Peter Leibert

Earth, fire, water and air have always been of great interest to Peter Leibert. He burnt the woods down behind his house when he was about six years old, was the primary fuse maker for a group of rocket crazies when he was seventeen, then fell in love with clay when he was 21. His involvement with clay has continued since then, including teaching a class in ceramics.

He has exhibited nationally as well as in Italy and Japan and has had numerous one person exhibitions and many group exhibitions. In 1991, Professor Leibert studied for six weeks with fourteen other international ceramic artists in Tokoname, Japan. He returned to Connecticut College to teach a course entitled "Chance and Risk in Japanese Ceramic Technique." His involvement with utilitarian pottery, ceramic and mixed media sculpture have been given equal treatment over the years. Most recently he has been working with large wooden pieces that are carved and then intentionally burned.

Among Leibert's other interests are silversmithing and jewelry (he owns the Preston City Blacksmith Shop) and photography, areas in which he was academically trained and professionally involved. He has called and played for country and contra dancing for over 45 years in New England, England and most recently Japan. He plays button accordion, concertina, pipe and tabor and accompanies as musician and was founder of the Westerly Morris Men, a group specializing in traditional English Morris Dancing.

Leibert was selected in early 2003 to be a Master Teaching Artist for the Connecticut Commission on the Arts. Leibert was given the John King Faculty Teaching Award for teaching excellence, presented during Connecticut College’s 89th Convocation ceremonies on Aug. 28, 2003.

He delivered a talk, "A Fender Painted Blue," at the Honors and Awards assembly in April, 2004.