Peter von Tiesenhausen, a multidisciplinary artist based in Demmitt, Alberta, is a figure whose artistry defies easy categorization. Over his twenty-eight years as a full-time artist, von Tiesenhausen has ventured into a myriad of artistic forms including sculpture, painting, video, ephemera, performance, land art, community action, and installation, each reflecting his deep and diverse understanding of artistic expression.

His work grapples with a variety of profound themes such as time, the spirit, birth, death, nature, artifice, decay, regrowth, and the environment. von Tiesenhausen's practice is distinguished by his unwavering commitment to ecological sustainability and a keen exploration of time and substance. His art, often large in scale and sometimes imposing in form, invites multiple interpretations, challenging the viewer to see beyond the surface.

A key aspect of von Tiesenhausen’s artistic approach is the integration of site-specificity and site-responsivity, which significantly influences the meanings his works convey. He frequently uses materials that encourage decay, allowing his pieces to transform over time and interact with their surroundings. His subtle land interventions exemplify this approach, leading to his groundbreaking 1997 copyright claim over his land to protect it from resource exploration.

von Tiesenhausen’s influence extends through numerous lectures on his work and ideas, presented in museums, universities, and public institutions across Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Europe. His career boasts over fifty-two solo exhibitions and participation in more than sixty-five group exhibitions. In recognition of his remarkable contributions to the arts, von Tiesenhausen was honoured with the prestigious Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artists Award in 2015. This accolade, along with his dynamic and ecologically conscious practice, marks him as a significant and influential figure in the contemporary art world.