Meet the Artist: “Our Fine Fisherman” The Photography of Peter Kolesar

The Narrowsburg Union has created an innovative new gallery space, which is currently presenting the first-ever exhibit of Peter Kolesar’s work.

Professor Emeritus of Operations Research at Columbia University and a member of the Columbia Water Center, lives in Eldred, NY.  His photographs of fish, fishing, and sea and riverscapes are a synergy of two long-held passions: for fly-fishing and for photography. Peter’s work pays homage to the beauty of our local rivers, the tranquility and intensity of the fishing experience, and the vibrancy of the rivers’ piscatorial inhabitants.

Peter’s passion for fly fishing has also led him to apply his mathematical and statistical skills to the study of the water policies for the upper Delaware River. This research was the foundation for the Flexible Flow Management Program currently used to manage water releases from the dams on the Delaware’s headwaters to the benefit of the upper River’s ecology. In addition to the many honors garnered for his research on alleviating congestion in service systems, the organization of police and fire emergency response systems, and improved detection of glaucoma, Peter’s contributions to the environment of the upper Delaware have been recognized by awards from the Institute for Operations Research & Management Science, the National Park Service, the Upper Delaware Council, Theodore Gordon Fly Fishers and the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum.

Peter’s photographs have been published, won prizes, and have been shown in the Alliance Gallery in Narrowsburg since 2009, in the Stray Cat Gallery in 2013 and in Artists’ Market Community Center, Shohola in 2016, and Gallery Eva in 2017.  He is a member of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance and the Barryville Area Arts Association. In his spare time, he plays classical and flamenco guitar.