Curator Letter | PPR Museum

Curator's Letter

Peter Powell Roberts, much like his subject matter, had been hiding in plain sight.

A body of 137 oil on wood paintings, and 8 sculptures were found in 2014 in a storage shed

in Sebring Florida and is just now coming to light.

He was a teacher and department head at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota for 24 years.
Peter founded the computer graphics department that changed the Ringling School of Art
into the Ringling College of Art and Design. He was also an artist who
returned to his craft upon retiring from his academic career

Peter had an eye for the unnoticed. He was intrigued by the underbrush that gave the hammock life.
He saw the beauty in it and painted near abstract compositions that told the story of life from death.

He used oil paint on three-dimensional wood panels he made himself.
They could be a stand alone piece with the painting extending the depth of the 2” panel.
Peter could combine vertical and horizontal pallets of different sizes
designed to be a diptych or triptych of varying shapes.
His panels were not confined to the rectangle.

Peter developed a signature style, presentation, and subject matter
that put his work in among the best of contemporary Florida art.
He is an artist whose time has come.

To enable more of the public to experience the art of Peter Powell Roberts,
in all its dimensions, the Museum is offering a traveling exhibit of his work.

Fred Leavitt, Curator

Peter Powell Roberts Museum of Art

310 W. Main Street, Avon Park FL 33825
museumpeterpowellroberts@gmail.com