Robert Peters at Pitzer's Fine Arts

Robert Peters was raised in Arizona and spent much of his youth exploring the mountains and deserts of his native Southwest. He received his formal art education at Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. After completing his studies, Peters became a highly successful freelance illustrator whose client list included AT&T and IBM. His work appeared on the covers of national magazines such as U.S. News and World Report, and his illustrations regularly appeared at the prestigious Society of Illustrators annual exhibition in New York City.
“Illustration, with its relentless deadlines and demanding clients, was a superb training ground for a young artist,” Bob says. “I learned discipline the hard way: by making a living from my art.”
After twelve years in illustration, Peters determined to make a career of fine art, began to paint landscapes full time. Now he has been pursuing that goal for over 20 years. Many artists have influenced his growth, including nineteenth century artists Jean-Leon Gerome and Peter Monsted. As his fine art began to win several awards, Peters let go of the financial lifeline of his freelance work to concentrate full-time on his own paintings.
Peters’ landscapes begin with a trip to the field and a visual experience that makes a strong impression on him. His passion for nature is a driving force of a Robert Peters landscape, and as an avid horseman you will usually see horses finding their way into his paintings. From location sketches he takes the concept to his studio and turns it into a painting. He concentrates his energy on one image at a time. “The wonderful thing about painting is that there is no limit to where you can take your ability,” Bob says. “Every day I try to outdo my work of the previous day.”
As his popularity has grown his paintings and career have been profiled in a number of publications, including Art of the West, Wildlife Art, Informart, Equine Image, USArt, Western Horseman and more. Bob, his wife Nanette and their children enjoy their country lifestyle that includes a menagerie of dogs and horses in his home State of Arizona.