Gullerud is a 95% self-taught artist who presents a captivating and unique perspective in his works. His varied subject matter includes surreal landscapes, unique buildings, animated figures and tenderly portrayed wildlife. Many of his works have a mysterious storytelling quality about them which allows the viewer to go on a personal imaginary journey. He uses oils and acrylics in his canvas paintings as well as a unique mixture of media in his drawings. His works suggest an unusual mix of elements reminiscent of Edvard Munch, van Gogh, Maynard Dixon, Peter Max and Roger Dean but eventually evolved into his own unique surreal and expressive brush strokes.

Peter’s expressive detail, love of the imagined and technical gifts have been employed at the three top animation studios in Los Angeles: Hanna-Barbera, Disney Features and Warner Brothers Features. He rose up the chain at Disney becoming one of two prestigious visual development artists on the hit film Aladdin. After that, he remained a visual development artist on the Warner Brothers films Space Jam, Quest for Camelot and The Iron Giant.

After 15 years of studio work, Gullerud began working directly with wildlife. He then learned to bring to his visual work the authenticity of working with ‘Wildlife Educators’ and Tippi Hedren’s animals at the Shambala Preserve, being her first nightwatchman and saving them once from a drunk driver who crashed into a tiger den. He has had hands on experiences with Siberian tigers, California black bears, binturongs, pigtail macaques, Mexican raccoons (coatimundis), African elephants, wolves and many, many other exotics. After Peter’s “wildlife period”, he began painting surrealist landscapes and continues to do that to this day. His paintings display a boundless imagination and storytelling ability that draws you in and sparks the imagination. As you are led in, you might discover surprising, hidden details within the pictures which make statements about our humanity, our planet and the other beings we share it with. Some of the other creatures are totally original and reside solely within the surreal world of Peter’s imagination. In either case, you are meant to appreciate more than just our own species.

In addition to his paintings, Peter is an accomplished illustrator creating many imaginative and whimsical drawings in his own unique fashion using ink, pencil and other media.

And in addition to his art, he is also a prolific writer. His first two novels and a book of short stories can be found on Amazon. All illustrated. His third novel is due out Autumn/Winter 2019.

Peter Gullerud was born in Wisconsin and moved to California where he has spent most of his life. He resided in the quaint village of Pine Mountain, CA in the Los Padres National Forest for 15 years. He now resides in Taft, CA, an oil town in Kern County. Gullerud displays a concern for environmental issues and a compassion for all animals as so evidenced in his works, visual and written. He remains a member of the Animators Guild of America.

Check out the “links” button here to find all his works, including his videos on YouTube.