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There he spent three years of intense study in both metalwork
and woodwork, under the close scrutiny of the head of the
school ‘Accurate’ Jack Edbrooke and his assistant
George Cramer. These men provided Peter with a vast amount
of experience with various tools and materials. They tested his endurance and patience and taught him about
his capacity for work. Those two men still influence the
way in which Peter works. It was George Cramer who encouraged
him to pursue his interest in art and design.
From 1962 to 1964 Peter taught woodwork, drawing and pottery
at The Royal Wolverhampton School.
He spent the next three years as a full time student at
the School of Art in Wolverhampton, studying sculpture, painting
and stained glass. While there Peter was influenced by Charles
Pulsford who inspired his drawing and painting. Another of
his teachers, Patrick Reyntiens, the stained glass artist,
showed him how the appropriate working environment for the
artist has a definite influence on craftsmanship.
At the age of twenty-seven Peter immigrated to British Columbia
and continued his career in teaching.
When you talk to Peter Leonard Bailey about his craft, and
the way he makes things, he will refer you always to the
people from whom he learned. He will tell you that the greatest
influence came from Tom and Charles Ashton. It is they who
figure in his first childhood memories of making things.
Peter will tell you that it was because of his experiences
as a child that he was recognised by Hank Garfield and Eric
Rainer as a boy with potential. He will tell you that George
Cramer was generous with his time, and that his friend Arthur
Godfrey was forever supportive of his ambition.
He will say too, that when he works at any task, he imagines
that ‘Accurate Jack’ is at his elbow, or behind
his shoulder. No apology or excuse for shoddy work will be
forthcoming with Jack about.
It would be too difficult to itemise all the different influences
on Peter's life. He has worked in many places, always making
things, always learning, always sharing his knowledge. From
England and Canada Peter has ventured as far away as New
Zealand and Niue, Tonga and Hawaii, Alaska and Maine. Like
the island Peter originates from, all these places are maritime.
Perhaps it is because Peter has an unquenchable passion
for the sea and for boats that this itinerary was realized.
An accomplished sailor and navigator, Peter sailed the Pacific
Ocean for many years.
Having practical skills like woodwork and metalwork made
it easy for Peter to travel and earn a living. He enjoyed
teaching others these skills and was always amazed to discover
how much teaching enhanced his own learning process, since
a lot of knowledge is inevitably simply exchanged in the
every day course of life.
Since 1990 Peter has called Vancouver Island his home, working
in various aspects of things maritime; surveying and measuring
vessels, demonstrating traditional boat building and teaching
navigation and seamanship. All the while he has continued
to design and produce a body of work.
In 2003 Peter established the Errington School of Woodwork
and Desgin. There he continues to design and make beautiful
objects. Peter teaches woodwork at the school, working with
small groups of men and women, in all aspects of the craft
from the very simple to the most complex.
Throughout his life, Peter has never lost sight of his goal,
to produce useful and beautiful things. He is fascinated
by tools and materials and the design process.
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