In memory of Peter Purdue

Note: a celebration of life for Peter Purdue will be held at the University Club on June 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Dr. Peter Purdue, our recently retired colleague from the Department of Art & Art History, passed away suddenly in Saskatoon on May 9, 2015.

Prior to his career in post-secondary education, Peter taught primary and special education school for eleven years in New Zealand.

Dr. Purdue received his BA (Magna Cum Laude) and MEd degrees at Western Washington State University, specializing in art education, education curriculum and special education. He earned his PhD from the University of Oregon in the field of architecture and allied arts—art education. He was a post-doctoral fellow in education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand in 1979-1980. He joined the University of Saskatchewan faculty in 1986 as an assistant professor in the Department of Art & Art History. He was granted tenure in 1990 and achieved the rank of associate professor in 1991. He was an associate member of the College of Education starting in 1986, and much of his teaching assignments were at the College of Education. Professor Purdue won a USSU Teaching Excellence Award in 2006 and a College of Arts & Science Teaching Excellence Award in 2007. He retired from the University of Saskatchewan on Dec. 31, 2012.

Dr. Purdue was known for his tireless service to leadership committees at the department, college and university levels. Throughout the 1990s he served on the College Review Committee, and as chair of the college’s Nominations Committee and several equity and affirmative action committees. He served for many years on the Snelgrove Gallery and Travelling Student Exhibition Committee, the Visual Resources Committee, the Extension Programs Committee, and as a representative for the Centre for Community Arts. From 1991-1993, he was on the Emma Lake Management Committee. He also served on the High School Liaison Committee and the Art Education Committee. Peter also served on several university committees in the 1980s and 1990s, including the Nominations Committee of Council, the Chernivitsi Exchange Committee, the College of Agriculture Acquisitions Committee, the Academic Affairs Committee of Council, and the Art Committee of Council.

Dr. Purdue worked in the area of public art gallery management, and his primary research area was the development and implementation of school art curricula. Peter’s recent research was in art therapy and its role in the rehabilitation of traumatized and brutalized children. Throughout his life, he was actively involved in community art programs, including art instruction for preschool and school-age children at risk.

Peter held a great many professional offices and did much community committee work outside of the university. He worked for many years as part of the Saskatchewan Education Visual Art Curriculum Review Committee, as well as the Saskatchewan Society for Education through Art. He served on the Board of the Friendship Inn, was a member of the William Morris Society, and was a juror for the Saskatchewan Craft Council. A longtime member of the Canadian Museums Association, he was also a member of the AKA Gallery, and he contributed to the City of Saskatoon by advising on visual arts placement.

Peter was a vibrant and passionate scholar and energetic advocate for art education within the university community and beyond. He will be sorely missed.