PEET ELLET ROBISON

PEET ELLET ROBISON Peet Ellet Robison, 63, passed away in his home at Lake Lotawana on June 17th 2012. Peet was born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised at Lake Lotawana, Missouri. Peet graduated from Pembroke Country Day in 1967 and obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1972.6 While attending the Kansas City Art Institute, Peet was invited by renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly, to participate in the creation of an experimental glass workshop near Seattle Washington which has become known as the Pilchuck Glass School. In the spring of 1972, Peet collaborated with Dale Chihuly and Dan Dailey at the Rhode Island School of Design and returned to Pilchuck that summer as a teaching assistant. Following his passion for glass blowing, Peet continued his studies as a graduate assistant under Henry Halem at Kent State University. During that time, Peet participated in several workshops with acclaimed glass artists Paul Marioni and Fritz Dreisbach. Peet and Henry shared a mutual love for glass and golf which led to a lasting, lifelong friendship. In 1975 Peet married the love of his life, Susan Sorg, at the home of his maternal grandparents, Louise and Robert Peet, at Lake Lotawana. After a brief time operating a glass studio in the Kansas City River Market area, Peet and Susan moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1976 and opened Robison Glassworks which they continued to operate for 28 years. During his time in Santa Fe, Peet was an important part of a powerful glass community which also involved successful glassblowers including Charlie Miner, Peter Vanderlaan and Henry Summa. Peet also had the pleasure of raising his daughter, Crystal, in the land of enchantment. In 2004, Peet came full circle and moved his studio back to his home town, Lake Lotawana. Peet's unique single handed glass blowing techniques and designs are renowned in the US hand blown glass community. His ability to design his own unique equipment to accommodate his glass blowing operation has become as legendary as the beautiful works of art he created. His work can be seen in public and private collections throughout the world as well as on his website at www.peetrobison.com. Peet is well known in the national glass art scene, but he will be most remembered for his infectious smile, laugh, and love of life. Always the inquisitive knowledge seeker, he loved to play music and sail. He was a perennial winner of the annual peer voted sportsmanship award in the sailing fleet and hosted a "jam session" with his childhood friends every Sunday at his home. Peet was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie Peet Robison. Peet is survived by his wife Susan, daughter Crystal Robison Gould, son-in-law Eric Gould, father William E Robison II, sister Catherine McFadden and brother-in-law Michael McFadden, all from Lake Lotawana, as well as his brother Edward J Robison and sister-in-law Barbara Bouquet Robison, who reside in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that donations be made to the Lake Lotawana Parks and Recreation Inc. to the benefit of the Lotawana Ski Club OR the junior sailing program. Please send donations to 19 B Street, Lake Lotawana, MO 64086. A celebration of Peet's life will be held at the Missouri Yacht Club on June 30th, at 6 p.m. A casual BBQ with live local musicians and great friends will be a fitting way to remember the life of this extraordinary individual.