On the Art Trail with Peter Buwalda : A Colorado Introduction Years in the Making

As it is Groundhog Day 2023, it is serendipitous timing for me to realize it is time to pop my head out and start blogging again. I also feel that perhaps it is time to reintroduce myself to my Colorado neighbors for anyone that does not know me and so this seems like a perfect day to do it, and say hi to those that already know who I am. I hope you can all can continue (or start to) follow my journey as an artist. So... hello and welcome to "On the Art Trail" !

I am a professional artist living in Erie, Colorado with my wife Kimberly. My work has been collected privately and publicly worldwide, including my honeybee images which are still on exhibit at the National Agriculture Museum in Canada. (So now you know, I really fought adding a "U" in the spelling of 'neighbors' ha!)

After graduating with distinction from the Alberta University of the Arts, in Calgary Alberta, Canada in 1999, (then Alberta College of Art and Design) I have been developing a unique style of painting with acrylic ink on soaked, stretched and mounted watercolor paper for 25 years now. Using a blend of wet and dry mark making techniques, my approach juxtaposes control with chaos to imbue expressive emotion and life. I hope my finished work never sits still!

My strong passion for documenting trees is now predominant in my Colorado body of work. An art critic and friend of mine wrote last year:  "With each twisted branch, knotted root or budding leaf, Peter's trees transcend the mundane. More than simply icons of the landscape, they evoke the strength of the human condition and represent hope and perseverance."  I am flattered with the words.

I hope that viewers are connected personally to my trees and the emotional stories told through the primordial wisdom of these subjects. These stories echo the majesty, hardship and fortune of our own lives, through will or by chance.

2022 Was a successful and exciting year of participating in Art Festivals and Markets throughout the state, and I am in studio getting ready for the Colorado Art Festivals of 2023. Once a full itinerary of festivals is decided, I will post the places & dates on my website! On Buwalda Fine Art Studio, you will find a link to Instagram, my blogs, a vast portfolio of collected work , and of course a place to SHOP Originals & Designs. Thank you to everyone that has supported my art practice over the years either by collecting or by visiting. I look forward to hearing more from you, and to meeting new friends and patrons! 

I hope you can check out my other blogs, (they are not  always this long!) and keep an eye out for my video posts too. I wish everyone an amazing year in the wilds of Colorado and abroad. Please feel free to connect with me at any time. See you on the Trail!

Peter Buwalda - Buwalda Fine Art Studio -

"Mariposa", 2022, 30"x40" -- CLICK PHOTOS FOR LINKS TO WEBSITE --