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Artist's Statement
Peter Driscoll
Art preserves the history of man. It invokes emotion,
recalls memories, and helps to interpret one's life.
Art teaches, and inspires hope, promotes health, and
calls our attention to the natural world. It might even
disturb us to action as it calls attention to opportunities
for positive change in our lives.
Through my art I hope to preserve the nearly lost
art of scrimshaw. I create original pieces, as well
as teach others through workshops, lectures, and hands-on
demonstrations as I pass this art form on to others.
It is also important for me to extend my choice of subject
matter beyond what has been traditionally created. Many
of my commissioned pieces are chosen by clients to add
value and meaning to their lives.
Approximately 1,500 individual pieces of my scrimshaw
have been sold to art collectors across the United States
and abroad. I have given numerous workshops and taught
hundreds of students the fundamentals of the art of
scrimshaw. In addition, I have given thousands of mini-lessons
about scrimshaw at dozens of art shows throughout the
Eastern and Midwestern United States.
Many authorities consider scrimshaw to be an original
American Art Form. It was begun by New England whalers
in the mid-1800's, who engraved - "scrimshawed"
- on whales' teeth, which were their sources of ivory.
As these sailors traveled the world they depicted scenes
they saw or imagined. In his novel Moby Dick, Herman
Melville suggested scrimshaw to be the art of the engraver.
Scrimshaw, then, is the art of engraving on ivory.
My art is created in the traditional manner of the whalers.
It is done completely by hand, without the use of power
tools or machinery, and only on various forms of ivory.
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Lithography
and Art have been Pete's passion since his youth in Wisconsin.
Now, after years spent working in different media, Pete
has turned his attention to the art of scrimshaw.
