On Thursday, October 5th, we will welcome speaker Arthur Pearson, CEO of the Roger tory Peterson Institute at 12 noon at SUNY Fredonia's University Village 2nd Floor Conference Room.

 

A Chicago native, Arthur has a richly varied background in the arts, conservation, museum collections and philanthropy. Throughout his career, he has focused on helping nonprofit organizations build the operational and financial capacity needed to achieve their mission goals. Since his arrival in March 2020, Arthur has guided the restructuring of RTPI in pursuit of a revitalized and resilient strategic vision. Arthur is the author of “Force of Nature,” the award-winning biography of George Fell, father of the Natural Areas Movement and the driving force in the founding of The Nature Conservancy.

 

Home to the largest collection of Roger Tory Peterson’s original artwork, films, slides and papers, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (RTPI) hosts three major nature art exhibitions each year. The art museum’s signature annual exhibition is Art that Matters to the Planet. Each year, the theme of the exhibition draws inspiration from one of more than 50 titles in the Peterson Field Guide series.

Peterson, the premier artist-naturalist of his time, connected people with nature as never before. The father of the modern field guide, he was honored by the Smithsonian Institution and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Jimmy Carter. Peterson devoted his career not only to art, but also to helping to heal the natural world. Peterson’s artwork offered a way for readers to discover the beauty and wonder of nature. He also helped us to understand the impact of human activity on nature.

Designed by architect, Robert A.M. Stern, the world-class facility is located on a 27-acre nature preserve with two half-mile trails that wind through the preserve.

We hope you will join us for the fascinating presentation.