Robert Perine Biography

View Art by Robert Perine

Robert Perine (1922-2004) Born: Los Angeles, CA; Studied: Chouinard Art Institute (Los Angeles), University of Southern California; Member: California Water Color Society, West Coast Watercolor Society. Robert Perine is a native Southern Californian and attended art school in Los Angeles during the 1940s. He studied with Rex Brandt, Phil Dike, Tom Craig, Richard Haines and Francis de Erdely. He quickly became an excellent watercolorist and before graduation was exhibiting in art exhibitions. Through the 1950s and 1960s, he divided his time between commercial illustration and fine art watercolor painting.

During this period, his watercolors were classic California Style paintings. He produced them on location with transparent paints and usually chose to depict regional scenes of the city and coastline. He exhibited nationally and sold his work at art galleries in Southern California. His commercial illustrations appeared on magazine covers, record album jackets and other commercial products. He designed posters, brochures, book cover designs, and directed a visually interesting and historically important promotional campaign for Fender Musical Instruments.

Perine was one of the key California Style watercolorists to emerge during the post war era. He was an active member of the California Water Color Society and taught art at the Chouinard Art Institute, University of Alabama, and Mira Costa College. In addition to working as a fine artist and teacher, he has authored two books: California Romantics, a history of the California Water Color Society and Chouinard – A vision Betrayed, a history of the Chouinard Art Institute.

Biographical information:

Interview with Robert Perine, 1984

Biography courtesy of California Watercolors 1850-1970,

©2002 Hillcrest Press, Inc.

California Watercolor

Education
South Pasadena High School, class of 1941
Pasadena Junior College, 1941
University of Southern California, 1944 and 1946
Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1947-50
U.S. Navy, 1942-1946, Painter 1st Class

Teaching
University of Alabama – 1951 (Assistant Prof.)
Taught privately, Pasadena – 1952
Chouinard Art Institute – 1952 -54 (Basic Design)
Mira Costa College, Oceanside, Ca. – 1983, 1985 (Watercolor)
Chouinard Foundation School of Art, South Pasadena – 2003-2004 (design, figure drawing, and watercolor painting)

Fine Art
Los Angeles –1949-55, San Diego –1970-present
(60 awards, paintings in over 200 collections, public and private)

Solo Exhibitions
1968-69 – Laguna Beach Festival
1971 – Nut Tree Gallery, Vacaville, California
1972 – Arlene Lind Gallery, San Francisco
1973 – Mary Moore Gallery, La Jolla, California
1973 – San Diego Art Institute
1973 – University of San Diego
1973 – Civic Gallery of San Jose, San Jose California
1974 – Mary Livingston Gallery, Santa Ana, California
1974 – Thompson Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona
1974 – Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
1974 – T.H. Osprey Company, Rochester, N.Y.
1974 – San Diego Art Institute, San Diego
1975 – Riverside Art Institute, Riverside, California
1975 – James Yu Gallery, New York City, N.Y.
1975 – Griffin Editions Gallery, Encinitas, California
1975 – Brand Library, Glendale, California
1999 – Oceanside Museum of Art

Public and Private Collections
Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Great Western Savings and Loan, Los Angeles
Home Savings and Loan, Los Angeles
U.S. Financial Corporation, San Diego
Summa Corporation, Van Nuys
Neiman-Marcus, Dallas
San Bernardino Sun Telegram, San Bernardino
Crocker National Bank, San Francisco
Riverside Art Center, Riverside
San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego

Bibliography
* Donovan Maley, The Delicate Balance, San Diego Magazine, February 1973
* Donovan Maley, A One-Person Renaissance for Watercolor, Southwest Art, Summer 1973
* Fran Preisman, Robert Perine: Geoglyphica Revisited, ARTWEEK, April 1975
* Sonja Johnson, How Many Hats Can One Artist Wear? The Publication, April 1996
* P.J. Grimes, Tribes of Xyr, The Coast Times, February 18, 1999, pg. 24
* Pat Stein, Building on Fantasies, Homescape, San Diego Union Tribune, February 21, 1999
* Tom Morrow, Tribe Talk, North County Times, March 2, 1999
* Thomas Whayne, Art Seen: The Tribes of Xyr, The Publication, February 1999