Biography

For as long as Peter can remember he has been fascinated by both the natural world and drawing. Sadly a career in art in the early 60’s was considered risky and not a ‘proper job’, so at 19 he joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy as a Radio Mechanic. For the next 22 years Peter progressed through the service, leaving as a Chief Petty Officer Air Engineering Artificer (Radio). Throughout those years he drew for pleasure, occasionally selling the odd drawing. On leaving the Royal Navy Peter started work in the defense industry, where he still works today, continuing to draw in his spare time. Peter’s first published works were six limited edition prints published in February 1997. With prestigious exhibitions in the Halcyon Gallery’s ‘Wildlife and Conservation’ Exhibitions in 1997 & 1999 and ‘Brush with the Wild’ in 2001 Peter’s career in the art world became firmly established. Ideas and Inspirations Because of Peter’s full time employment, visits to Africa and other foreign places in search of wildlife subjects, are pretty much out of the question. He therefore has to use every form of reference material he can find. This might include video film, photographs, field sketches and of course live subjects when possible. Luckily there is a wildlife park only two miles from Peter’s home, and having raised money for the park, he is able to visit whenever he wants. Fortunately Peter has the privilege of being able to have direct contact with any new additions to the park, which have included both tiger and puma cubs. Ideas for Peter’s images come from several sources and are often a combination of reference material. He is inspired by anything natural, quite often by fleeting observations, such as the way light passes through the foliage. Although these observations do not appear in his drawings it is just the feeling of that moment that inspires him to draw. As well as his love for wildlife he also takes great delight in observing and sketching the shape, texture and form of rocks and old trees. These sketches are often used as reference material for the foregrounds and limited backgrounds of his drawings. Peter has no particular favorites and derives as much pleasure from drawing meerkats as he does from drawing tigers. When starting a new drawing, which can take between 30 and 40 hours to complete, Peter will sketch out ideas until he is happy with a composition. This will then be drawn full size, as a working drawing, using his reference material. Once satisfied that he has achieved the correct composition, he then transfers this image onto the paper on which the final image will be drawn.