Having a conversation with Pop Icon Artist, Peter Max is like opening up a time capsule.  Not only do you get a lesson in history, philosophy, geography, science, art and pop culture, you get to hear stories first hand from a man who has met many of the World Leaders, Presidents of the United States, and has been a part of key events that occurred in America over the last 40 years.  Peter Max’s life is as colorful as his paintings.  He grew up traveling the world.  Born in Berlin.  Lived in Shanghai, Africa, Tibet, Israel, Italy and Paris before moving to New York City. “When I was ten or twelve years old, I thought that every kid in the world travels from place to place. Later I found out that I was one kid in a million, who traveled the world,” says Peter.  “It’s a blessing.  It’s a beautiful world we live in.”  “There are so many cultures.  When I see art in other countries, I realize art is art! Melodies are the same melodies - no matter where in the world you are.  You can always find something in common with someone from another culture,” he laments.  He talks about the Buddhist Monks he watched paint, as a child.  “They would paint on large pieces of paper, as big as a room,” he says.  “Almost as if they were doing a calligraphic dance.  Their movement and style is what I emulate today in my work.”  I listen to music as I paint.”  “I have my own DJ who selects music that we have put into a collection.” “I listen to everything from classical music to Led Zepplin!”  His love of music, movies, and comic books is what influences his work today.  “I went to work with my father when I was about seven years old.  It started to rain.  We saw a vendor, who was selling hundreds of comic books.  I wanted them.  I started to cry, as all kids do, and my father went back and bought all the comic books for me.  I was fascinated by the colors and the stories, and how they were created”.

Peter Max is as passionate about his art as he is about life, ecology and the world we live in.  But it’s the universe that captures his heart and soul. “I was going to become an Astronomer,” he says.  “One day I was doodling.  I was drawing Saturn, stars, planets in the universe and an art director saw them and said to me, ‘Peter, this is an amazing style!”  “Well I didn’t think about it being a style, I was shy about it. I started to do more of it and all of a sudden, fame came at me like a locomotive.”  “I was getting phone calls from John Lennon to design the cover of Yellow Submarine. Time Magazine did an article about me. I was shocked!” 

This Pop Icon Artist is as humble as they come.  He has painted the Dali Lama, Presidents: Carter, Clinton and Reagan.  Each year he paints a new rendition of the Statute of Liberty, a symbol of American freedom. “ The Statue of Liberty is amazing!  I paint it every year - since 1976, which was the Bicentennial year, he says.  “One day my phone rings, and my assistant hands me the phone with a big smile on her face.  It was Nancy Reagan.  She said, “ Peter, the President and I love your work so much!  Are you still painting the Statue of Liberty each year?”  “When I told her I did, she invited me to come to the White House.”  “When I arrived, they had set up a beautiful stage in the Rose Garden. I painted six - Statue of Liberties.”  “Ronald Reagan walked over to me, and said, ‘I have always loved your colors.’  “He took a paintbrush, dipped it in a jar of paint and said, “May I”?  “He stroked the brush on the canvas!  “I was amazed!” says Peter – “I still have that painting!” He says proudly!

Peter Max’s work is equally prolific.  The German Government approached him and asked if he would like a piece of the Berlin Wall.  “When I got that piece of the wall, I remembered what President Kennedy said about the wall coming down and that it should signify ‘peace.’ “So, the symbol of peace, to me, was a dove.” “I carved the dove within the wall and gave it wings to fly away.” “It was beautiful!”

Taking a journey through Peter Max’s life is like walking down the yellow brick road.  You never know who he is going to encounter, or what is in store.  What you do know is that this artist has made his mark on the world! He has worked with Al Gore on his Global Warming project.  The Clintons have asked him to be a part of their Global World Initiative. He painted the backdrop of the stage at Woodstock.  He helped raise money for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. He’s painted posters for the Olympics, Kentucky Derby and the Grammy Awards. He created the first “Be In” celebrating the Summer Solstice in New York’s Central Park.  He would shop for cookie jars with another pop icon artist, Andy Warhol. It was Peter Max who introduced a Swami to America back in the late 1960’s and is responsible for bringing yoga to the United States.  “I am a master yogi,” he says.  I practice it every day.  It’s all about the breath.  If something is bothering you or stressful in your life, you have to learn to release it through your breathing.”  “When you do that, you will see that whatever bothers you will go away!” teaching as he talks!

His stories are magical.  His life is as colorful as a painter’s pallet.  There is no end in sight to what Peter Max will create next.  “What do I want to do next?  I love stories!  I love images! I love color! I think my next big project is to create animated movies.” He says with excitement in his voice.

Yes, Peter Max has painted the Dali Lama, shopped with Andy Warhol, and fielded phone calls from Nancy Reagan.  To you and I, this is not any ordinary day.  To Peter Max –it’s as simple as this: “All of these are silly, sweet little things, but having friends like you is wonderful!”