Bill Peters Artist's Biography

Artist's Biography

Photograph by Patrick Kornak

Bill Peters is a visual artist working primarily in abstract photography. He is well known as a master printer using both silver based and digital technology.

With a science degree from the University of Southern California and studies in film and photography at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Peters began his creative career writing and directing multi-media programs for planetaria. Peters says, “At the time planetaria were seen to be about space and astronomy. I realized they were about theatre, about creating an engaging bond between artist and audience.”

Moving from planetarium to science centre and museum work, Peters’ focus on museums engaging with their audiences and acting as agents of social change lead him to senior leadership roles in Canada’s museum community. In 2008 when the succession of projects headed by Peters, including transforming Calgary’s planetarium into a science centre, building an innovative dome theatre, a Children’s Museum and getting a new science centre for Calgary ready for construction came to a natural conclusion, Peters welcomed the opportunity to return to more personally creative work. He says, “Even while leading a major museum I was driven to set aside time each year to pursue fine art photography, a passion I can trace back to my work with a Nikon and a view camera at USC.

Peters feels the tools of an artist are critical to executing a strong artistic vision. He started by building and adapting his own equipment and has become a leading photographic technical expert. He has solved technical problems or built cameras for both his own use and for leading artists including David Campion, John Dunn, Todd Korol , Mary Ellen Mark, Craig Richards and George Webber.

Peters says he is surprised and delighted by the artistic breakthroughs he continues to make. He has transitioned from working primarily in black and white with a view camera to making large, intensely coloured, sometimes highly abstract images. Peters says, “The images have become metaphors for what I feel for the city, the land, the future. I’m excited to see where exploring these metaphors will lead.”

Education

AB Astronomy, University of Southern California, with courses in film, photography and communications
MA History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto
Getty Museum Leadership Institute
Hendricks Institute – Certified Conscious Relationship & Body-Mind Vibrance Coach
Certificates in SMART Project Planning and Project Delivery

Exhibitions

Prior to 2008 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
Fifteen major productions for Canadian planetaria as Writer/Director.			Writer/Director
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Two Amsterdam Images	Canmore Artists and Artisans Guild	Group Show
Death Valley and the Southwest	Selected Images	DaVinci Chocolata, Calgary	Group Show
Death Valley and the Southwest	Darwin Falls	Calgary Science Centre	Single Image

2008 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
Natural Landscapes	Four Images	Gallery of Photographic Arts – Canada	Group Show
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Full exhibition - 16 Images	Gallery of Photographic Arts – Canada	Featured Artist
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Mime, Musee d'Orsay, Shakespear & Co.	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Individual Exhibition - 12 Images	Gallery of Photographic Arts - Canada	Solo Exhibit
When Water Dreams - precursor*	Branch, Reflections, Mt. Lorette Ponds	TELUS World of Science, Calgary	Group Show
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Shakespeare & Company	Calgary Philharmonic	Group Show

2009 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
When Water Dreams - precursor*	Branch, Reflections, Mt. Lorette Ponds	TELUS World of Science, Calgary	Group Show
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Mime, Musee d'Orsay, Shakespeare & Co.	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Selected Images	Gallery of Photographic Arts - Canada	Group Show
The Happening at MOMA	Performance Art with Will Peters	Museum of Modern Art, NY	Performance - unofficial
When the City Isn't Looking	Selected Images	EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto	TELUS Calgary Convention Centre	Group Show, EXPOSURE Event
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Three Images of Mimes - Paris	Gallery of Photographic Arts – Canada	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Selected Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff, Canada	Gallery Artist
When the City Isn't Looking	333 Fifth Avenue SW	Banff Centre Mid-Summer Ball	Group Show
Moments of the Eye – Paris	Selected Images	Société francophone du centre d’arts visuels	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Reflections, Fifth Avenue, Calgary	Calgary Philharmonic	Group Show

2010 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
When Water Dreams *	Full Exhibition - 12 Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff	Featured Artist, EXPOSURE Event
When Water Dreams *	Selected Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff	Gallery Artist
When the City Isn’t Looking	Frank Gehry Surface #2	Calgary Philharmonic Cork & Canvas	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	333 Fifth Avenue SW, Calgary	Gerry Thomas Gallery/Picture the Cure	Group Show
Moments of the Eye - Paris	Mime, Musee d'Orsay, Shakespeare & Co.	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Window Washer, Calgary	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
When the City Isn’t Looking	Favorites and New Work - 11 Images	Stantec Calgary	Solo Exhibit

2011 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
When the City Isn't Looking	Window Washer, Calgary	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
Water Dreams /City Isn't Looking*	Selected Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff	Gallery Artist
The Way We Print Seminar	Selected Images - various series	Gary Campbell Studio/ The Camera Store	Show/Seminar/EXPOSURE Event
Moments of the Eye - Paris	Shakespeare & Company, Paris	Calgary Philharmonic Cork & Canvas	Group Show
When the City Isn't Looking	Palais des congrès de Montréal #6	Calgary Philharmonic Cork & Canvas	Group Show
When Water Dreams *	Yellow Salt Slough, Boat	Digital Photo Expo	Seminar Presentation
Water Dreams /City Isn't Looking*	Selected Images	The Camera Store School	Course Instructor / Presentation

2012 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
When the City Isn't Looking	Window Washer, Calgary	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
Water Dreams /City Isn't Looking*	Selected Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff	Gallery Artist
When the City Isn't Looking	Palais des congrès de Montréal #7	Calgary Philharmonic Cork & Canvas	Group Show
When the City Isn't Looking	Palais des congrès de Montréal #7	f-16 Show, Resolution Gallery	Invited Group Show
Moments of the Eye-Paris	Selected Images	f-16 Show Opening, Resolution Gallery	Invited Group Show
Natural Landscapes	West Fork, Oak Creek Canyon	Zen Mountain gallery, Jerome AZ	Gallery Artist
When the City/SF Salt Ponds	Selected Images	Cochrane Camera Club	Artist Talk
When the City Isn't Looking	Palais des congrès de Montréal #7	The Camera Store School	Course Instructor / Presentation

2013 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
When the City Isn't Looking	Window Washer, Calgary	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
Water Dreams */City Isn't Looking	Selected Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff	Gallery Artist
Natural Landscapes	West Fork, Oak Creek Canyon	Zen Mountain Gallery, Jerome AZ	Gallery Artist
Moments of the Eye-Paris	Selected Images and New Work	Jane Doe & Paris - Resolution Gallery	Two-Artist Show / ExPOSURE Event
When the City Isn't Looking	New Work and Favorites	Red Deer Arts Council Kiwanis Gallery	Solo Exhibit
When the City Isn't Looking	Frank Gehry Surface #1	The Camera Store School	Group Show
When the City Isn't Looking	Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
When the City Isn't Looking	Napoleon Warhol, San Francisco	Calgary Philharmonic Cork & Canvas	Group Show
When the City/Moments - Paris	Various	Camera Store Advanced Printing Workshop	Course Instructor/Presentation
Moments of the Eye - Paris	Selected Images	Camera Store Advanced B&W Workshop	Course Instructor/Presentation
When the City/Moments - Paris	Selected Images	Camera Store Basic Printing Seminar	Course Instructor/Presentation

2014 Series	Images	Venue	Notes
When the City Isn't Looking	Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto	Jack Singer Concert Hall	Group Show
When the City Isn't Looking	Selected Images	Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff	Gallery Artist
Exclusionary Landscapes	Selected Images	Zen Mountain Gallery, Jerome, AZ	Gallery Artist
Exclusionary Landscapes	Exclusionary Landscape #2 - Salt Ponds	Alberta Foundation for the Arts
When the City Isn't Looking	Selected Images	Cameral Store Printing Seminar/Workshop	Course Instructor/Presentation

* The When Water Dreams - Salt Ponds Series is retitled and in the future will be called Exclusionary Landscapes - The Salt Ponds


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