About the Artist Peter Blais

265 Petite Riviere Road, RR#1,  Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia B0J 2P0
Tel/Fax: (902) 693-1544 Toll Free: 1-877-624-4513
E-mail: saltbox@eastlink.ca

Peter Blais
Maritime Painted Saltbox
RR#1   265 Petite Riviere Road, Petite Riviere
Nova Scotia, B0J 2P0
Telephone/Fax: (902)693-1544 
Web:
www.paintedsaltbox.com
E-mail:
saltbox@eastlink.ca  

Peter Blais , born in Ottawa in 1949, first exhibited in Toronto's Yorkville district in the late '70's. His fantastical fibre creations soon evolved into figurative sculptures using raw fibre and polymers.  Before long he was exploring fibreglass and resins.

Solo shows in Toronto were held at the Ashcroft Munroe Gallery and the St. Lawrence Centre.  Group shows were held at Galerie Scollard, The Harbourfront Gallery, Metro Toronto Library and Shaw Festival Theatre .

In 1977, he created the fibre costume designs for John Wood's production of King Lear at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax.  Subsequently, he was invited to be a guest instructor at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design..

Throughout his career, Peter has continued to design for the theatre, most notabl y for a number of Toronto premieres of the work of playwright George F. Walker.  His theatre designs now form part of the permanent collection at the University of Guelph Canadian Theatre Archive.

He has created commissioned work for corporate clients such as King World Productions (New York) and the Hal Roach Studios (Toronto), as well as pieces for the city of Toronto, Ontario Science Centre and science museums in Japan and Kuwait.

In 1984, Peter created the original design for the Arthur Ellis Book Award, sponsored by The Crime Writers of Canada.

A multi-talented artist, Peter has also enjoyed a long career as an actor since his debut in 1969 at the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg.  Twice nominated for the Dora Award for Best Actor in the Toronto Theatre, he was also nominated in 1999 for a Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series.  That same year, Peter won the Best Actor Award at the Yorkton Film Festival.

In 1997, looking for new challenges, Peter re-located to Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, with his long time partner, artist Tom Alway.  Together, they restored an 1840 cape, opening it to the public in 1998 as a unique gallery, featuring not only their own fine art, but also a selection of heritage furniture and furnishings designed and built in their workshop

Outgrowing the Mahone Bay location, they moved to Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia, and re-opened their gallery in a restored barn.  They continue to design and build furniture, as well as pursuing their careers as fine artists.

Recently, Peter has begun to explore the rural traditons of Nova Scotia folk art.  He was an invited participant in the 17th and 18th Nova Scotia Folk Art Festivals held in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and returned again in 2007 for the 19th. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Folk Art Festival and Peter will be participating. (  20th Folk Art Festival  ).  A juried show, the Folk Art Festival is acknowledged as the premiere folk art venue in Canada .

Peter is a member of Studio Rally and member of theLunenburg Art Gallery.

Peter's work in it's many forms can be seen at the Maritime Painted Saltbox Gallery in Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia

 

 

Fine Art Paintings by
Peter Blais