Peter Drake

Peter Drake serves as Provost at the New York Academy of Art, a progressive figurative and representational graduate program in lower Manhattan. Appointed to this position in January 2018, he previously served as Dean of Academic Affairs since 2010. Drake continues his academic engagement as a Thesis Advisor, with prior teaching appointments at Parsons the New School for Design, School of Visual Arts, and Maryland Institute College of Art.

Drake received his BFA from Pratt Institute and maintains an active studio practice represented by Craighead Green Gallery (Dallas) and Linda Warren Projects (Chicago/Los Angeles). His artistic focus centers on figurative and representational work, particularly incorporating toy imagery and suburban landscapes, with 28 solo exhibitions to date. His work is held in prestigious collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Phoenix Museum of Art, MOCA LA, and L.A. County Museum of Art.

Notable among his achievements is the permanent public art commission 'Waiting For Toydot' at the Long Island Railroad Massapequa Station, featuring 18 art glass windows and 5 ceramic/glass mosaics viewed by over 6,000 commuters daily. This MTA Arts & Design project opened in 2015 and draws inspiration from his father's model train collection.

• National Endowment for the Arts Award recipient (1987)
• New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting (2006)
• Two Trees Cultural Space Subsidy Program Grant recipient (2016-2019 & 2019-2022)
• Advisory Committee member for Weil Art Exchange (Mallorca, Spain)

Drake's curatorial work includes significant exhibitions such as 'We Are Family' (co-curated with Clifford Owens), 'Figurative Diaspora' (co-curated with Mark Tansey), and 'Piss and Vinegar: Two Generations of Provocateurs' (co-curated with George Adams). He previously curated for The Drawing Center in New York City and contributed to Flash Art Magazine. His work has been featured in major publications including The New York Times, Art in America, and Huffington Post.