Mr Peter Walker

Program Director: Master of Design

School of Architecture and Built Environment

College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities

Available For Media Comment.


Born in Sydney, Peter Walker gained an MFA Degree the School of Art, University of Tasmania  in 1993. He worked in his own studio for 14 years in Tasmania before moving to Adelaide to Head the Furniture Design Studio at the JamFactory Craft and Design Center in the late 90’s. Peter spent five years as Design Consultant for Chiswell Furniture, Sydney and was a founding member of the Designer Makers Tasmania Cooperative in 1985. He was Co- Director of the 1991 Hobart Design Triennial. Peter has won design awards in Australia and the USA and exhibits his work regularly in Australia and North America. His work is represented in public and private collections, including the Australian Parliament House Permanent Art Collection and the RISD Museum of Art, Providence USA. Peter joined Uni SA in 2012 after ten years in the USA where he was Associate Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, serving in roles such as Graduate Program Director and Head of the Furniture Design Department. He continues this relationship through annual academic exchanges between UniSA and RISD. Peter is professionally active as an exhibiting artist and design consultant.
walkersurfboards.com
Peter Walker- "Maker"   https://vimeo.com/192306686

bespoke and small scale Furniture design production,Surfboards - history, hydro-dynamics, design evolution,art/craft/design collaborative practices,culturally sensitive design application

Date Position Institution name
2012 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of South Australia
2001 - 2011 Associate Professor Rhode Island School of Design
2000 - 2001 Honorary Research Fellow University of Wisconsin–Madison
1997 - 2000 Head, Furniture Design Studio JamFactory Craft and Design Centre

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2025 Award Project Grant, Visual Art and Craft Board, Australia Council Australia Council for the Arts Australia 10000
2025 Recognition Commendation Award, Waterhouse Natural History art Prize South Australian Museum Australia -
2024 Recognition Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize South Australian Museum Australia -
2020 Recognition Commendation Award Hahndorf Academy Australia -
2018 Recognition Commendation Award Adelaide Parklands, Adelaide City Council Australia -
2009 Award Australia Council for the Arts Australia Council for the Arts Australia 20000
2009 Award RISD Alumni Entrepreneurial Award Rhode Island School of Design United States -
1998 Award Gold Medal Award, Design Institute of Australia Design Institute of Australia Australia -

Date Institution name Country Title
1989 - 1992 University of Tasmania Australia Master of Fine Art
1983 - 1986 University of Tasmania Australia Bachelor of Fine Art

Year Citation
2024 Authors: Walker P. Title: Mutant March. Extent: 16 wooden sculptures.
DOI
2023 Authors: Walker P. Title: Fire Blooms. Extent: 3 sculptures, Dimensions: 25 x 30 x 25 cm.
2022 Authors: Walker P. Title: Upwelling. Extent: three colourful sculptures.
DOI
2022 Authors: Walker P. Title: Tanglewood. Extent: sculptures.
2021 Authors: Walker P. Title: Lightsticks. Description: First Showing. Extent: Wall mounted sculptural composition utilizing wood and light.
2021 Authors: Walker P. Title: Perch. Extent: wooden furniture.
2020 Authors: Walker P. Title: Mutant. Description: First Showing. Extent: three dimensional sculpture.
2019 Authors: Walker P, Kobayashi Y. Title: Kontinuum. Description: First Showing. Extent: outdoor wooden sculpture, Dimensions: 8 meters x 3.5 meters.
2019 Authors: Walker P. Title: Bush anatomy. Description: First Showing. Extent: 3D wall mounted sculpture, Dimensions: 1250 x 840 x 220mm.
2018 Authors: Walker P. Title: Sequoiasketch. Description: First Showing. Extent: three dimensional wall mounted artwork, Dimensions: 1100 x 900 x 150 mm.
2018 Authors: Walker P. Title: Echo Chairs. Description: First Showing. Extent: Dining chairs, eucalyptus and echopanel 1350 x 680 x 550 each.
2016 Authors: Walker P. Title: "Twistick". Description: First Showing. Extent: 3 dimensional sculpture.
2016 Authors: Walker P. Title: Ulam Doodle; Framed; Roundish; Trig; Limblines. Description: First Showing. Extent: 5 three dimensional drawings.
2016 Authors: Walker P. Title: Twigonometry. Description: First Showing. Extent: three dimensional wooden sculpture, Dimensions: 930mmx 750mm x 900mm.
2015 Authors: Walker P. Title: Hardly Wasted. Description: First Showing. Extent: Wooden surfboard made from salvaged recycled materials.
2015 Authors: Bowers S, Walker P, Garden W. Title: Antipodean willow mini simmons surfboard; Antipodean willow surfboard. Extent: Two hollow wooden surfboards.
2014 Authors: Walker PJ. Title: Coriole moon. Extent: 1 sculpture.
2013 Authors: Walker P, Bowers S. Title: Antipodean willow surfboard. Extent: Hollow core surfboard.
2013 Authors: Walker P, Bowers S. Title: Walk the plank. Extent: 1 surfboard, Dimensions: 7'7" x 22".
2013 Authors: Walker P. Title: The moon. Extent: 1 sculpture.
2012 Authors: Walker PJ. Title: Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize. Extent: N/A.
2012 Authors: Walker PJ. Title: Hoj Board. Extent: N/A.
2012 Authors: Walker P, Bowers S. Title: Antipodean Willow Mini Simmons Surfboard. Extent: hollow core 'Mini Simmons' shape surfboard, Dimensions: 157.5 x 53 x 7.5 cm.
2010 Authors: Walker PJ. Title: Making Waves. Extent: 14 hollow wooden surfboards.
2002 Authors: Nerlich G. Title: Dainton, Barry. Time and space, 2001.. Description: Published online: 08 Apr 2010. Extent: Living sculpture.
DOI

Date Role Board name Institution name Country
2015 - 2017 Board Member Board of Trustees Haystack Mountain School of Crafts United States
1996 - 1996 Board Member Board of Directors Tasmaninan Design Development Company Australia
1987 - 2025 Board Member Board of Directors Designer Makers Tasmania Co-operative Australia

Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
2016 - 2020 Arts South Australia Department of the Arts Cultural or historical Australia

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2025 - 2025 Collaboration University of South Australia University of South Australia Australia
2022 - ongoing Artist Talk Mercury Cinema JamFactory Craft and Design centre Australia
2021 - ongoing Biophilia - Call of the Wild The Mill The Mill, Adelaide Australia
2017 - ongoing Material Lessons Rhode Island school of Design Rhode Island School of Design United States

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