Atlantic City Weekly

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Iconic artist Peter Max has brought his art exhibits to Ocean Galleries in Stone Harbor so many times, it just might qualify as his summer home. He will be back this July 4 weekend with his latest explosion of color, called “Summer to the Max” at the gallery on Saturday, July 3, and Sunday, July 4.  

In celebration of Independence Day, the “Summer to the Max” exhibition will feature many of the artist’s classic renditions of American icons, such as the Statue of Liberty and American flag. Additionally, the collection will include new original beach-themed paintings created specifically for the Stone Harbor show.

In an interview with Atlantic City Weekly, the 72-year-old artist talked about his exhibition and his mutual admiration for one of his latest subjects, singer Taylor Swift (see picture).

Max explains that he has been bringing his art to Ocean Galleries since 2000 because, “I met the owners [Josh and Kim Miller] and I really liked them. When one of my associates suggested I do a show there I said, yes. I love those people and I love the area.”
In talking about the pieces he is bringing to the exhibit, he explains, “It will have a lot of iconic pieces that people [will recognize] and a lot of brand new stuff.”

Max has a bond with the South Jersey seaside. Besides his Stone Harbor shows, he also vacationed in Atlantic City as a teenager.

“Atlantic City was always a beautiful place and it’s close to New York [where he now lives],” Max says. “I’ve lived in Shanghai, I’ve lived in Tibet, I’ve lived in India, Israel, Paris ... I was really a globetrotter as a child. It gave me a very interesting outlook on the people in the world. The people in the world are all very similar. Sometimes governments try to differentiate from each other, but people are people, children are children. We all have the same love and cares for our families.”

While reading a magazine interview with Taylor Swift, Max found out that she admired his work. As a child she summered in Stone Harbor, and saw his work at Ocean Galleries. Max was asked to do a cover for a different magazine article and was delighted to do it. “I love Taylor Swift. She started to scream she was so excited [when she learned I would do the cover]. When she played at the Nassau Coliseum I brought her the other works I had done, I painted a group of four. She spent a half hour with me, talking about art and color and I told her how much I loved her music. She is [a] charming girl.”

Max will be on hand to meet guests and personalize artwork purchases during two receptions at Ocean Galleries taking place Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4 from 7-10pm.

Max has painted for six U.S. presidents, and created the official artwork and poster for the Clinton Inauguration. His Flag With Heart impressionistic paintings of the American flag are permanent installations in the Carter, Reagan and Bush presidential libraries in addition to his Statue of Liberty paintings, which have become an annual painting tradition since America’s Bicentennial in 1976, and led to Max playing a lead role in the renovation of the Statue of Liberty.

“Summer to the Max” is free and opened to the public at Ocean Galleries, 9618 Third Ave., Stone Harbor. Any remaining art after the weekend exhibition will be on display at Ocean Galleries through Monday, July 19.