Peter Glenn Oakley (b. 1974) is a stone sculptor based in Asheville, North Carolina. He grew up rock climbing and studied with an interdisciplinary focus on philosophy, psychology, and creative writing at Appalachian State University. After college he became a full time rock climber, working as a stonemason and doing inscription work until he opted to transition into fine art as a stone sculptor in 2003. He sold his first sculpture, a small styrofoam takeout box, in 2006.

Peter’s sculptures are held in public and private collections throughout the United States including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the North Carolina Museum of Art. His work has also been exhibited at The Mint Museum, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, and Telfair Museums. Peter was a 2017-18 Visual Arts Fellow at Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and was a 2015 North Carolina Artist Fellow. 

He has recently shown work in group exhibitions at Hodges Taylor Gallery in Charlotte, NC and Tracey Morgan Gallery in Asheville, NC. His work has also been featured in the 2019 PBS State of the Art documentary and in Liza Roberts’ 2022 Art of the State publication.

In 2024, Peter’s studio, located along the Swannanoa River in Asheville, NC, was destroyed in the Hurricane Helene flood. Since then, he has been working on recovering and rebuilding in a new shared studio space at 8 London Road with other fine artists who were displaced in the flood. There is currently a crowdfunding effort to help produce a short 3 minute documentary about his incredible story in which his largest sculpture to date survived being completely submerged in the flood (view images & support here).

Follow Peter’s instagram to stay up to date on his latest developments.

To inquire about commissions, learn more about Peter’s “wish list”, or to schedule a studio visit, please contact the studio.