Sawatzky, Peter

Peter Sawatzky grew up on his family's farm near the Mennonite village of Sommerfeld, Manitoba. Taking advantage of a scholarship, Sawatzky attended the commercial art program at Red River College in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was not until 1974 that Sawatzky discovered his true interest in carving wooden bird sculptures—a combination of his ongoing fascination with bird life, and his skill in carving. A long list of awards and exhibitions won the Sawatzky international recognition as a sculptor and by the mid 1980s, his success allowed him to set up his own foundry, enabling him to work in bronze.

Sawatzky’s passion for wildlife and the natural environment continues to provide direction and focus to his career. A world-renowned bronze sculptor, best known for his skill in depicting animals, Sawatzky has received many commissions in both Canada and the United States to create large scale, outdoor sculptures. Notable public works include Perilous Crossing—a life-size bronze boat with seven crewmen can be seen in Selkirk, Manitoba, and situated at Portage Avenue and Main Street in Winnipeg, is the twenty-nine foot long heroic bronze, Seal River Crossing, showing eleven caribou crossing a turbulent river. At the entrance of the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, is the nine-foot-tall Mother Polar Bear and Two Cubs.

Peter Sawatzky received the Order of Manitoba in recognition of his work in 2008, and currently lives in Glenboro, Manitoba.