About
Peter Tunney (b.1961) is a legitimate force of nature with boundless creative energy, spreading his positive messages in unconventional ways and delivering works of art to a worldwide collector base. He creates in almost every medium: paint, collage, wood, photography, found objects, and discarded materials. His nontraditional life, cache of extraordinary experiences, and countless wild adventures serve as the foundations for his work.
Since declaring himself an artist in 1987, Tunney delivers his messages of Grattitude, Don’t Panic, The Time Is Always Now, Fear Less, Love More and Change the Way You See Everything to a vast and global audience. His dynamic textual images blanket New York City, which he affectionately calls “The City of Dreams”, as giant billboards. Like magic these billboards spontaneously appear and disappear, an intentional phenomenon as Tunney himself is a trained magician. Tunney has owned and operated ground floor studios and galleries in lower Manhattan for the last 30 years. Open daily and free to the public, they embody his deep connection to and understanding of the city. In addition to his current Tribeca space on Leonard Street, for the last eight years Tunney has also maintained a gallery in the heart of Miami’s famed Wynwood Walls. As Wynwood’s first tenant, The Peter Tunney Experience has been a fixture in of the thriving Wynwood neighborhood. Throughout his 30-year artistic career, Tunney’s entrepreneurial spirit has remained strong.
Yet, at his core, Tunney is much more than a visual artist and businessman. He believes in humankind and the good that results from performing countless small acts of kindness. Over the years Tunney has spent tireless human energy and donated countless works of art to deserving organizations. Most recently, his main philanthropic efforts are devoted to criminal justice reform, supporting wrongfully convicted individuals, and ending the stigma of mental illness. Tunney happily lives and works between New York and Miami with his wife Amy, their 9-year-old son Arthur - affectionately known as “Art” - and their 6-year-old daughter named "Sonnet".
PT, 1962
Early signs of trouble
PT birthday a couple months after the car accident
First few days free from a full-body cast. During that time, PT learned slight of hand magic
Now a professional Magician about a year after the accident
Kalahari, Namibia 1998
Valley of the Loibons, Loita Hills, Kenya 1996
“Self Portrait” Tanzania
Elephant Back Safari, Botswana, 2002
“The Time is Always Now Gallery” Broome St, NYC circa 1993
The lower level of the gallery aka “The Fifth World”. Only accessible by slide. circa 2000
PT diaries
My room at the Crobar, where I lived for 321 days
Grace Jones visits the Crobar
Crobar Installation circa 2003-2004
Levitated by David Copperfield
Early PT artwork
First photo of Amy