Nationality American Known for Sculpture Alma mater Dana College | Name Elmer Petersen Website sculpture-in-metal.com | |
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Born September 6, 1928 (age 95) ( 1928-09-06 ) Racine, Wisconsin Education Leo Steppat, Prof. of Sculpture, University of Wisconsin–Madison Notable work World's Largest Buffalo, La Crosse Players, Eagle in La Crosse's Riverside Park Spouse(s) Carole Mortvedt (m. 1968) Elected chairman of the Downtown La Crosse Sculpture Project Committee | ||
Elmer Paul 'Pete' Petersen (born September 6, 1928) is an American sculptor who works in metal. His most prominent artwork is the World's Largest Buffalo in Jamestown, North Dakota. Petersen lives and works in Galesville, Wisconsin. Much of his art is publicly displayed around La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he led the Downtown La Crosse Sculpture Project Committee. The La Crosse Tribune called Petersen "one of the premiere sculptors in the Coulee Region" and "instrumental in getting public sculpture scattered throughout downtown" La Crosse. He has worked significantly with welding, including that of found metal objects, and often sculpts in cast bronze.
At Dana College, Petersen was drafted in the middle of his education, then returned on the GI Bill for graduate work in art at the University of Wisconsin. Early in his career, Petersen worked in Texas before returning to Wisconsin in 1978 and opening a studio.
From January to July 2007, Petersen displayed a collection at The Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa.