Artist Profile
Background
I started work when I was 14 years old, prior to the end of WW2, with the Public Works Department, Sydney. I was employed in the construction of kitchens in hospitals and mental asylums, where steam was used as the primary means of cooking and sterilisation.
At the end of the war, most of the work was aimed at educating the returning solders, to replace a workforce decimated by the depression and WW2. At the time, training a workforce capable of constructing immigration hostels was top priority.
The fact that I was instructing men, war weary and senior to myself, seems incredible by today's standards. Therefore, my own education at that time was more adult than it normally would have been.
I graduated from the construction of steam boilers to designing water and gas mains, sewers and stormwater drains. All of this necessitated me getting further education at night school - which seemed to go on forever.
My education over the years, included: plumbing, draining, steam fitting, construction of boilers and sterilising equipment, architectural design, road and roundabout design, a degree in town planning and post graduate studies in health counselling.
I think my proudest achievement was being asked by the South Australian Housing Trust, to design a multi-use building for emergency accommodation in 'The Year of the Homeless'.
Painting
I attribute my early interest in art to Miss Hall, my art teacher at Hobart High School in the 1940's, who showed me the importance of shadow and perspective. Later in life I became interested in painting as an extension to town planning projects.
I found that a pictorial representation of the project was a great aid in helping people to grasp an idea.
My artwork in recent years
One of the frustrations I experience in my artwork is rigidity in my representation. I am working on that and slowly, slowly am relaxing my style.
I also admit to a leaning to the Art Deco style and I have no intention of suppressing that. As well as pursuing my own interest in painting, I also teach Folk Art painting to 'beginners'. I have been a member of Off the Couch Art Studio for about 4 years.
Sadly, much loved member Peter passed away in December of 2017.
VALE Peter - a true gentleman.