Peter Robert Thompson

Dateline - Mineral Point Peter Robert Thompson died peacefully of natural causes on May 7, 2024 in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. He is survived by cousins Molly Kantner Reed and John Kantner who live in Pennsylvania. Born in New York City on July 1,1949, Peter was raised by his mother, Jean Bartelme Thompson, his beloved Uncle John Bartelme, and his grandparents, Clarence and Jean Bartelme, all of whom instilled in him an endless curiosity and wonder for our world. Photography was, for Peter, the perfect path to explore and (in his own words): “celebrate the majesty of what is common, simple and ordinary. These are the places, people and things we share time with on our planet that exist quietly.” His photographs of the western United States celebrate the poetry and simplicity of the vast, stark landscapes he discovered in his travels. Along the way, Peter studied and apprenticed with Al Weber, Jim Ginney, Oliver Gagliani, Richard Burton, Walter Chappell and Ansel Adams. In 1985, Peter founded LightFALL Photographic Works, offering small group workshops throughout the West and Southwest United States, often with other master instructors. He regularly taught photography workshops at colleges and art centers across the country, including the Victor School in Victor, Colorado, the Evanston Art Center and the Adler Cultural Center in Illinois, and was an artist in residence at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. Peter’s work has been exhibited both individually as well as with many group shows in Illinois, Wyoming, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Sweden, and Israel. Major exhibitions include Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin; Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri; and Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, Iowa. His images are part of the permanent collection of the Polaroid Corporation and the George Eastman House. Peter chose an unscripted life. He grew up in Northbrook, Illinois and lived in the family home, except when he was on the road, for about fifty years. From home bases in Mineral Point, WI, Carrizozo, NM and Northbrook, IL, he traveled the back roads to explore, learn, and photograph, particularly the West. During these sojourns over the years, he witnessed impacts on the natural landscape caused by humans and climate change, and he concluded, "What used to be wild, free, and healthy is not quite so today." Overwhelmed at times, Peter attempted to highlight these concerns and raise awareness in others through his photographs and his writing. Friends also gave him hope and helped buoy him through difficult times. He loved meeting people and stayed in touch with many, as evidenced by very thick address books. A prolific letter writer and gift giver to myriad friends and colleagues, Peter was always open to learning more about the world, whether through his “big adventures,” watching and listening to movies, music and public radio, or by reading (and sharing) the latest books, magazines and poetry. Peter enjoyed long conversations with the interesting people he had the uncanny fortune to meet. He also cherished the camaraderie and inspiration found at the annual Photographers Rendezvous in California and New Mexico.The titles of his exhibitions: In Search of Wonder, In Praise of Simple Places, Into the Big Wide Open, and We are a Part of Something Larger, all reflect Peter’s reverence and awe for the earth’s wonders and creatures: “Those of you who’ve known me well know that I’ve devoted a significant portion of my life to making high quality black and white photographs that speak to the beauty of the natural world. These pictures are only a glimpse into the vast Big Wide Open as I see it. It’s awesome out there. You really should go, get yourself lost on purpose, spend a night or two in the desert, howl at the moon along with the coyotes into a night sky so filled with stars that it challenges your imagination. Listen to the quiet, allow your mind to wander, consider the rock, the air, the sun and wind on your face, the smells of the land after a storm, watch the colors and the other living things. And then ask yourself again what it all means. It’s not called ‘Mother Earth’ for nothing. There’s always more to the picture than meets the eye!” No memorials or services set at this time.

Peter Robert Thompson

July 1, 1949 - May 7, 2024