Eric Peterson infuses not only Japanese motifs into his wooden works, but he's been told that his pieces are reminiscent of the late Wisconsin archtiect, Frank Lloyd Wright. 

"A lot of people tell me what my inspirations are," he said. "I spent 35 years banging my head against the artistic wall trying to figure out what people are willing to hang on their wall. It wasn't until I completely let go of that (notion) that I figured it out."

Peterson told me this during a visit to his studio at the Grand Inspired in Stoughton. The Grand Inspired is both a makerspace and gallery that opened within the last few years as Stoughton's burgeoning economy has allowed for various other arts institutions to open in the city. If you haven't had the chance to check out Stoughton, I highly recommend it. 

Peterson is one of three exhibiting artists as part of Carnelian Art Gallery's fall exhibition, Tending the Balance, whose theme is all about ongoing care and finding equillibrium in all aspects of daily life. The show commences TONIGHT at 5 p.m., and goes until the end of October. 

His works are distinguishable in both appearance and style. Peterson uses wood, metal, and other materials to assemble them. And there's always a pop of color, whether its a bright red, orange, blue, or something else. They take on a minimalist and contemporary aesthetic, making them a versatile add to any home or office setting. 

Having grown up in Madison, Peterson was a creative "since before I can remember."

"My earliest memories are associated with art," he said. 

When Peterson was just 14, he got his first "gig" doing graphic design work. In middle school, with his teachers seeing his artistic potential, he was put in high school art senior level art classes. The same thing happened when Peterson was in high school; he was able to take various courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Madison Area Technical College. Peterson also studied for a time at the now defunct Madison Media Institute. 

Up until just over a half decade ago, Peterson worked as a full-time graphic and web designer and always enjoyed figurative and non-figurative drawing. Since that time, he has worked up to being a full-time woodworker and purveyor of EDP Designs, which offers a wide range of services. Mobias Frame Art is the entity Peterson uses to sell is wooden pieces. 

Of showcasing his work at Carnelian Art Gallery, Peterson said it's "exciting." 

"It's super awesome," he said. "It's also nice to be in Madison and that means a lot."