“I paint murals to celebrate this moment in the presence of these creatures,” says Christopher A. Peterson (BFA ’02), a painter and art educator with an MPA in nonprofit work and an MS in environmental humanities. Years of hiking and backpacking, a love of fish and wildlife, and founding an NGO have helped him create a niche as an environmentally minded community builder. His huge murals not only please but spark conversations and beget community pride in local native species. “Being in nature is healing,” says Peterson, “and wildlife encounters are even more so.”
Big describes Peterson’s ambitions, not just his paintings. From involving disadvantaged and underrepresented communities in public art to setting out to paint a wildlife mural in every county in Utah, he makes no small goals. Even when there’s no funding, Peterson finds a way, working with municipalities and obtaining grants. “We need to find ways to preserve our natural heritage,” he says. “Art works because it engages us at so many levels.”
Visit chrispetersonstudio.com to learn more about public art.
