From about age three, (circa 1960) growing up in Arkansas, I remember knowing two things: I wanted to be an artist and I wanted to share my joy of playing in nature by making art. Photo by David M. Fisher, my father, taken with a stereo Kodak camera.

The Orcas I visited many summers as a kid included stays at North Beach Inn (left), running around Madrona Point, and visiting my grandparents, who moved to Grindstone Harbor in 1964.

After 1976, my parents lived in Tokyo, Jakarta, and Brussels. I’d bring film and document my visits; my slide shows are visual stories of where I have been and what seen. Photo: south Java.

After enjoying a childhood trip to Norway in 1968, I went to school at Hallingdal Folkehugskole in 1977-8. I learned Norwegian, met my cousins, made new friends. I loved the slow pace of life, the skiing, and the culture.

The most extraordinary experience I had overseas was working in Kashmir, New Dehli, and Rajpur for indian scholar Gopi Krishna. One day, shopping for dish scrubbers, I found these.

Why am I an artist? To celebrate and honor my love for the beauty in nature. When I feel my heart connect to the spirit of a rock, or see the life force in a blade of grass, then I create art to give thanks for the gift of mystical experience. Photo by Joe Floren, 8.2003

Madrona Point: front page of the Seattle Times, 1988.

From 1984 until 1990 I created artwork, and as President of Friends of the San Juans, helped organize the purchase of Madrona Point through US Congress to prevent development and return the land to the Lummi Nation for preservation.

Opal Community Land Trust 1998: Telling Our Stories

Beginning with a circle of 35 friends in 1988, and later as President, I assisted in the creation of a non profit corporation to build permanently affordable homes for islanders. Over sixty dwellings are in place or soon done!

The San Juan County Land Bank

Working with realtors, businesses, politicians and environmentalists, I designed the education & research project that lead to the formation of the SJC Land Bank, which has raised over $43 million for land conservation by the approval of voters in 1990 & 1999.

The San Juan County Land Bank

“You have to be a little more careful with an island.” We plan to use computer mapping and neighborhood participation to create a vision of what we want for the future & to picture our choices.

In 1975 my senior project in high school was a black & white portfolio exhibition with images of Orcas Island. I also had five prints in the Tacoma Art Museum Photography 1975 juried show; Brochure at right.

May 1986, Orcas Center, Madrona Point

Nov. 1976, Olin Gallery, Whitman College

In 1992 I published the orcas idylls portfolio and showed it at the Orcas Center with island images from the 1980’s.

Spring 1998, Orcas Center (Photo by Tsolo), Opal CLT's "Telling Our Stories Exhibit," Peter with Author & Photographer Mary Ellen Gaylord (left).

August 2003, Orcas Center, Wildflowers

December 2004, Living Room, B & W Show