Here are some examples of my watercolors. I focus on outdoor scenes and relish painting outside. All works are for sale unless otherwise noted. Prices include shipping for unframed items. Use the Contact page for inquiries. Do you have a place you’d like to see rendered in an original watercolor? I accept commissions.
One of my favorite places in Minnesota is this gorgeous little canyon on the Cascade River, along the north shore of Lake Superior – not least of all for its lovely little brook trout. Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden. (13” x 8”) $110
A bright summer day in the harbor at Grand Marais, Minnesota, on the north shore of Lake Superior. Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
The Namakagon River in northern Wisconsin is designated a Wild and Scenic River. I have experienced many moments like this while canoeing down that awesome river, and wanted to capture one in watercolor. Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden. (12” x 9”) $110
A tall ponderosa pine stands vigil over Halloway Meadow in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
The February sunset glows behind the gazebo in Matoska Park, White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
Just after spring ice-out in the Boundary Water Canoe Area wilderness, the portage from Eddy Lake to the South Arm of Knife Lake is a foamy cataract. Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
The last light of an October evening illuminates the bridge to Manitou Island, White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (11” x 8”) $110
Scene from a winter wilderness camping trip: Following a small freestone creek into a remote lake in northern Wisconsin. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
A yacht-tender rowboat is pulled ashore on an October evening at White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
The Kinnickinnic River is one of Wisconsin’s finest trout streams. Being spring-fed in its upper reaches it is open through the winter, allowing a chance to enjoy that dramatic contrast of dark water and bright snow. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (14” x 10”) NFS
This quiet little glen in Osceola, Wisconsin was luminous in the sunlight of an early-fall afternoon. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (13” x 9”) $110
My goal was to capture the early light on a hot, bright summer day, in the green tunnel that surrounds the Kickapoo River in Wisconsin. That’s me in the wooden canoe - from a photo taken by my friend who designed it. Copyright © 2021 Peter Borden. (11.75” x 8.75”) $225 (framed; shipping not included)
In the Adirondack village of Elizabethtown, NY, this former farm house shone out among the flaming maples. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (Watercolor, 9.25” x 7.25”) $75
The Hjørdis is the flagship of the North House Folk School, an academy of traditional crafts based in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden. (Watercolor, 9.25” x 6”) $65
A good friend cradles a nice catch before returning it to the waters of the Rush River. Copyright © 2020 Peter Borden. (9” x 6”) $65
Sunflowers always glow, even in shade. Copyright © 2021 Peter Borden. (8.25” x 9.5”) $85
Though I am now mainly focused on creating original artwork, I have been a graphic designer for over 30 years. I directed and designed many types of projects, but my favorite was always logo and identity design.
For over 25 years, Urban Boatbuilders has helped youth develop professional skills and self-confidence through building wooden boats. This logo signifies the organization’s urban milieu (the skyline) and its outdoor spirit (the treeline), and how all youth in their programs are working on inner strengths that are reflected in outward abilities. They are an inspiring organization and were a pleasure to work with.
This logo represents a nationwide Canadian self-advocacy organization for people with autism. Pro bono design project.
I designed this logo to represent a human resources consulting firm that emphasized staff development - thus the green, and image of growth.
St. Thomas was the only higher ed institution to advertise on the inaugural run of the Green Line light rail between Minneapolis and St. Paul. I designed this wrap that shows off the identity color (purple) and illustrates the connection between the two Twin Cities campuses. We especially enjoyed the fact that every day these trains rolled through right the campus of St. Thomas’ competitor, the University of Minnesota.
This 100+ page report detailed the activities and achievements of the Schulze School at the University of St. Thomas (named for former Best Buy founder/CEO Richard Schulze). I did art direction and design.
This floor-to-ceiling vinyl wall graphic was part of a series designed to create a sense of exclusive space for the Dougherty Family College within the larger buildings of the University of St. Thomas campus in Minneapolis. The DFC is a ground-breaking program that assists students who face obstacles to succeeding in traditional 4-year college programs. I did concept, art direction, and design (and crawled around on my hands and knees measuring the walls).
This 36-page viewbook was the top-level recruiting piece for the University of St. Thomas School of Law. The cover depicts a current student, and the script superimposed discusses the values and strengths of a St. Thomas law education. I did design and art direction.
This report was designed to report the results of charitable giving over the previous year to the University of St. Thomas School of Law. Its goal was to project a strong image of the school, thank its donors, and give a sense of the value of their investment at a personal level for students. I did graphic design and art direction.
For several years, I designed the annual report for the nonprofit Casa de Esperanza, which provides assistance and advocacy for Latina women suffering from the threat of domestic violence.
This gallery shows some of my work in printmaking, including relief printing and silkscreen. All works are for sale unless otherwise noted. Prices include shipping for unframed items. Use the Contact page for inquiries.
A relief print of one of my favorite places in Minnesota. Four colors, four hand-carved linoleum blocks, printed on an antique Vandercook proofing press. Limited edition of 25 prints. Copyright © 2015 Peter Borden. (11” x 17”) $45
This linocut print celebrates the brook trout, a native fish of cold northern waters (and, not coincidentally, one of my favorites to flyfish for). This image was later used as the label for a gift box given out at a resource conservation conference involving tribal and other groups. The brook trout is a native species of concern in the Lake Superior region, where the conference was held. Limited edition of 20 prints. Copyright © 2012 Peter Borden. (10” x 8”) $25
Inspired by a winter evening when the eastern sky was reflecting the western dusk. Scenes like this are why I live in Minnesota. Two-color reduction woodblock print, on Japanese paper. Limited edition of 8 prints. Copyright © 2012 Peter Borden. (5” x 7”) $25
Three-color hand-carved linoleum block print that I created for my first letterpress class at the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts. It was also the cover of our wedding invitation. I was the most-stressed student in the class, with a run of 80+ pieces that had to be perfect. Copyright © 1999 Peter Borden. (4.25” x 6.5”) NFS
The circle of life, as represented by salmon migrating out and returning to their birth waters. Two-color silkscreen on Stonehenge paper. Limited edition of 8 prints. Copyright © 2019 Peter Borden. (11” x 12”) $25
A plea for supporting my favorite fish, the native North American brook trout – known sometimes as the speckled trout, or speck. Three-color silkscreen on Stonehenge paper. Would also make a nice design for a tattoo! Copyright © 2019 Peter Borden. Limited edition of 12 prints. (11” x 14”) $25
Long before I knew it was called “urban sketching,” I enjoyed keeping notebooks of on-site sketches, especially when traveling. I have since discovered a wonderful, world-wide community of sketchers, and I have a whole bookshelf filled with bound sketchbooks. Here I share a few of my favorite places and moments in time.
The Firefighters' Museum contains not only entire vintage firetrucks, but walls full of sketch-worthy firefighting equipment. Check out the hatchet used for an air crash rescue - it melted! Copyright © 2024 Peter Borden.
The James Fiorentino Museum contains a well-curated collection of a staggering number of objects - from Edison phonographs to folk-art sculptures to an entire calliope. And, of course, dozens of cuckoo clocks. Copyright © 2042 Peter Borden.
A hundred years ago, the Adirondack mountains in New York hosted many poshly-rustic “camps” for wealthy city dwellers. This scene is from a restored camp that you can stay at: It was once the location of President Coolidge’s “Summer Whitehouse.” Copyright © 2019 Peter Borden.
The Bakken Museum in Minneapolis is based in the home of the inventor of the implantable heart pacemaker, and displays a wide range of historical medical technology. This sketch was included in an exhibit of urban sketching at the museum in 2023. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden.
From an outing with the Urban Sketchers-Twin Cities to the historic Ramsey House. It was a sketching bonanza, containing hundreds of the family’s original belongings from the late 1880s. So many cool objects to sketch, many made of cast iron! Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden.
While visiting America’s Home of Halloween, we stumbled on this festival with scores of folks in amazing witch costumes. Sure enough, they each grabbed a SUP and paddled out into the Hudson River. Copyright © 2022 Peter Borden.
On an autumn trip, we crossed red-and-gold Vermont. This place had the best cider doughnuts. Copyright © 2022 Peter Borden.
Quebec knows how to decorate for the holidays. It was too cold to sketch with watercolors; they would have frozen. Copyright © 2019 Peter Borden.
Every year some friends and I go camping and ice fishing in the middle of the winter. If you gotta ask why, man, you’ll never know. Copyright © 2018 Peter Borden.
In December, you can have this view all to yourself. This was sent as a postcard to some old friends. Copyright © 2022 Peter Borden.
Pages from a trip-of-a-lifetime to the fjord lands in Norway. Copyright © 2023 Peter Borden.
