Welcome to the world of Peter, an artist where nature, craftsmanship, and history converge into one-of-a-kind creations.

Peter is a deeply determined artist who proudly refers to himself as an Imagineer, embracing a distinctive style he calls trouvé par terre—French for “found on the ground.” This philosophy defines his creative process: designing with reclaimed and rediscovered materials sourced from the natural world. His work celebrates the beauty of imperfection, the passage of time, and the quiet strength of organic elements.

His material palette reflects this ethos. Peter works with richly grained woods such as deodar cedar, Aptos blue redwood, valley white oak, coastal cypress, piñon, and ponderosa pine. As a skilled welder, he also integrates rusted steel bases, frames, and columns—seamlessly blending industrial grit with natural warmth. Copper plays a central role in his work, a material he approaches with great reverence and technical mastery.

Peter’s deep respect for metalwork and design was shaped by his study of the legendary Dirk van Erp, a Dutch-born artisan who immigrated to the United States in 1886. Van Erp began by hammering brass military shell casings into vases while working at the Mare Island Naval Shipyards. In 1908, he opened his first retail store in Oakland, California, and later established Dirk van Erp Studios in San Francisco in 1910. His signature works—lamps with hammered copper bases and copper and mica shades—remain icons of American Arts and Crafts design.

Carrying forward that legacy while forging his own path, Peter’s work speaks to a timeless connection between the natural world and the handmade object. Each piece tells a story—of materials reborn, of histories remembered, and of creativity grounded in both tradition and innovation.