Wood Carvings of Chester E. Peters

Dr. Peters loved to spend time in his studio where he created wood carvings and sculptures from native and exotic woods. Several of his works can be seen on campus. Two of his sculptures can be seen in the Recreation Complex. The walnut sculpture titled "Achievement" is an individual with uplifted arms signaling victory. It has a forward looking face, one of achievement for the future. The Recreational Services office is home for the other display titled "Participation is Winning." The outside of the sculpture represents constant improvement through participation. The sculpture's center is filled with carved representations of nutrition, fitness, and sports made from various types of wood.

Molecular Structure

Globe

The Book

Achievement, the K-State Recreational Services logo.

Participation is Winning

Honeylocust Sculptures

These sculptures were made from a honeylocust tree that was approximately 150 years old when it died in 1992. The tree had a companion, located a hundred feet to the south that was still living in 1993, the year Chester E. Peters designed and crafted these sculptures.

The trees were on the west lot line of land owned by Reverend Elbridge Gale, purchased in 1871 to form the northeast quadrant of the new Kansas State Agricultural College campus. The property had been operated as a nursery by Rev. Gale. He continued its management while a member of the Horticulture faculty, doing research and selling thousands of trees to be planted throughout the state.

Gale was a Baptist minister who came from the east coast in 1864 and served on the Board of Regents from 1865 to 1871. He also served as a Department of Horticulture instructor in 1871 and as a professor from 1872-1878. The quadrangle is now one of the focal points of the campus, surrounded by buildings housing many academic disciplines in the heart of K-State.

• "Molecular Structure"
  This Form represents the multifaceted bodies of research dedicated to the development of new knowledge for universal benefits through the efforts of numerous members of the University community.
• "Globe"
  The worldwide life enhancing outreach programs are reflected in the globe. The hands are shown reaching out to offer new knowledge to the many faces of the world from Kansas State University. The State of Kansas is represented by the wands of wheat and the state flower, the sunflower.
• "The Book"
  The opened book denotes the importance of teaching and learning.

Other Sculptures

• "Achievement" K-State Recreational Services Logo
  It is an individual with uplifted arms signaling victory. It has a forward looking face, one of achievement for the future.
• "Participating is Winning"
  The outside of the sculpture represents constant improvement through participation. The sculpture's center is filled with carved representations of nutrition, fitness, and sports made from various types of wood.
• "Developing Students" 1970
• "Vision" 1975
  
• "Living & Learning"
  This sculpture depicts the life of a student in housing and dining services. The three support bases are residence life, dining services, and facilities management. The sculpture is in the shape of a tulip bud just before full bloom representing the student as a budding and vibrant being in the process of becoming or fulfilling all of her or his potential in life. There are three upsweeps of wood that are bonded together to depict the three areas of housing and dining services which work together toward fulfilling their mission.
• "Bosco in Motion"
  Personal gift by Dr. Peters to Dr. Pat Bosco
• "Creative Problem Solving"
  First presented to the Midwest Fraternity and Sorority (now AFLV, formerly MGCA) student leaders in St. Louis, Missouri at the Sheraton Hotel located in downtown St. Louis. Dr. Peters loaned it to Pat Bosco and he has had the privilege of using it in student leadership and professional training programs.
• "Growth in Higher Education by Faculty, Students, and Administration Through Openness, Creativity, and Flexibility" 1988
  The central idea of this piece is that every individual at the university - when they go through the university - go through the same growth process. There is a sense of openness to the sculpture that represents the notion that education is open to one's vision and to assist them to see and experience what exists. the "lifting face" of the piece represents the freeform face of higher education - to help all grow and develop to their maximum potential.