About

Peg Butler is an interdisciplinary artist and project manager who often works with social and ecological issues. A creative and resourceful systems thinker, Peg develops and manages projects that build relationships and enhance the livability and functionality of places. Peg’s skills and experience include: public, social practice and installation art; ecological design, placemaking, and project and program management.

E D U C A T I O N

MLA / BLA – Landscape Architecture, University of Oregon, Eugene

Master’s thesis: “Educating Environmental Designers and Planners for Ecological Sustainability”

BA – Geography major / Linguistics concentration, University of Massachusetts, Boston

PDC – Permaculture Design Certificate, Cazadero, CA

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

Peg Butler LLC (PB), Portland, OR, 2005 to present.

Environmental Artist, Designer and Project Manager – Providing creative, project management, coordination, writing, and research services to businesses, governments, schools, community groups and individuals. Projects engage people with environmental and social issues.

PB Selected Work:

Public Art Project Management

Percent for Art Project Manager. On contract with Oregon Arts Commission (OAC). 2017 to present.

– Percent for Art projects in progress or completed for OAC:

  • OSU Withycombe Hall, Corvallis, OR. In progress.
  • UO Heritage Project, University and Villard Hall, Eugene, OR. In progress.
  • Executive Building, Oregon Department of Administrative Services, Salem, OR. In progress.
  • Eastern Oregon University, Inlow Hall, La Grande, OR. In progress.
  • Portland State University, Vernier Science Center, Portland, OR. In progress.
  • North Valley Complex, Oregon Department of Administrative Services, Wilsonville, OR. In progress
  • University of Oregon, Lewis Integrative Sciences Building, Eugene, OR. Completed 2023.
  • Oregon Supreme Court Building, Salem, OR. Completed 2022.
  • Western Oregon University, Welcome Center Building. Monmouth, OR. Completed 2022.
  • Oregon State Treasury Resiliency Building. Salem, OR. Completed 2022.
  • Eastern Oregon University, Field House. La Grande, OR. Completed 2022.
  • Western Oregon University, Instructional Technology Center. Monmouth OR. Completed 2021.
  • Eastern Oregon University, Loso Hall, La Grande, OR. Completed 2021.
  • State Library Renovations. Salem, OR. Completed 2020.
  • Oregon Military Department, Fort Dalles Readiness Center, The Dalles, OR. Completed 2019.
  • Oregon Military Department, Joint Forces Headquarters, Salem, OR. Completed 2019.

Interdisciplinary Art

-Public Art and Installations

  • Artist. “Tree Star Thanks,” Indivisible Gallery, Portland, OR, 2017. Art & ecology group show. Installation represented social practice project.
  • Co-Artist/ Project Manager/Writer/Photographer. “Orange Lining,” Portland, OR, 2015. Portland to Milwaukie Light Rail Public Art, $100,000 budget. Client: TriMet. Managed public call for writings; supervised work crew; acted as contractor and client liaison; created website, construction documents and book about project. Co-Artist with Buster Simpson. (orangelining.net)
  • Collaborating Artist /Project Manager. “Cradle,” Portland, OR, 2015. South Waterfront Greenway Public Art, $70,000 budget. Client: Portland Parks and Recreation.  Installation weaves culture, ecology and site history. Materials: sustainably harvested cedar trees, concrete, wire rope. Lead artist: Buster Simpson.
  • Artist. “People Blind – Prospect and Refuge,” Portland, OR, 2015. Portland Building temporary installation (one month). Client: Regional Arts and Culture Council funded and managed. Natural and repurposed materials.
  • Artist. “Mountainhood,” Portland, OR, temporary installation 2015 – 2023. Rain garden and stormwater art. Building and landscape integrated art/green wall installation. Worked with project neighbors to develop design concept. $15,000 budget. Client: Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon. Community Watershed Stewardship Program grant-funded.
  • Artist. “Hello,” Frye Museum, Seattle, WA, 2013. Installation seeded ideas of ecological-human connectivity and encouraged interaction between museum-goers.
  • Co-Artist/Project Manager. “Dekumstruction,” Portland, OR, 2012. Integrated art, bike corral and stormwater management installation, $60,000 budget. Clients: Portland’s Bureaus of Environmental Services and Transportation, and Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC). Integrates environmental concepts and multi-functionality. Materials: stainless steel tubing, recycled oil barrels, hue-changing paint. Nationally recognized project, named to Public Art Network’s 2012 Year in Review. Co-Artist: Buster Simpson.
  • Co-Artist/Project Manager. “Bucket Brigade,” Portland, OR, 2009. Building integrated stormwater art installation, $11,000 budget. Client: East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District. Stainless steel installation conveys stormwater from roof downspout to a series of planted buckets and on to a trough and constructed wetland. Co-Artist Buster Simpson.
  • Artist. “Do Something Do Nothing,” Portland Art Center, Portland, OR, 2007. The Other Portland, Art & Ecology in the 5th Quadrant Group Gallery Show. Three conceptually connected installations told dysfunctional eco-cultural stories.

-Master Plans, Books, Proposals & Other Coordination

  • Copy Editor. “Civitella Book,” Civitella, Italy. Client: Buster Simpson, 2016, 2017.
  • Copy Editor, Graphic Designer. “Battery Street Tunnel Recharge Proposal,” Seattle, WA. Client: Buster Simpson, 2017
  • Copy Editor, Graphic Designer. “Broadway Cultural Corridor Art Master Plan,” San Antonio, TX. Client: Buster Simpson, 2017
  • Copy Editor. “Captiva Confab Book,” Captiva Island, FL. Client: Buster Simpson, 2016
  • Co-writer, Photographer. “Orange Lining Art Book,” Portland, OR. Client: Trimet, 2015
  • Call for Writings Coordinator: “Stone Poems” art Installation, Hillsboro, OR. Client: Adam Kuby, 2014
  • Copy Editor. “Middle Kyle Canyon Art Master Plan,” Clark County, NV. Client: Buster Simpson, 2010

-Social Practice

Presenting activities and installations that prompt community interaction and thinking about ecological-social system connectivity.

  • “Cultural Fermentation,” Ongoing: leading fermentation discussions and hands-on experiences in Portland and Beaverton to combine practical, scientific and conceptual ideas.
  • “Tree Star Thanks,” 2017: created “thank you” medals and cards and delivered them to 50 homes in Concordia Neighborhood. Project showed appreciation to people for sharing their yards with tall trees.
  • “Urban-Forest Adventures,” 2016: led multiple hiking adventures in Forest Park to catalyze perceptual shifts and raise environmental awareness while walking in nature.
  • “Open Suppers,” 2010-11: presented two seasons of weekly family style suppers in NE Portland to prompt random interactions and provide slow meals.

-Placemaking with Schools

  • Hands-on Educator/Builder. Jefferson High School, Portland, OR, 2010. Edible school garden development with special needs class.  Visioning, teaching, construction and planting.
  • Artist/Project Manager. Ockley Green K-8 School, Portland, OR, 2007-2008. Wrote and received multiple grants for school projects. Developed project support; revived school’s native plant and vegetable garden with students; produced outdoor installations and art elements with students, faculty and community. Taught after-school garden class.
  • Designer/Collaborator. Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR, 2008. Sustainable Courtyard Project. On team to develop multifunctional, stormwater garden and courtyard.
  • Educator/Collaborator. DaVinci Middle School, Portland, OR, 2000-2001. On team to develop artistic/innovative stormwater garden in old tennis court at school site. Led workshops on ecological/social art.

DESIGN AND PLANNING

  • Associate Designer. Lando and Associates Landscape Architecture, Portland OR, 2009 to 2010.
  • Associate Designer, Project Manager. Eric Lloyd Wright Architecture and Planning, Malibu CA, 2001 to 2005.
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Planner. ALTA Transportation Planning, Portland, OR.  2001.
  • Associate Designer. Sustainable Systems Design, Portland, OR, 2000.
  • Trail Planning Consultant. Portland Parks and Recreation, Portland, OR. 1998 to 2000.

PROGRAM AND EVENT MANAGEMENT

  • Program Director. Black Dog Art Ensemble, Portland OR, 2014-2016. Program director of non-profit organization that explores contemporary environmental and social issues through the creative arts. Program development, grant writing, administration, volunteer coordination, website design.
  • Program Director. Wright Organic Resource Center, Malibu, CA, 2001 to 2005. Program director of environmental/art non-profit. Produced workshops for inner city youth and general public on nature awareness, environmental art, alternative building, renewable energy and organic architecture.
  • Co-chair, Coordinator. HOPES EcoDesignArts Conference, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 1994-1998. Managed logistical aspects of conference, developed and coordinated panels.
  • Coordinator. Shire Conference – Educating for Sustainability at Skamania Lodge, Stevenson WA, 1998. University of Oregon graduate fellowship position.

PRESENTATIONS

  • PSU Art + Social Practice Program. March, 2022. Guest Speaker, presentation and discussion about public art projects and professional practice.
  • Columbia Slough Creek College, Portland, OR, 2017. “Am I Hiker, or Am I Forest,” an experiential art & nature discussion. Class leader.
  • Society for Ecological Restoration NW, Portland, OR, 2016. Art and Ecology Unite Symposium, “How Art is necessary in Ecological Restoration.” Presenter and panelist.
  • Urban Farm Environmental Public Art Project, Washington, DC, 2015. “People Power.” Short-listed to create public art and placemaking proposal, and present ideas to public art committee.
  • Pecha Kucha, Portland, Oregon, 2014. Community + Design Presentation. 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide.
  • Northwest Public Art Conference, Portland, OR, 2013. “Plays Well With Others, A Conversation on Collaboration.” Presenter and panelist.
  • UO Architecture and Allied Arts Career Symposium, Portland, OR, 2013. Roundtable discussion panelist. Topic: “A&AA to the MAX: Building Portland’s Next Light Rail.” Represented new max line artists.