Alumni Profile: William Peck '61
ENVISION Magazine, Winter 2007

Nothing can keep William Peck from painting - not a heart attack, kidney transplant or even Parkinson's disease. "I don't know why I can still paint, but I can," he said.

The 1961 liberal arts graduate and retired high school art teacher has been painting for more than 40 years and is known for his innovative work with watercolors and especially acrylics.

"Acrylic is my favorite method because I can complete a piece in a day," Peck said.

He primarily paints places he and his wife, Carol (Rowlands) '62, have visited over the years, with his favorite subjects being landscapes, waterfalls and lately, places in Europe.

"I especially enjoy painting Wyoming," Peck said. From 1961 to 1966, he attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie earning a master's degree in fine arts and a specialist degree in educational administration. "I fell in love with the place as soon as I set foot on the campus," he said.

He continued to return to Wyoming while teaching at Oconomowoc Senior High School, Winona State University in Minnesota, and Forest View High School in Arlington Heights, Ill.

Peck has an impressive exhibition record, having participated in 81 national juried shows, 27 one-man shows and 32 group exhibitions. One of his last major shows was in 2003 at the Jasper Arts Center in Indiana, and he said that while he misses the hubbub of showing, "I don't miss the work that it takes." His pieces can be found in collections around the world.

Besides being an accomplished painter, he has written several articles for national magazines and has been listed in "Who's Who in American Education," "The Chicago Art Review" and "American Artists of Renown."

Despite his health, he continues to paint and is currently working with watercolors, something he hasn't done in years.

"I just have to paint," Peck said.

He and Carol live in Rolling Meadows, Ill. They have three sons: Kurt, Scott and Chadd.

? Melissa DiMotto