Best known for his paintings of Washington, D.C., history and architecture, Peter Waddell has previously created works about the Capitol in the nineteenth century (Inside the Temple of Liberty); the role of Freemasons in the creation of the Federal City (The Initiated Eye); the history of the Octagon; and numerous other commissions for historic sites including Mount Vernon and Tudor Place. Recent smaller works can be found on the streets of the city around the National Cathedral, and in the Kalorama neighborhood where Peter has been involved in the Call Box Project, placing historical images on former police and fire call boxes. His contributions to the arts in Washington, D.C., were recognized in 2010 when he received the Mayor’s Art Award.
Peter Waddell was born in Hastings on the East Coast of New Zealand in 1955. A child of vivid imagination, his ability to paint and draw was always encouraged by his parents Colin and Penny. From Colin, owner of a cabinet making firm and former soldier in Egypt and Italy, he gained his love of craftsmanship and fascination with the ancient world; from Penny, a theatrical costumer and librarian, his ability to create dazzling effects. After considerable success in New Zealand as an artist, Peter came to Washington in 1992 to learn the secrets of the masters as a copyist at the National gallery. Enamored with America and its history from the start, Peter became a United States citizen in 2002. Peter is artist in residence at Tudor Place in Georgetown.