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September 9, 2020 by tomdalzell

The Home and Art of Peter Neufeld

This is about Peter Neufeld’s  cat, his house, and his art.  One could not make up a more daring, creative, against-the-current life than that which Neufeld has led.  

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This is Peter. He is a most young 80-something.  He has lived an extraordinary life, pure and true.  I asked him about his secret for longevity and vitality. “I never had a job.”  Good answer!  

While we are introducing ourselves, let’s meet Tashi.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

She is an ambassador to the neighborhood.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Tashi likes it when Peter brushes her.  She is a good cat.

And we must meet Briana Kaufman.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Her photograph is on Neufeld’s desk.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

In the front room there is a wall of photographs from her memorial service.  She died three years ago.  She and Neufeld were soul mates, confidantes, companions, kindred souls.

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It is impossible to ignore her continued presence in the house.  

Back to Peter’s house.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

The front of Peter’s house is a jungle –  passion fruit, apples, guavas, Andean peppers, cherry tomatoes, echium wildpreti (“Tower of Jewels”), nasturtiums, pears, an orange tree, avocado trees, a banana tree, bamboo, and more.  A lush barrier of beauty and food.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Art peeks out, including this Mark Bulwinkle tile.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Walking around the house you come to the backyard.  More jungle!  More peace! A very restful spot.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Under the overhang of the back porch is a tiki bar.  I am all about tiki bars.  And – check out the Bulwinkle piece fronting the bar.

IMG_6741 2

As you get to the back yard, there is this lovely Mark Bulwinkle print celebrating Briana. This photo is affected by glare. It is too wonderful an image to have glare.  Mark Bulwinkle sent me a studio shot of the piece.

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Photo courtesy of Mark Bulwinkle

Yes!

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Neufeld’s older son Peter Brutus made this piece.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

The ethnic art is ubiquitous, outside the house and inside.  Peter and Briana bought pieces at yard sales and flea markets over the years.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

The bear’s nose is made from a gravy dish.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Younger son Bear made this piece for Briana.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Double headlight from an old Ford.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Cat with a saw in through its head.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Yard sale goddesses.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

The tortoise beats the hare. Again!

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

More yard sale goddesses.

 

Samurai

Samurai

Up the back steps is the back porch.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

The bees are new.  Neufeld grows spinach and arugala on the back porch.  Lots of fresh food.

Phoenix

Phoenix

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Adorned by Briana

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana totem rattle.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana mermaids

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Bulwinkle

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

More Bulwinkle

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Bulwinkle tile

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana pieces

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Bali!

From this website: “This carved, wooden mask represents the mythical creature known in Bali as Banaspati Raja, meaning ‘King of the Forest’ also called the Barong Ket. Lion-like masks are the most common type, but Barong can take on the features of a number of different animals, including wild boar, dog, deer, and tiger, individually or in composite form.”

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

A Bulwinkle piece.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Another

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

.Spoon goddess radiating.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana made the falling beast on the right .

The first room inside the house is the kitchen.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019rQuirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

An altar of celebration.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana made and assembled the art on the right panel.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana made the woman on the right.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

A Briana piece – what incredible light, no?

 

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Bear made the woodpecker on the right; Briana made the bird on the far right.

 

Briana made all the pieces on the top shelf.

Briana made all the pieces on the top shelf.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Neufeld’s birds and flying cat

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Neufeld’s parrot.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

This is an artistic rendition of the 1927 Graham Brothers Dodge truck that he bought for $50 .

This is the truck:

Photo courtesy of Peter Neufeld

Photo courtesy of Peter Neufeld

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

A prisoner made the red woman on the right from a toilet paper roll.

From the kitchen to the rest of the house – the main event in the main arena.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

To be clear – all of these photos were taken before the pandemic. No masks.  The pandemic and the federal government’s botching of its response could not have been margined in these innocent day.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019rThe rooms exude comfort and creativity and possibility and peace.  There is indigenous art picked up at yard sales as well as a few pieces that Neufeld’s father brought back from postings abroad, art made by Neufeld, art made by Briana, art made by younger son Bear.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Most but not all of Neufeld’s art is made from flatware.  The painting below is an exception to that rule.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Neufeld made this painting when he was 19.  His ability to paint enhanced his time in the armed services.

Let’s get a little linear here.  Sorry!  We will start with Peter’s recycled metal art.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

The room is filled with art and assemblages made by Briana.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Neufeld made the cat in the left rear. Briana made the rest.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

What an angry little man!

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana made the people, Bear made the bird.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana’s woman on the left, Peter’s horse,  Bear’s bird.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Peter’s cow, Briana’s people,a Christina French felt piece.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Peter’s work on the left, Briana’s on the right.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Briana’s rattle, Peter’s bird.

 

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

All Briana

Anna Redsand in her tribute to Briana wrote of the “literally thousands of finds from flea markets.”  Here are some:

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

This piece came from Neufeld’s father’s travels.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

From Haiti

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

When I saw this telephone I knew what I was seeing.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

A few years ago I visited the late Laurel Skye in Arcada.  I posted about her and her fantastic art here.  This is indeed a Laurel Skye phone.  Today I publish this biography of Skye which I prepared a couple years ago and didn’t publish until now.

Now – the bathroom, seen while respecting the issue of privacy that is attached to bathrooms.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Briana made the ecstatic women.

 

Tiles set by Lisa Bullwinkel's husband Tim.

Tiles set by Lisa Bullwinkel’s husband Tim.

 

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Another brilliant capture of light by John Storey

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

And while we are invading privacy, let’s take a quick look at Neufeld’s bedroom.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

John Storey outdoes himself – again.

I have left Neufeld’s stained glass work for the end of this post.

ChristteachingintheTemp

Stained glass rocked my now-lapsed Episcopalian boyhood soul.  Late fall afternoons, choir practice about to start, I wandered the Church of the Redeemer, feeling the light of the stained glass windows lift my spirit.

So it is with the stained windows that Neufeld has made..

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019r

Quirky Berkeley 10-24-2019rQuirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

You will agree, I believe, that Neufeld’s stained glass is beyond marvelous?

This photo sums up my time in Neufeld’s home.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. on October 24th, 2019.

His art radiates.  Light finds it.  And from the darkness I observe, or, as I like to think of it, I participate through the act of observing.

When I am in Neufeld’s home I feel peace and light and hope and comfort.  I am happy to be there.  I feel life.  All that I believe is validated, all is possible.

I showed the draft post to my friend.  As he started looking through it, he handed me this.

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“Mad Magazine, April 1976.  You missed it when you did your post on infinite regression aka the Droste effect. I’ve got a friend who is a stone cold Mad freak.  He gave it to me.”

I thanked him and said I’d add it to the post, which I have done.  I then gently asked for his opinion on the Neufeld post.

Quirky Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., is seen on May 12th, 2016.

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One Response to The Home and Art of Peter Neufeld

  1. Linda Mitteness says:
    September 11, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    Wow! How generous of Neufeld to invite this public display. The energy, joy, and love simply shine out of these rooms. It is hard to pick a favorite item. The stained glass is stunning. The reinterpreted garage sale finds are stunning. But I woukd hate to have tp dust in this house!@! Breathtaking advehture to visit Mr. Neufeld.

    Reply

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