Meet Peter Pinder, 70-year-old British artist now based in Benguet, whose artistic journey spans across diverse mediums – from sculpting, leatherwork, woodworking, to painting, which all require passion and patience to create something from nothing.
Pinder's early years were marked by academic challenges due to dyslexia. However, rather than letting this setback define him, he discovered his passion for craftsmanship, particularly working with wood. “I couldn't read properly even at 14 years old. In fact, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were both dyslexic. You get a gift somewhere else. So I quit school because I was failing most of my exams. I wasn't interested in most of what they were teaching. I was more interested in working in the carpentry shop."
His life took him on a global journey, engaging in various odd jobs, until he eventually found himself in the Philippines, settling in Baguio first in the ’70s. Through perseverance and determination, he acquired enough funds to purchase property, where he embarked on building his home.
“I came back to the Philippines, and stayed up in Baguio. And when I came here, I started learning [woodworking] – sitting with woodcarvers and learning how to carve wood. I was sitting in General Luna Street in Baguio, making my own shoes while the guy was teaching me how to do it. I'd learned to do that self-taught type of thing when I was working with the Aborigines in Australia. It was just sort of a hobby I just happened to come across. So I started doing that here,” Pinder said.
“I was doing designs of Igorots on belts and bags and stuff like that. I started making money, got a shop, and then got this job doing something for the Hyatt. I got enough money, bought this property, and then started building this house.”
His creations, ranging from a political chess set to faux rock benches made of fiberglass, garnered attention. Nowadays, Pinder manages a trophy business and explores 3D printing to further enhance his craft — pondering on his next passion project.