Peter Snelgar

Whilst having a junior sporting background Peter Snelgar later attended the Swindan college of the Arts. His father who was in the Air Force was transferred to South Australia in 1958. Peter began selling his work at the local market, and with his small scale success started becoming one of Australia's most sought after artists. Lovely traditional Australian artworks and beautiful in any collection.

I was born in England in 1941. My father was in the air force so, due to his frequent postings, we lived in many different places. I think I must have attended a dozen schools at least. I was interested in art from a very early age, and always knew that one day I would be able to earn a living from my paintings.

My last school was at Malmsbury, in Wiltshire, and when I left there I was head boy, and sports captain. Later I attended Swindon college of the arts.
In 1958 dad was posted to South Australia, where he finished his service, and decided to stay in Adelaide. I was seventeen at the time and took up work in the construction industry. There was plenty of work around and my art studies were put on hold.

I was married young, to Pamela who was only seventeen, in 1959. We struggled for years trying to make a living, raised three kids, and hold the family together. I painted, but not often.

I worked for years on remote construction sites, up the bush, while Pam stayed home bringing up the kids. Until one day a bad injury to my back put me out of the building game for good.

I concentrated on my painting, developing a style that is uniquely my own, the back injury may have been a blessing in disguise.

In 1979, while still recuperating, Pam took a load of junk to the trash and treasure market at the local drive in theatre. Some of my reject paintings (that Pam had retrieved from the incinerator) were much sought after, and for a couple of years after that we did the markets on a regular basis.

In 1982 Pam and I organized my first one man exhibition at Hazelmere estate winery in South Australia, and a list of subsequent exhibitions followed.
I have taken part in countless mixed shows organized by various charity groups, and for many years supplied the prestigious Wylde’s Art fine art gallery in Perth with paintings of the tropical wetlands of Kakadu.

These day, although I no longer hold exhibitions, my painting can be found in a few exclusive galleries around the country.

My paintings hang in Boardrooms and private collections in many countries all over the world, form Hong Kong to Alaska, and I must admit that I feel a thrill when I walk into a reception office, or boardroom and one of my paintings is hanging there.