Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Petterson.
Hi Nate , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Petterson has always had an eye for the spaces we pass by without a second thought—the garage cluttered with tools that have stories of half-finished projects, the refrigerator packed with condiments of questionable expiration dates, or the quiet moment when something broken gets a second chance at usefulness. With a near-obsessive attention to detail, Petterson transforms these everyday scenes into intricate drawings, elevating the mundane to the extraordinary.
His work is a love letter to labor, function, and the objects we form oddly personal relationships with. Perhaps it’s the well-worn wrench hanging on a pegboard like a veteran awaiting its next call to duty, or the forgotten Tupperware container in the fridge that might just hold the key to a past culinary triumph—or disaster. These objects bear silent witness to our habits, our ambitions, and the stories we don’t always think to tell.
Through his art, Petterson nudges viewers to look twice at the ordinary. There’s beauty in the mess, meaning in the minutiae, and, if you squint just right, maybe even a bit of humor in the things we so often take for granted.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Time is the biggest challenge to art. Weather it’s having a day job, or a family or whatever else occupies your time, it keeps you from being in the studio. How you manage this life size pie chart really can dictate your happiness and success in the long term.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I make detailed line drawings of unspectacular places. I specialize in highlighting the in-between spaces of my everyday life. My work is known for containing outlandish details and reflective vignettes.
“Ornate, descriptive and elegant, Petterson’s digital drawings are filled with time engraved vignettes from his daily life and work. Subject matter that others might pass by—including heavy equipment and cellphone towers—are rendered by Petterson with genuine attention and affection. Backrooms and plumbing details attest to Petterson’s role as an urban and art world journeyman.” —John Seed
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was interested in how things worked from an early age. I would take apart action figures and frankenstein the pieces that I didn’t break back together into new “custom” toys. I grew up in the 1980’s and the freedoms that kids were afforded then would likely be criminal today. Those freedoms combined with a bicycle, created my lifelong love of exploration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cliffs-garage-nate-petterson.html
- Instagram: @nate_o_clock
