing art but like many artists who live for art and are struggling to realize their dream, ended up temporarily homeless. He found a warm and welcoming place at the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. Peter is forever grateful to Darla Burkett, Director of CVRM, for her encouragement and appreciation of the artwork he was creating — for his upcoming Gallery Show, Peter is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of his artwork to CVRM.
Peter’s new artwork and his rising career are being mentored by me, Rebecca Pikus, owner of Rebecca Fine Art Gallery/Studio 714 in Cathedral City, Sandy Swett who has untiringly documented and photographed all of Peter’s artwork, and Juan-Paul Valdez who has graciously provided Peter a place to live and work while preparing for his Gallery Show. Peter will be assisted at his Opening by the great staff at RFA: RJ Mut Taylor, videographer, photographer, & DJ, and Art Consultants Christopher Saint-Wilson & Nicholas Burns.
One-Man Show: Peter Mikulak, “Urban Rebirth” – Rebecca Fine Art Gallery/Studio 714 – 68895 Perez Rd, Cathedral City, Ca 92234 (760) 534-5888 – Sat. Oct. 3 & Sun. Oct. 4, 6-10pm and Oct. 9-11, 6-10pm.
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Excerpts Reprinted from June 2014 CV Weekly Article:
Peter Mikulak is an extraordinary Artist who went from a thriving contracting business, to going belly-up and losing everything in the market crash, to becoming homeless, to reinventing himself through Digital Art, Drawing, Street Art, & Paintings, to arrive now as a beloved Palm Springs artist and an international Star in the Art World! What could be a better Rise-from-the-Ashes Phoenix story! His work is riveting, erotic, in-your-face, confrontational, intellectual, diverse and beautiful, all at the same time, and his colors and imagery are amazing.
Peter is originally from Bristol, Connecticut. He said of himself that he actually has always been an artist, and that the first person to take an interest in his talent was his Uncle Mark. At the age of 4, his uncle started to encourage him to use his talent by giving him small art assignments and he would come back around the house every few days to see how he did. Peter was always excited to show him the results and to win his approval.
Peter started doing murals as early as 13 years old, and his first mural was dedicated to a childhood friend who was killed by a drunk driver in a hit and run accident. That was the first time that Peter made the news and the front page of his local newspaper. Around that same time his father started taking him and his sisters on road trips to New York City. It was there that he saw chalk drawings all over the city; “street art” as he later learned it was called,and it would become his new passion. The artist’s name was Keith Haring, and he became the first artist that profoundly influenced his career. In high school Peter was always trying to get cans of spray paint so he could create art. He would pick up jean jackets from second hand stores and paint graffiti on the back and sell them for a few dollars. Thankfully, his high school art teacher, Ms. Bloomer, saw the potential in him and continued to nurture his raw talent. She had Peter enter an art show in his sophomore year and he won 3rd place. It was the first time he was recognized with an award from his peers. Then his family moved all the way cross-country to Palm Springs, CA in his junior year of high school, and so he missed out on a four year scholarship opportunity.
Although Peter did not have a formal education and is self-taught in art, it hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his dream as an artist. In his 20’s he continued to create art in his spare time, but Mikulak concentrated his time and efforts into having a family and building a General Contracting company. He completed new construction and rehabilitated distressed and foreclosed properties for over 10 years in the Connecticut area. When the real estate market bottomed out, he decided to pursue his art career full-time. “I thought if I’m going to struggle, I’m going to struggle doing something that I love. I woke up one morning and traded in my power tools for paint brushes and passionately started pursuing my art career. I donated all my belonging to the Salvation Army, packed a suitcase, and got on a bus and moved back to Palm Springs to become a professional artist.”
With no instruction manual to guide him, he quickly ran out of money and found himself homeless, living in the middle of the desert in an abandoned camper “dead center of a windmill field”. It was there Peter started to use “re-purpose” materials in his art. He nailed sheets of wallpaper and canvas that he would find behind buildings or in a dumpster to the side of a camper. This was how he created his first body of work that he later had the opportunity to show professionally. He started re-purposing all kinds of things; used pocketbooks, children’s rain boots that he could pick up for 50 cents at the second hand store, furniture or anything laying on the side of the road that had character that he could paint. Peter even used the door from an old washing machine as a canvas, and sold it at an art gallery!
Four years ago, Peter Mikulak had his first meeting with a gallery owner, Alan Long from Renegade Gallery in Palm Springs. He invited Peter to come in and show his work. Peter hitchhiked to the gallery with 10 framed paintings strapped to his back. By the end of the meeting Alan shook Peter’s hand, made him a resident artist in the gallery and introduced him to his new art family! It was there that Peter had his first successful professional show. Becoming a resident artist at Renegade was his real start as a professional artist, but his income was sporadic. An opportunity was about to present itself to Peter, but at the time he didn’t realize that some good intentions on his part were about to help open another door. While talking with one of his neighbors, he realized they had had nothing to eat for Thanksgiving, and Peter wanted to help them out. He was walking by the Forever Marilyn statue one day and thought: “I’ll do a portrait of Marilyn and sell it to get them a little money for a proper Thanksgiving dinner.” That was the experience that turned out to be an opportunity which led to a year-long career for Peter — selling over 700 Marilyn Monroe portraits at the statue’s site in Palm Springs. He sold Marilyn’s portraits all over town and to visitors far and wide. People would come over to introduce themselves to him — he was now famous!
