Set design professor retires after years of service to University

After 24 years of teaching and creating set design for IU's Theatre and Drama Department, professor Wes Peters took his final curtain call with this weekend's production of "Romeo and Juliet." Peters, who will be retiring in December, announced the colorful set he created for the play will be his last.\n"'Romeo and Juliet' is my 168th set design and I feel that I've learned how to do that," Peters said. "I'd like to do something else now." \nPeters said he plans to remain in Bloomington after his retirement and work on his painting and sculpture. \n"Wes has an incredible understanding of color and composition," said Linda Pisano, head of costume design. "He's established a standard of artistry that we really need to hold onto and not lose."\nHis colleagues say Peters' designs are very versatile. \n"He's an extremely brilliant set designer in the sense that he is able to do anything from drama to experimental to musicals," said Robbie Stanton, who has been working with Peters for 22 years. "He is very much an artist."\nPeters uses his fine arts training in teaching his students. Stanton said Peters always stresses the importance of learning how to draw first before using any modern technology in designing the sets.\nWhen Pisano heard Peters was retiring, she encouraged all of her students to sign up for his classes. \n"He is one of the most demanding but compassionate teachers I've ever seen," she said.\nStanton said Peters continually provides him with inspiration for his own designs by recommending artists and styles.\n"I have just been awed by his teaching ability," Stanton said. "You can do great art, but you can't always teach it, and he can teach it."\nMany of Peters' colleagues said his witty sense of humor is what they will miss most around the studio after his retirement. Set design graduate student Gordon Strain said Peters always brings laughter to the classroom.\n"In class if he stops joking with you, if he stops sort of poking fun at you and pushing your buttons, that's when you know something's wrong," Strain said. "As long as he's sort of joking around you know that you are on the right track and working through your problems."\nHis peers said replacing Peters will be a daunting task.\n"Replacing somebody of his caliber and experience will be difficult," Stanton said. "We are losing an incredibly gifted man and teacher. It's just not going to be the same."\n-- Contact staff writer Jenica Schultz at jwschult@indiana.edu.